Hypersensitivity to sounds. What causes it?

Victor Maalouf

Active Member
The most likely mechanism I heard is an interference with the Reticular Formation near the base of the skull. It's responsible for filtering senses.

Of course, I think the interference is mechanical. When my intensification of vision and experience greatly softened it was right after a thick stretch in my upper trapezius going straight into the side of my neck.

A man named Danny Raede has a really interesting theory on how these sensory-gating problems are at the root of much of Asperger's/Autism.

 

Who Me?

Well-Known Member
Glutamate toxicity causes light and sound sensitivity and it's caused by neuroinflammation.
so can you cure me?

I remember reading hear that light sensitivity is actually an adrenal/cortisol issue (don't quote me on that) that our eyes can't react to the light as fast. I have found when my HPA is functioning I'm less sensitive to light.

I think @San Diego said something about this. It's here someplace.
 

bobby

Well-Known Member
I read somewhere that light sensitivity might have to do with our autonomic nervous system dysfunction. In a healthy person, the autonomic nervous system makes the eyes automatically adapt to the amount of light around. Our autonomic nervous system doesn't react quickly enough or not at all so normal light to our eyes feels like the light beam is out to burn our eyes out of our eye sockets. Or something along those lines. :cool:

No idea where I read this though.
 

Who Me?

Well-Known Member
I read somewhere that light sensitivity might have to do with our autonomic nervous system dysfunction. In a healthy person, the autonomic nervous system makes the eyes automatically adapt to the amount of light around. Our autonomic nervous system doesn't react quickly enough or not at all so normal light to our eyes feels like the light beam is out to burn our eyes out of our eye sockets. Or something along those lines. :cool:

No idea where I read this though.

right. There is a thread here where that is talked about but it isn't on a thread about that. I think it's something Cort wrote about what different docs are doing these days.

I'll see if I can find it.
 

Upgrayedd

Active Member
Many of us are hypersensitive to sounds. For me it's whines of fans or clicking sounds, thumping bass, bouncing balls, repetitive sounds are torture. I can only listen to music in a car

What's this from. Anyone know?
I couldn't go out with ear plugs for a long time when I was at my worst. In a crowded place with a lot of different voices, I just about lost my mind. I was terrified of restaurants. But, like you, I was also sensitive to simpler sounds, like rain on the roof, or bouncing balls, etc.

I'm still sensitive, but now I can get through it without a complete breakdown or a xanax. One of my integrative doctors explained it to me as a symptom of the inflammation of the brain associated with myalgic encephalitis. That, and sensory overload in an already overtaxed brain.
 

Remy

Administrator
so can you cure me?
I'd review @Hip's list of microglial inhibitors...and try high dose fish oil or GABA.

High intracellular calcium can also cause this symptom so potentially a CCB like verapamil or an NMDA antagonist like magnesium or memantine. Phenytoin might also be a good possibility.

There are also specific drugs that block glutamate like riluzole. If ammonia is a problem, rifaximin is a good choice to reduce it.
 

Who Me?

Well-Known Member
I'll see if unicorn farts work. I'm pretty sure mine is more related to what @bobby said because I have significant relief when I was messing around with glandulars.

And I think this is one of those things that drove me insane as a kid. So now I'm more confused. Just take me out back and shoot me! :beaver:
 

Remy

Administrator
I'll see if unicorn farts work. I'm pretty sure mine is more related to what @bobby said because I have significant relief when I was messing around with glandulars.

And I think this is one of those things that drove me insane as a kid. So now I'm more confused. Just take me out back and shoot me! :beaver:
The autonomic failure is a symptom of the neuroinflammation too. Correct the inflammation, correct the autonomic failure, correct the glutamate toxicity...it's all the same thing.

The things I listed above are mostly bandaids until one can figure out the root cause of their inflammation.
 

Upgrayedd

Active Member
There are also specific drugs that block glutamate like riluzole.
Lamictal also blocks or lowers glutamate. I've been on it for about two months now. I'll have to see if it has any effect on the hypersensitivity thing. I haven't felt much different from it yet, but you have to start slow with it to avoid a potentially dangerous rash.

I just upped from 25mg to 50mg, and so far the only difference is my pulse has been faster in the morning a few hours after taking it.
 

Seven

Well-Known Member
What's this from. Anyone know?
Mine is OI, Mine is quit severe, I use earplugs to sleep, public places and even to go to the movies. It goes away with Midodrine (I still cannot tolerate a rock concert, loud music like metal...) But for my daily live is enough to make it go away. If I am doing really bad I take Aleve every 6 hours for a day or 2.
 

Tammy7

Well-Known Member
Neuroinflammation causing super sensitive nerves/CNS. Root cause anyone's guess.............many things can cause neuroinflammation..........virus, bacteria, crappy food. My guess though is that virus is causing most of it.
 

bobby

Well-Known Member
The autonomic failure is a symptom of the neuroinflammation too. Correct the inflammation, correct the autonomic failure, correct the glutamate toxicity...it's all the same thing.
yes, totally! they're all in a state of dysfunction but probably none of those things are the cause. I think that's why it's hard to tackle just one thing, cause in a weird, twisted way when you try to heal one dysfunction, the whole system gets even more out of balance. Dysfunctional balance, but still a balance...
 

Lissa

Well-Known Member
I read somewhere that light sensitivity might have to do with our autonomic nervous system dysfunction. In a healthy person, the autonomic nervous system makes the eyes automatically adapt to the amount of light around. Our autonomic nervous system doesn't react quickly enough or not at all so normal light to our eyes feels like the light beam is out to burn our eyes out of our eye sockets. Or something along those lines. :cool:

No idea where I read this though.

That certainly makes sense. Especially in a car at night... Opposing traffic is hell because the headlights burn a hole through the back of your skull! I won't drive at night because it's so bad that I'm afraid of driving into a ditch because it totally blinds me.

Anyone else also have problems when turning out the lights in a room? My husband thinks I'm nuts (kiddingly) because at first I really can't see anything. He'll turn out the lights as I'm crossing the room and for me it goes pitch black. Can't see a thing- trip over furniture, the cat etc. It takes much longer for my eyes to adjust than his, so while he's totally fine, it seems like I'm exaggerating!

Thanks for bringing this up!
 

Paw

Well-Known Member
I'm wondering what this hyper-sensitivity feels like. Could it be related to the dreaded "brain zaps" typically associated with withdrawal from SSNRIs? (Although I have found they can be set off by various imbalances, including GABA (the flip side of glutamate) and the dopamine chain -- not just serotonin.)

When having a spell of brain zaps, any sharp or unexpected noise or light will set off an alarm in the form of electrical shivers through the brain -- sometimes severe, but always disconcerting.

Is it anything like that?
 

Upgrayedd

Active Member
I'm wondering what this hyper-sensitivity feels like. Could it be related to the dreaded "brain zaps" typically associated with withdrawal from SSNRIs? (Although I have found they can be set off by various imbalances, including GABA (the flip side of glutamate) and the dopamine chain -- not just serotonin.)

When having a spell of brain zaps, any sharp or unexpected noise or light will set off an alarm in the form of electrical shivers through the brain -- sometimes severe, but always disconcerting.

Is it anything like that?
Paw - not for me, it's not a matter of brain zaps. It's like an overwhelming escalation of irritation and anxiety. It's like being trapped in an Alfred Hitchcock movie and the birds are attacking from all sides. I guess is some ways, it's like a panic attack, where the cacophony of sound just overwhelms me and I just need it to stop... I think for me anyway, it's more GABA/glutamate related. Gaba drugs (mostly benzos) blunt the hypersensitivity and make it bearable. I've tried other things, including glutamate reducing meds (lamictal) and dopamine increasing drugs and they haven't provided the same relief.
 

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