When Sound Hurts

For some people, ordinary sounds cause physical pain. This is acoustic nociception, sometimes called hyperacusis. The sound isn't objectively louder, but the nociceptive threshold is out of whack. This could be partly because of the integration of eardrum information with its twin, vibration. If the eardrum and the vibration information are at odds with each other, this might create havoc. One of the benefits of Feldenkrais is the recalibration of related sensory streams so that they do not quarrel with one another. If you are troubled by sounds, experiment with this coupling of vibration and eardrum hearing – if they are a little bit off from each other it can feel kind of like the old days of Zoom, when the sound and the visual were just a teeny bit off. It is fatiguing.