Question: I am writing this for my wife. She has always had problems with her over sensitive hearing. She hears everything, even when she is engaged in conversation. For instance, last night I asked her what she could hear in our house while we discussed this situation sitting in front of the fireplace. . She heard the following:
She could hear the ice knocking together when it was slightly swirling around in her beverage when it was in her hand was about 24 inches from her ears, ( I could not hear it and I was sitting right next to her) , when she drank from it, she could hear it entering her mouth and when she swallowed it. The crackling of the fire, she could also hear the hot air rushing through the flue (I try to listen for the rushing of the air and I heard nothing). The heater blower, the washing machine, the dryer, (both about 30 ft away from where we were sitting, in a different room off to the side of the house). She also heard the wind blowing outside. The problem she has, and she didn't know it was not normal to hear all these sounds at one time, without the ability to tune any of them out as she has had this affliction her entire life. Other sounds she can hear are the sheets moving in our bed, and she says it’s pretty loud. I want to stress this again, she hears all of these sounds all at one time. She tells me it is incredible stressful. When she sleeps at night, it gets worse. Even when she is sleeping she is aware of all the sounds, she can’t turn them off. What I am trying to find out is what is this condition called and is there a way to fix it or minimize it. Please let me know where I can turn to assist her. Thank you.