Watch to learn more about her health issue.
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People who age often complain that their hearing is not as good as it used to be. But 71-year-old Linda Stratmann, from London, has the opposite problem. This is because she has hyperacusis which makes sounds seem louder than they should be.
Linda, a retired credit controller, says that whenever she leaves the house she needs to wear industrial earmuffs and carries a decibel counter with her because even ordinary sounds ‘cut through her like a scalpel.’
Her husband, Gary, 59, even had to cover her ears a few times in restaurants. Her hearing is so sensitive that even washing dishes hurts so she leaves that chore to Gary.
The mother-of-one said: “Noises are agonizing, it feels like someone has taken a knitting needle and stabbed me in the eardrum.
“High pitched noises and the sound of laughter are especially painful.
“I was once in a restaurant wearing my earplugs, it was someone’s birthday and they ramped up the music right next to the door so I couldn’t leave.
“Gary had to wrap his arms around my ears so I could get out of the door, I’ll never go there again.
“Now, after dinner, Gary will say ‘clear the noise scene’ and he washes the dishes, so that works out for me.”
Linda’s condition has forced her to avoid parties. She said that sitting too close to the speakers during a concert she attended more than 20 years ago caused her condition.
She said: “Whenever I go outside I use the sleep buds which play white noise that muffles sound, with earmuffs on top.
“If I’m in the house it’s the best place because I can control the noise, I can watch TV with the subtitles on.
“But as soon as you introduce another person into the environment there are problems.
“I miss out on a lot If I miss going to a party, and if I am crossing the road when I am wearing earmuffs I have to take great care and be very vigilant about traffic.
“I’m 71, I’ve been to enough parties but imagine a younger person whose life surrounds socializing.
“It can destroy their social life, career, and educational opportunities.
“I was in contact with a 23-year-old man with the condition whose life was clubbing and being out with his friends and he committed suicide, he was mourning his old life.”
Those most at risk for hyperacusis include musicians and those in the military but trauma such as whiplash can also cause the condition.
Unfortunately, the condition is incurable and even a treatment regimen Linda underwent for a year didn’t help.
Suggestions that her condition is psychological only infuriates Linda.
She said: “People get treated badly like they are making it up, being anti-social or they are mentally ill and some have been taken to psychiatrists when they actually have a hearing disability.
“Luckily so many people wear headphones nowadays so it’s not that unusual. If people do stare, I really don’t care.
“I went to an event with my husband with my industrial earmuffs and a man asked me about them so I explained and he turned to my husband and asked if it was psychological.
“I was furious – I still regret not punching him in the face.”