Karen Cook, who worked as a flight attendant, shared her story with the BBC, describing how pain hyperacusis has so drastically altered her life. The laughter of her two young sons is like torture. “Sound is everywhere. It’s like air, you can’t escape it,” Karen said. “Sound keeps me a prisoner. It has completely erased me.”
Karen created a Facebook fundraiser that raised over $5,000 for Hyperacusis Research as we work toward a cure. While her Facebook fundraiser has now closed, you can still make a donation on our website here. If you note that your donation is in made in Karen’s honor, we will let her know.
Our Hyperacusis Research board member Ken Devore also makes an appearance in the BBC piece. We applaud Karen for her bravery in sharing her story and emphasizing the reality of hyperacusis with pain.
The broadcast aired on 19 February 2024. You can watch the full BBC News broadcast here. And find a written summary here.
Hi this reply is in connection with Karen Cooks article on tv
I sent a question on YouTube and yous replied saying you would past any info on to her
What it was my wife suffers from HYPERACUSIS and TINNITUS .
While researching this a number of years ago (6/7)a bloke from Coventry called Dean got in touch
Cut long story …he went for an operation in Middlesbrough and was intouch with a surgeon/consultant called
MR. ANIRVAN BANERJEE at NuffieldHealth.com/consultants
He did an operation on him for HYPERACUSIS at a cost and the last I spoke to him (lost contact with him ) he said it had improved alot but obviously not cured .
Don’tknow if yous are aware of
him ??
But might be an option
My wife would never try it because also she has a serious phobia about anesthetic.
The annoying thing is alot of people even in the medical world don’t know anything about HYPERACUSIS.
Wonder if u could pass this on if its any help
I know what she and her family are going through and wish her the best of luck with everything in the future
Hi Darren,
I have a long hard story off a operation with took over 7 years why a received burning pain from noise specially music and they damage a nerve on my ear from with a got hyperasusis. Another cut long story the other ear recieven nerve damage so with 2 extreme sensitieve ears and from the stupid quite background noise my nerves start to irritating.
I just received my first newsletter and have beeb reading your story with a operation.
I’am from Belgium and what you sais about hyperacusis is 100% correct, even the medical world dont know anything about hyperacusis. They just send you to the psychiatrist.
Can you send me some more information about this Operation, what they did and the costs, he improved a lot in which way….
Thank you,
Jürgen
Hi Darren,
I have a long painfull story off a operation 23 years ago witch took over 7 years why a received burning pain from noise specially music and this operation had damaged a nerve in my ear from with a got hyperasusis. Another cut long story my other ear recieved nerve damage also. So with 2 extreme sensitive ears from witch already some stupid quite background noise my nervedamage start to irritating, so actuelly it is from hyperacusis that I get pain and this pain can trigger my nervepain.
I never had to opportunity to live in a quiet home. I’m want to sell it and such something in a forest. There are no quiet places anymore. People only look at themselves they sure have no feeling for somebody who is really high sensitive.
I had the opertunity some years ago for my tinnitus to try this device from NM with 2 Germans made and it helped but it was sold to a British investment company. I think this is no a modern version that received the necessary medical advice for selling this device.
I just received my first newsletter and have been reading your story with a operation.
I”m from Belgium and what you said about hyperacusis more than 100% correct, even the medical world don’t know anything about hyperacusis, you will just send to a psychiatrist. Not to forget that tinnitus is a billion market that in every small town there is a shop for ear hearing and they sell those nose devices, what is stupid way to burden your ears even more???
Can you send me some more information about this Operation, what they did and the costs, he improved a lot in which way….
Thank you,
Jürgen
Hi Jurgen
Could u reply to this using my email [email protected] as I can’t print the man’s email address on the site
Thank you
That is interesting news about a possible cure. I have had Meniere’s, Tinnitus and decreasing hearing loss since 1985. Then in 1997 I was diagnosed with Hyperacusis and it also is getting worse as the years go by. I was in contact with Hearing Link and spent a week with them in 2014. They are high in my estimation as being wonderful people. I also had been writing short poems and I shared with Hearing Link my Poem on Hyperacusis. I was pleasently surprised when they published it. I cannot sat the same for R N I D, I was in contact with them also in 2023 and told them and sent them the same poem TWICE, I am still waiting for a reply