Does anyone else struggle with sensitivity to nose and light?
My bi was 15 months ago and after a few months I became aware I was unable to cope with loud noises, it would make me physically flinch. I also really struggle being in a situation with more than once conversation going on around me - a cafe, pub etc. Very quickly feeling overwhelmed and need to remove myself from the situation.
It is similar with bright light, especially strip light or anything directly over head. I wear sunglasses even on dullish days. I had an episode early on in my recovery where I was in a hall with strip lights and lots of conversation and experienced a full sensory overload / panic attack / melt down.
I find it is worse when I am more tired / stressed but would be interested in anyone who has found ways to overcome / reduce sensory issues.
I already use Flare Audio 'calm' ear plugs and yellow tinted glassed for night driving!
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ColdSwimming
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These are classic after-effects of brain injury and may or may not abate with time. I'm 9 years post-Bi and still struggle with over-stimulus of bright lights, noise and too much verbal input (even from one person).
You've obviously started to develop coping methods (earplugs/glasses) and I've found that's the key. These challenges aren't going away any time soon and so tricks for getting around them are vital.
I sometimes think I'll spontaneously combust if someone talks 'at' me for too long and it's difficult to escape. But I've stopped allowing pride to get in the way and find myself raising a hand and saying "Sorry - have to stop - brain is in meltdown"...
I love gardening so block out noisy children with a personal CD player & earphones (need to keep my phone on vibrate in a pocket).
I know that many, many folk here on this forum have intolerance issues and I hope you get the hang of dodging yours m'love. See you later, Cat x
Yep I had similar early after my tbi - a cap as well as darkish glasses helped and nighttime mode on screens. As for the sounds thing it just took time to readjust to busy places - I am a kindergarten teacher so started with small 15-20 mins exposure to that and gradually became better and longer stints. If you can take 10mim breaks and lie down cover eyes and try turn brain off my rehab nurse called them brain zones. Worked wonders for me to be able to get through the day and still be standing at the end😀 I’m 3 years post head injury for first then had another 11months after 😬 so 2 years from that one ans I still use coping techniques to deal . The love your brain website has some great free brain yoga and mediation which helped me heaps. Take care ans stay strong it does get better 😀
Yes, as cat3 mentioned these are pretty classic symptoms.
In the early period after my injury I would literally fall down if there was a sudden loud noise, or if I got too over stimulated. I hated summer - never knowing when someone was going to start a lawn mower or a leaf blower. Yup, legs just gave out and plop, down I'd go.
It helps if you start logging what triggers you, may be things like lawn mower, leaf blower, trucks beeping when they back up, the way sound rolls around in areas where there is lots of cement, the cycling noises engines make - so for example being around a refrigerator in a grocery store may or may not be an issue for you.
In terms of light, are dark and light patterns, for instance shadows on the ground on a sunny day an issue? black and white checked tiles somewhere? is it the contrast? the colour?
A lot of times it can be a combination, for example colourful objects moving. Meaning playing video games may not be your most restful activity.
If you keep a log and are aware, this can help you manage situations better. Meaning, you can avoid them, or do things to reduce the impact.
Noise cancelling head phones or earbuds can help - though some people find the technology itself annoying. The kind of ear protection construction workers wear can help. There are also some ear plugs meant for air travel which cut down on noise somewhat. Different types may be useful in different circumstances.
As for light, there are sunglasses with amber glass and some with dark grey glass. The dark grey ones cut contrast more. There are also ones for night driving, which you already have. During the day wearing both a hat and sunglasses can help.
Is your movement impacted? If you find you have trouble with mobility when overloaded, having a walker can really help a lot.
As for activities at home, you can use some tricks. For example, you can turn the contrast or saturation down on your tv or computer. For example, VLC media player has a saturation setting so you can take the colour completely away from whatever you are playing. That may help. I also found old movies on youtube from WWII are less noisy - the musicians were all away, so there is not a lot of background music, and the plots tend to be simpler, and they are black and white.
You can also work on building up your tolerance. There is a theory that exposing yourself a slight amount on a regular basis can help you build tolerance. This has been true for me - but it is something done over years, not over a few days, weeks, or months. For example, find something on the radio that is easier to listen to - for me that was the sports news - where I live the broadcasters are men with lower pitched voices, there was no music, and they said the same things over and over again. It was perfect. From there I could move on to higher pitched voices, or recorded audio books, etc. Anyway, you get the idea.
Be aware that things you don't normally consider, such as changes in barometric pressure, will also tend to make your symptoms worse in general anyway. Being unwell, like having a cold or the flu, will also hit you harder. Your brain takes longer and more energy to do everything now - including all those processes it used to regulate automagically before - like keeping your body temperature stable, etc etc. There are some studies that talk about how a brain injury disrupts your heart rate variability - that is about how your heart and breathing work together in a coherent way.
There is one supermarket near where I live where the price scanners click at every digit they read. It makes me cringe. I can't get in to the place it because I can't get past the row of cashiers clickety clicking away. I have found a place, further away from home, that I can actually get in to. I also joined a program that provides delivery service for people who can't get out to shop - really necessary when going to shop is just too much.
So yes, literally avoiding some places is ok.
There are also apps you can get for your computer, tablet, or phone. One is called f.lux and the other Twilight - these help you choose a brightness you are comfy with, and f.lux will take the blue light out slowly for you during the evening, so it does not interfere with your sleep. (Though, it really does take the blue out so buying clothes or something online at night might not be the best idea - though you can turn it off when needed.)
Also, if you know you are doing something very stimulating, make sure you plan for it, and rest first, and have time to rest again after. I mean a day or two, not an hour or two. Somethings I do take 2 or 3 days recovery time.
Basically you have to be aware of your surroundings, take precautions, and pace yourself.
Unfortunately, though there are general trends, everyone is a bit different, and it is a moving target - it changes based on other ways we are overloaded and also over time.
Meaning, you have to learn to develop a sort of intuition for it.
I still can't go in to a coffee shop - between the clattering of dishes and the music, I'm done before I even walk in the door. And, I have to tell people that if we are having a conversation I can't understand them if there is music playing in the background or the tv on. (I find my brain has trouble filtering, and all the sounds appear equally important - which means I have no clue what the person is saying.)
People may find it hard to understand. It can help to try to explain how your perception is different. And, I have given up on thinking people will understand - it is a really hard thing to get if you haven't experienced it yourself. So, you have to be patient - with yourself, and with them.
Approach it with a level of curiosity, and try not to judge yourself. That is hard. We often think - or others say - oh just try harder, you are trying too hard, oh you are just lazy. No, no, and no. We are injured. If it were a broken leg, that conversation wouldn't come up. But, with the brain injury, it does.
Do your best to be kind and patient with yourself.
I don't know if it helps to know you are well with in the quirky normal brain injury zone - whatever that means - the light and noise sensitivity is quite expected. People do have it more or less, the degree varies.
Oh, the other thing is resting means - sitting or laying still doing nothing in dim lights or dark with no sound turned on - resting does not include watching tv or listening to the radio or reading a book. Doing anything still takes energy points out of your day. Even meditating, which is often recommended , is an activity, not a rest. So, it can help to have scheduled rests. Some people put a timer on say for 20 minutes, do an activity that long, then take a 10 minute rest break. 20 minutes may be too long - for some people doing the activity may last 1 minute and the rest break 20 - or they may need a nap after 1 minute. Again, you'll have to play around with various things and keep a log, so you get an idea of how things work for you, so you can plan successfully.
Hi Cold, yes this does seem to be one of the most common effects following a BI. You will find many discussions on the forum discussing this subject. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any major solutions. You can control your home environment, but outside I think you are doing what you can. Some do become less sensitive, many don't. I think it does ease as your body can only maintain the stress it causes for so long. I used to use a blindfold, ear defenders. There are good days (more as time goes by) and there are bad days. On bad days, just go with what relieves. If hibernation is required then hibernate. 🍀
Hi there, I'm 20 months since ABI and suffer with this alot and I haven't found anything that helps. I can't look at any lights that flicker or flash so watching anything on TV now that has police lights, cars moving or things moving fast on the screen i just can't look at . We've tried taking our sons to the cinema twice but that's a no for me now as got instant motion sickness looking at the screen and even the glow from the exit and floor lights set my head off. If we are in the car and there's any emergency vehicles or even just oncoming traffic lights again sets me off. I'm allowed to drive now but can't cope as a passenger so attempting to actually drive is not going great.
I do sleep with ear plugs in and that does help and neck support to stop my head rolling.
If I'm a restaurant and its too loud my husband knows instantly as I zone out completly as just can't take anything in and also just having to concentrate in that way wears me out.
Hello, I've had the sensitivity to noise and light all along too, and particularly when my fatigue level is higher. My flat is like a dark quiet cave...
I can manage some cafés, and some shops now to a certain extent. Some I know I'm sunk and in energy drain virtually as soon as I walk in. Face to face conversations with people I don't know well, are tougher than with people I've known a long time (unless it's my mother - she can take my batteries down from high to rock bottom in about twenty minutes 😂). When I was going up to London for appointments I located quieter cafés to take breaks in to pace out the day. My physio pointed out that if things are building up on you in a busy environment, just go and lock yourself in a loo for a bit to give yourself a break. Also really rest up for a day or two before an excursion.
And ( major achievement, because I even have trouble watching MasterChef and Strictly) I've just been to see the Bond film and survived. If anything I feel more rested. Pretty sure I couldn't have done that a couple of years ago - but I did have a quiet day yesterday, and I took a sandwich in with me.. 😊👍)
Thanks all. Always helpful to know you not alone dealing with these issues. Time, patience and self care seem to be the best way forward with all symptoms.... good luck everyone!
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