Anyone else have trouble hearing over background noise?

[inspirer]

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[lurknomore]

Wow, I didn't know this had a name- I definitely have it. I've almost learned to lip-read, because it's nearly impossible for me to hear what a person is saying if there's any background noise going on... on the rare occasions that I'm in a social setting like this.

 

[inspirer]

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[johnny 85]

Does anyone else have trouble listening to others over background noise, like in a party setting or anywhere around loud noises? A term they call this is Cocktail Party Syndrome.
I have some of the worst trouble in bars, clubs, or anywhere in large groups of people talking at once. This makes me more anxious and embarassed because I don't actually hear what the other person is actually saying. I sit there almost straining to listen to the person and only sometimes have them repeat what they said, but hate always asking them to repeat it so I let it go and reply as casually as I can and hope for the best.
I can tell I have a problem because others are responding back and forth like it's no problem in the same settings.

im starting to love this site. i know exactly how u feel. im gonna have to google that name (cocktail party syndrome). when im out in the pub or nightclub i find it impossible to have a conversation as i cant hear a bloody thing and yet somehow all my m8s have no problem chatting away! if someone is chatting to me and i cant hear wat there sayin i kinda just nod at the appropriate time. they could be telling me there dad died and i ll im doing is nodding away like an eejit , lol. i never realized this condition had a name. great find m8 !!

 

[ayama]

Yes, same here. Other noise issues I have - I am kind of scared of loud people, the way they talk, laugh, walk or do stuff, it suck all the energy out of me and disturbs me. I get startled so easily by loud noises on the street (ambulance etc.) And yes, when there is a loud background noise, I have hard time concentrating on anything. I prefer peaceful and quiet surroundings. And also myself I behave very quietly and try to make as little noise as possible. And if I do have to speak in some unavoidable situation, I speak very quiet and people have hard time understanding me, which makes me even more insecure.

 

[dreamqueen]

i have terrible hearing when more then one sound is going on at once. it sucks. it sucks badly when you are trying to joke with people.. a joke isnt so fun if someone has to repeat it lol

 

[FinalSolution]

lol same problem here. I am even going to doctor for ears in 2 weeks. Any idea if this is possible to fix? And how does it happens that u get this "cocktail party syndrom"? Coz yeah, when silence i hear everything normal but when there is background noise, i hardly understand anyone and always need ask to repeat. Really annoying. Possible i got this from to much listening to music?

 

[Square_Eyes]

The term seems to refer to something completely different according to this website...

Cocktail party syndrome Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatments and Causes - WrongDiagnosis.com

Anyway, I definitely have the problem you describe. Quite scary considering I have every intention of pursuing a career based entirely around the proficiency of my hearing. Bummer.

 

[lyricalliaisons]

I have the same problem, but honestly, I think there might just be something wrong with my hearing ::

 

[iamthenra]

Yes I definitely have this problem, and I too don't ask anyone to repeat themselves beyond the first time, and I also just wing it and hope that I don't respond like a total moron... I know what caused my problems though... Too much gun fire and fireworks! I can remember having my ears ring for over 2 days straight because of loud abrupt noises like gun fire or fire works... Then I also have Eustachian tube dysfunction which doesn't allow the tympanic membrane to freely move and when the middle ear is full of fluid it can really damage the inner ear....

 

[inspirer]

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[lurknomore]

I'd like to add that while I don't think that this condition caused my SA in the first place, now that I think about it, I do believe it exacerbates it. Even at family gatherings where I might possibly be comfortable enough to talk in a group setting, I stay quiet because I simply don't catch on to everything that is being said, and I don't want to sound like an idiot and say something out of context, or be annoying and ask to have things repeated numerous times. I do often feel left out of jokes, because when I miss part of it, asking to have it repeated just isn't the same as hearing it in the moment... and I've stopped trying- if people laugh at a joke that I missed, I just let it go. And the fact that I have to concentrate so hard to have a chance of hearing everything that is said makes it difficult to contribute to the conversation as well... again, I think I've pretty much stopped trying- it takes way too much effort. I don't think it has to do with hearing loss... I hear fine when there is little to no background noise and/or when I'm just talking to one person.

This reminds me of an incident when I was in preschool- I don't remember, but my mom told me about it. They actually had my hearing checked at that age because my teacher thought I might be deaf- I wasn't responding right away when she would call me- like when we (myself and the other kids) were busy playing and carrying on... I was either lost in my own little world, or my ears just didn't filter out or focus on her voice. So I've probably always had this problem.