Joyce Cohen's new article....Hamden Newspaper! Thank you JOYCE!

[Guest guest]

By Joyce Cohen, Special to the Register

Misophonia: It's a strange and hidden condition so recently recognized that even

most doctors are not aware of it. Sufferers experience an instant reaction of

rage when they hear certain eating, chewing and breathing sounds.

A Hamden audiologist, Natan Bauman, is addressing the topic today at the

American Academy of Audiology's annual conference in Boston. Bauman, who has

also developed hearing aids, will propose an explanation of the

neurophysiological mechanism that governs misophonia and review a treatment

protocol he's developed.

The rare and poorly-understood condition, sometimes called soft sound

sensitivity syndrome, or 4S, usually starts in late childhood. The range of

trigger sounds typically expands over time, sometimes including visual triggers,

like foot-bobbing. The reaction tends to worsen, too.

Bauman believes the condition includes an auditory component, where " certain

structures in the auditory pathways increase the sensitivity — what we refer to

as `gain' — for certain sounds, " he said. (Think of how your name stands out

when spoken in a noisy room.) Structures in the limbic system cause a

fight-or-flight response when a noise is perceived as threatening, Bauman said.

His treatment includes a counseling component, which includes attention-control

and relaxation, as well as a desensitization component that uses white noise, a

kind of neutral hiss, to partially drown out the trigger sounds. The patient

wears white-noise-generating devices that resemble hearing aids. The volume of

the white noise is lowered over time. Bauman calls his technique " reverse

progressive masking. "

The treatment, which lasts up to 12 months, costs $1,000 plus $3,000 for the ear

devices, and is not covered by insurance.

Bauman has had a total of around 10 patients — a small number, he admits. He

said that the treatment has been " quite successful. "

But among those familiar with misophonia, there is plenty of disagreement about

what misophonia is, along with how — or whether — it can be treated.

Bauman believes the response is conditioned, or learned. Aage R. Moller, a

neuroscientist at the University of Texas at Dallas who specializes in the

auditory nervous system, believes the response is hard-wired, like left- or

right-handedness. Something is awry in the higher brain structures that deal

with processed sound, he said.

" I am quite pessimistic about these types of treatments, " Moller said.

Continued...

12See Full Story

Another audiologist offering a similar technique is Marsha of Portland,

Ore., who has studied misophonia patients for 15 years. She considers sound

therapy with such white-noise devices a means of managing or coping with the

condition.

" Using sound as therapy is like using eyeglasses, " she said. " I haven't found

any persistence of effect yet. " In general, " people do better with sound therapy

than without. But once I take my glasses off, I still can't see. "

The long-term success of sound therapy is unknown. One of Bauman's patients, a

student at Central Connecticut State University who requested anonymity because

she has hidden her condition from all but her closest friends, has been in

treatment for about six months. Her misophonia started in grade school, with

" abnormal anger " at her pencil-tapping classmates, she said. " I would feel like

I needed to leave the room or do something violent. " Later, chewing sounds

became a problem, too.

" I didn't know what it was, " she said. " I thought it was a really bad pet peeve

gone wrong. " The white noise drowns out the trigger sounds so she can pay them

less attention. " I can deal with more than I expected, " she said, " not perfectly

but it's an improvement. "

But Kim Wolf, who lives in New York's Hudson Valley, tried similar noise

generators from a different audiologist. She found that the noise masked faint

sounds like pen-clicking, but not louder, harsher sounds like coughing and

throat-clearing.

With the ability to hear triggers through the white noise, " I got even more

nervous, " Wolf said. She abandoned the devices. Wolf, who works in the

animal-welfare field, copes with inescapable sounds by wearing earplugs or

playing loud music through headphones.

" I am a very social person, " said Wolf, who struggles to keep calm at work. " It

comes across that I am trying to be a hermit. I like people, and it's so hard

because I have to avoid the sounds so much. "

[Guest guest]

http://nhregister.com/articles/2012/03/29/news/metro/doc4f751aaf9f602298998941.t\

xt

The link is above

>

> By Joyce Cohen, Special to the Register

>

> Misophonia: It's a strange and hidden condition so recently recognized that

even most doctors are not aware of it. Sufferers experience an instant reaction

of rage when they hear certain eating, chewing and breathing sounds.

>

> A Hamden audiologist, Natan Bauman, is addressing the topic today at the

American Academy of Audiology's annual conference in Boston. Bauman, who has

also developed hearing aids, will propose an explanation of the

neurophysiological mechanism that governs misophonia and review a treatment

protocol he's developed.

>

> The rare and poorly-understood condition, sometimes called soft sound

sensitivity syndrome, or 4S, usually starts in late childhood. The range of

trigger sounds typically expands over time, sometimes including visual triggers,

like foot-bobbing. The reaction tends to worsen, too.

>

> Bauman believes the condition includes an auditory component, where " certain

structures in the auditory pathways increase the sensitivity — what we refer to

as `gain' — for certain sounds, " he said. (Think of how your name stands out

when spoken in a noisy room.) Structures in the limbic system cause a

fight-or-flight response when a noise is perceived as threatening, Bauman said.

>

>

>

> His treatment includes a counseling component, which includes

attention-control and relaxation, as well as a desensitization component that

uses white noise, a kind of neutral hiss, to partially drown out the trigger

sounds. The patient wears white-noise-generating devices that resemble hearing

aids. The volume of the white noise is lowered over time. Bauman calls his

technique " reverse progressive masking. "

>

> The treatment, which lasts up to 12 months, costs $1,000 plus $3,000 for the

ear devices, and is not covered by insurance.

>

> Bauman has had a total of around 10 patients — a small number, he admits. He

said that the treatment has been " quite successful. "

>

> But among those familiar with misophonia, there is plenty of disagreement

about what misophonia is, along with how — or whether — it can be treated.

>

> Bauman believes the response is conditioned, or learned. Aage R. Moller, a

neuroscientist at the University of Texas at Dallas who specializes in the

auditory nervous system, believes the response is hard-wired, like left- or

right-handedness. Something is awry in the higher brain structures that deal

with processed sound, he said.

>

> " I am quite pessimistic about these types of treatments, " Moller said.

Continued...

>

>

> 12See Full Story

> Another audiologist offering a similar technique is Marsha of

Portland, Ore., who has studied misophonia patients for 15 years. She considers

sound therapy with such white-noise devices a means of managing or coping with

the condition.

>

> " Using sound as therapy is like using eyeglasses, " she said. " I haven't found

any persistence of effect yet. " In general, " people do better with sound therapy

than without. But once I take my glasses off, I still can't see. "

>

> The long-term success of sound therapy is unknown. One of Bauman's patients, a

student at Central Connecticut State University who requested anonymity because

she has hidden her condition from all but her closest friends, has been in

treatment for about six months. Her misophonia started in grade school, with

" abnormal anger " at her pencil-tapping classmates, she said. " I would feel like

I needed to leave the room or do something violent. " Later, chewing sounds

became a problem, too.

>

> " I didn't know what it was, " she said. " I thought it was a really bad pet

peeve gone wrong. " The white noise drowns out the trigger sounds so she can pay

them less attention. " I can deal with more than I expected, " she said, " not

perfectly but it's an improvement. "

>

> But Kim Wolf, who lives in New York's Hudson Valley, tried similar noise

generators from a different audiologist. She found that the noise masked faint

sounds like pen-clicking, but not louder, harsher sounds like coughing and

throat-clearing.

>

> With the ability to hear triggers through the white noise, " I got even more

nervous, " Wolf said. She abandoned the devices. Wolf, who works in the

animal-welfare field, copes with inescapable sounds by wearing earplugs or

playing loud music through headphones.

>

> " I am a very social person, " said Wolf, who struggles to keep calm at work.

" It comes across that I am trying to be a hermit. I like people, and it's so

hard because I have to avoid the sounds so much. "

>

[Guest guest]

This is amazing. I’m so glad to see this awful condition finally getting more recognition. Thanks to all who keep working on building awareness!

From: Soundsensitivity [mailto:Soundsensitivity ]

On Behalf Of M

Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 10:56 AM

To: Soundsensitivity

Subject: Joyce Cohen's new article....Hamden Newspaper! Thank you JOYCE!

By Joyce Cohen, Special to the Register

Misophonia: It's a strange and hidden condition so recently recognized that even most doctors are not aware of it. Sufferers experience an instant reaction of rage when they hear certain eating, chewing and breathing sounds.

A Hamden audiologist, Natan Bauman, is addressing the topic today at the American Academy of Audiology's annual conference in Boston. Bauman, who has also developed hearing aids, will propose an explanation of the neurophysiological mechanism that governs misophonia

and review a treatment protocol he's developed.

The rare and poorly-understood condition, sometimes called soft sound sensitivity syndrome, or 4S, usually starts in late childhood. The range of trigger sounds typically expands over time, sometimes including visual triggers, like foot-bobbing. The reaction

tends to worsen, too.

Bauman believes the condition includes an auditory component, where " certain structures in the auditory pathways increase the sensitivity — what we refer to as `gain' — for certain sounds, " he said. (Think of how your name stands out when spoken in a noisy

room.) Structures in the limbic system cause a fight-or-flight response when a noise is perceived as threatening, Bauman said.

His treatment includes a counseling component, which includes attention-control and relaxation, as well as a desensitization component that uses white noise, a kind of neutral hiss, to partially drown out the trigger sounds. The patient wears white-noise-generating

devices that resemble hearing aids. The volume of the white noise is lowered over time. Bauman calls his technique " reverse progressive masking. "

The treatment, which lasts up to 12 months, costs $1,000 plus $3,000 for the ear devices, and is not covered by insurance.

Bauman has had a total of around 10 patients — a small number, he admits. He said that the treatment has been " quite successful. "

But among those familiar with misophonia, there is plenty of disagreement about what misophonia is, along with how — or whether — it can be treated.

Bauman believes the response is conditioned, or learned. Aage R. Moller, a neuroscientist at the University of Texas at Dallas who specializes in the auditory nervous system, believes the response is hard-wired, like left- or right-handedness. Something is

awry in the higher brain structures that deal with processed sound, he said.

" I am quite pessimistic about these types of treatments, " Moller said. Continued...

12See Full Story

Another audiologist offering a similar technique is Marsha of Portland, Ore., who has studied misophonia patients for 15 years. She considers sound therapy with such white-noise devices a means of managing or coping with the condition.

" Using sound as therapy is like using eyeglasses, " she said. " I haven't found any persistence of effect yet. " In general, " people do better with sound therapy than without. But once I take my glasses off, I still can't see. "

The long-term success of sound therapy is unknown. One of Bauman's patients, a student at Central Connecticut State University who requested anonymity because she has hidden her condition from all but her closest friends, has been in treatment for about six

months. Her misophonia started in grade school, with " abnormal anger " at her pencil-tapping classmates, she said. " I would feel like I needed to leave the room or do something violent. " Later, chewing sounds became a problem, too.

" I didn't know what it was, " she said. " I thought it was a really bad pet peeve gone wrong. " The white noise drowns out the trigger sounds so she can pay them less attention. " I can deal with more than I expected, " she said, " not perfectly but it's an improvement. "

But Kim Wolf, who lives in New York's Hudson Valley, tried similar noise generators from a different audiologist. She found that the noise masked faint sounds like pen-clicking, but not louder, harsher sounds like coughing and throat-clearing.

With the ability to hear triggers through the white noise, " I got even more nervous, " Wolf said. She abandoned the devices. Wolf, who works in the animal-welfare field, copes with inescapable sounds by wearing earplugs or playing loud music through headphones.

" I am a very social person, " said Wolf, who struggles to keep calm at work. " It comes across that I am trying to be a hermit. I like people, and it's so hard because I have to avoid the sounds so much. "

[Guest guest]

A giant thank you to everyone who worked on this article! It's awesome that

these resources are available now.

-Kate

>

> This is amazing. I'm so glad to see this awful condition finally getting more

recognition. Thanks to all who keep working on building awareness!

>

>

>

> From: Soundsensitivity

[mailto:Soundsensitivity ] On Behalf Of M

> Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 10:56 AM

> To: Soundsensitivity

> Subject: Joyce Cohen's new article....Hamden Newspaper!

Thank you JOYCE!

>

>

>

> By Joyce Cohen, Special to the Register

>

> Misophonia: It's a strange and hidden condition so recently recognized that

even most doctors are not aware of it. Sufferers experience an instant reaction

of rage when they hear certain eating, chewing and breathing sounds.

>

> A Hamden audiologist, Natan Bauman, is addressing the topic today at the

American Academy of Audiology's annual conference in Boston. Bauman, who has

also developed hearing aids, will propose an explanation of the

neurophysiological mechanism that governs misophonia and review a treatment

protocol he's developed.

>

> The rare and poorly-understood condition, sometimes called soft sound

sensitivity syndrome, or 4S, usually starts in late childhood. The range of

trigger sounds typically expands over time, sometimes including visual triggers,

like foot-bobbing. The reaction tends to worsen, too.

>

> Bauman believes the condition includes an auditory component, where " certain

structures in the auditory pathways increase the sensitivity - what we refer to

as `gain' - for certain sounds, " he said. (Think of how your name stands out

when spoken in a noisy room.) Structures in the limbic system cause a

fight-or-flight response when a noise is perceived as threatening, Bauman said.

>

> His treatment includes a counseling component, which includes

attention-control and relaxation, as well as a desensitization component that

uses white noise, a kind of neutral hiss, to partially drown out the trigger

sounds. The patient wears white-noise-generating devices that resemble hearing

aids. The volume of the white noise is lowered over time. Bauman calls his

technique " reverse progressive masking. "

>

> The treatment, which lasts up to 12 months, costs $1,000 plus $3,000 for the

ear devices, and is not covered by insurance.

>

> Bauman has had a total of around 10 patients - a small number, he admits. He

said that the treatment has been " quite successful. "

>

> But among those familiar with misophonia, there is plenty of disagreement

about what misophonia is, along with how - or whether - it can be treated.

>

> Bauman believes the response is conditioned, or learned. Aage R. Moller, a

neuroscientist at the University of Texas at Dallas who specializes in the

auditory nervous system, believes the response is hard-wired, like left- or

right-handedness. Something is awry in the higher brain structures that deal

with processed sound, he said.

>

> " I am quite pessimistic about these types of treatments, " Moller said.

Continued...

>

> 12See Full Story

> Another audiologist offering a similar technique is Marsha of

Portland, Ore., who has studied misophonia patients for 15 years. She considers

sound therapy with such white-noise devices a means of managing or coping with

the condition.

>

> " Using sound as therapy is like using eyeglasses, " she said. " I haven't found

any persistence of effect yet. " In general, " people do better with sound therapy

than without. But once I take my glasses off, I still can't see. "

>

> The long-term success of sound therapy is unknown. One of Bauman's patients, a

student at Central Connecticut State University who requested anonymity because

she has hidden her condition from all but her closest friends, has been in

treatment for about six months. Her misophonia started in grade school, with

" abnormal anger " at her pencil-tapping classmates, she said. " I would feel like

I needed to leave the room or do something violent. " Later, chewing sounds

became a problem, too.

>

> " I didn't know what it was, " she said. " I thought it was a really bad pet

peeve gone wrong. " The white noise drowns out the trigger sounds so she can pay

them less attention. " I can deal with more than I expected, " she said, " not

perfectly but it's an improvement. "

>

> But Kim Wolf, who lives in New York's Hudson Valley, tried similar noise

generators from a different audiologist. She found that the noise masked faint

sounds like pen-clicking, but not louder, harsher sounds like coughing and

throat-clearing.

>

> With the ability to hear triggers through the white noise, " I got even more

nervous, " Wolf said. She abandoned the devices. Wolf, who works in the

animal-welfare field, copes with inescapable sounds by wearing earplugs or

playing loud music through headphones.

>

> " I am a very social person, " said Wolf, who struggles to keep calm at work.

" It comes across that I am trying to be a hermit. I like people, and it's so

hard because I have to avoid the sounds so much. "

>

[Guest guest]

The article is open for comments. Please voice your opinion and concerns. We

need to take advantage of every opportunity we can to make our numbers known.

Thank you.

> >

> > This is amazing. I'm so glad to see this awful condition finally getting

more recognition. Thanks to all who keep working on building awareness!

> >

> >

> >

> > From: Soundsensitivity

[mailto:Soundsensitivity ] On Behalf Of M

> > Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 10:56 AM

> > To: Soundsensitivity

> > Subject: Joyce Cohen's new article....Hamden Newspaper!

Thank you JOYCE!

> >

> >

> >

> > By Joyce Cohen, Special to the Register

> >

> > Misophonia: It's a strange and hidden condition so recently recognized that

even most doctors are not aware of it. Sufferers experience an instant reaction

of rage when they hear certain eating, chewing and breathing sounds.

> >

> > A Hamden audiologist, Natan Bauman, is addressing the topic today at the

American Academy of Audiology's annual conference in Boston. Bauman, who has

also developed hearing aids, will propose an explanation of the

neurophysiological mechanism that governs misophonia and review a treatment

protocol he's developed.

> >

> > The rare and poorly-understood condition, sometimes called soft sound

sensitivity syndrome, or 4S, usually starts in late childhood. The range of

trigger sounds typically expands over time, sometimes including visual triggers,

like foot-bobbing. The reaction tends to worsen, too.

> >

> > Bauman believes the condition includes an auditory component, where " certain

structures in the auditory pathways increase the sensitivity - what we refer to

as `gain' - for certain sounds, " he said. (Think of how your name stands out

when spoken in a noisy room.) Structures in the limbic system cause a

fight-or-flight response when a noise is perceived as threatening, Bauman said.

> >

> > His treatment includes a counseling component, which includes

attention-control and relaxation, as well as a desensitization component that

uses white noise, a kind of neutral hiss, to partially drown out the trigger

sounds. The patient wears white-noise-generating devices that resemble hearing

aids. The volume of the white noise is lowered over time. Bauman calls his

technique " reverse progressive masking. "

> >

> > The treatment, which lasts up to 12 months, costs $1,000 plus $3,000 for the

ear devices, and is not covered by insurance.

> >

> > Bauman has had a total of around 10 patients - a small number, he admits. He

said that the treatment has been " quite successful. "

> >

> > But among those familiar with misophonia, there is plenty of disagreement

about what misophonia is, along with how - or whether - it can be treated.

> >

> > Bauman believes the response is conditioned, or learned. Aage R. Moller, a

neuroscientist at the University of Texas at Dallas who specializes in the

auditory nervous system, believes the response is hard-wired, like left- or

right-handedness. Something is awry in the higher brain structures that deal

with processed sound, he said.

> >

> > " I am quite pessimistic about these types of treatments, " Moller said.

Continued...

> >

> > 12See Full Story

> > Another audiologist offering a similar technique is Marsha of

Portland, Ore., who has studied misophonia patients for 15 years. She considers

sound therapy with such white-noise devices a means of managing or coping with

the condition.

> >

> > " Using sound as therapy is like using eyeglasses, " she said. " I haven't

found any persistence of effect yet. " In general, " people do better with sound

therapy than without. But once I take my glasses off, I still can't see. "

> >

> > The long-term success of sound therapy is unknown. One of Bauman's patients,

a student at Central Connecticut State University who requested anonymity

because she has hidden her condition from all but her closest friends, has been

in treatment for about six months. Her misophonia started in grade school, with

" abnormal anger " at her pencil-tapping classmates, she said. " I would feel like

I needed to leave the room or do something violent. " Later, chewing sounds

became a problem, too.

> >

> > " I didn't know what it was, " she said. " I thought it was a really bad pet

peeve gone wrong. " The white noise drowns out the trigger sounds so she can pay

them less attention. " I can deal with more than I expected, " she said, " not

perfectly but it's an improvement. "

> >

> > But Kim Wolf, who lives in New York's Hudson Valley, tried similar noise

generators from a different audiologist. She found that the noise masked faint

sounds like pen-clicking, but not louder, harsher sounds like coughing and

throat-clearing.

> >

> > With the ability to hear triggers through the white noise, " I got even more

nervous, " Wolf said. She abandoned the devices. Wolf, who works in the

animal-welfare field, copes with inescapable sounds by wearing earplugs or

playing loud music through headphones.

> >

> > " I am a very social person, " said Wolf, who struggles to keep calm at work.

" It comes across that I am trying to be a hermit. I like people, and it's so

hard because I have to avoid the sounds so much. "

> >

>

[Guest guest]

" But Kim Wolf, who lives in New York's Hudson Valley, tried similar noise

generators from a different audiologist. She found that the noise masked faint

sounds like pen-clicking, but not louder, harsher sounds like coughing and

throat-clearing. " With the ability to hear triggers through the white noise, " I

got even more nervous, " Wolf said. She abandoned the devices. Wolf, who works in

the animal-welfare field, copes with inescapable sounds by wearing earplugs or

playing loud music through headphones. " -misophonia article

Wow, I can actually identify with this chick. I would love to be a more social

person and actually like being around people when they are not bothering the

crap out of me. And this is the prime worry I had about the whole " white noise

brown noise blue noise " stuff you people are always jawin about; I too am mostly

bothered by the louder noises, and play loud music to drown stuff out. But it's

worse than that; if I experience, no matter how slight, any of the stuff that

bothers me, I practiacally go cross-eyed with rage. I just can't see how it

would be effective at actually treating the condition.

Oh and wtf is with the 1000 to 3000 dollar earphones with noise thing about?

This is why doctors can afford safaris and go on pheasant hunts while drinking

200 dollar fermented grape juice. Try an mp3 player and active noise canceling

earbuds (Sony has those now.) Can you not play the white noise through those?

I mean sure you have to put up with the cords, but it's a small price to pay for

a small price. Heh... maybe I could earn money being a professional ranter. I

could do that from home.