Day 11 Migraine Awareness Month #MHAM

The world is a very loud place. Just an hour ago as I stood sifting through the greeting cards at Target, my ears were accosted by some 4 or 5 years old boy trying to get his "me-maw" to respond to his question. With each repetition he just got louder and louder. Meanwhile I'm giving this woman a very cross look, hoping to communicate to her that she needs to do her part to keep her grandson's noise under control when out in public. This went on WAY TOO LONG before she decided to finally respond to his question. I don't think she even noticed the nasty look I was shooting her way.

Everyday noises from the television, to my husband's sneezes can feel overwhelmingly loud and painful. Add in the extra loud noises from young kids to construction projects that you will inevitably run into when out in the world and you have a recipe for migraine disaster.

I don't know that I've really developed any great tools for coping with my phonophobia (noise sensitivity). The most obvious solution would seem to be wearing ear plugs when going out into the big noisy world. The reason I don't do that is because my ears are incredibly sensitive to touch. Sometimes just resting my head on a pillow can cause my ears to flare in pain. Headphones, no matter the type, have always caused my poor ears pain.

My only strategy: whenever possible, I try to avoid or, at least, limit my exposure to loud sources. During big family gatherings my hubby and I will retreat to a quiet area for a break from the din. I try to do my errands during the week when the stores are not as busy. I don't go to concerts or see much live theatre. I keep the TV volume low. These are the kinds of things I do.

Have you found any way to cope besides ear plugs and avoidance?

June 2013, Migraine and Headache Awareness Month, is dedicated to Unmasking the Mystery of Chronic Headache Disorders. The 2013 Migraine and Headache Awareness Month Blog Challenge is a project ofFightingHeadacheDisorders.com.