Loud noise feedback

Maybe this is normal. I don’t really want to go round asking people though, because they’ll most likely think I’m mad, regardless of which outcome turns out to be normal.

Whatever the case, it’s my Aspie trait of spotting the tiniest of details in things that’s lead me to spotting this, and then wondering what it was.

So, I throw it open to you, my readers:

Does loud and close-by sound do odd things to your hearing?

I’m after a very specific thing here, and I’ll try to explain it.

I have two young kids, and as young kids do, from time to time they scream. If one of them does this near me, it causes two effects. Firstly, I flinch and feel the sort of ‘mind pain’ that I described here, earlier this week. Secondly – and this is the interesting one – there is what happens to the sound. It’s as though my brain suddenly can’t decode stereo properly – like it can’t prevent me from hearing it as two separate sounds, one going to each ear. The result is like an interference pattern – like the feedback you get when you bring two walky-talkies close together, or put an electric guitar near it’s amplifier. You know the thing – it’s like a sort of buzz or hum sound intermingled with the original noise.

Screaming is when I most often hear it, but other things have been known to do it to me as well, such as general shouting, musical instruments and barking dogs. Generally, the sound has to be at quite close range, loud, and high pitched seems to cause it more frequently that any other tone.

What’s going on here, does anyone know?

Is it really my brain failing to decode the sound in stereo?

Do any of you suffer from anything similar?

Related posts:

1. A hangover without alcohol Yes really. I woke up on Monday morning, and felt...
2. Eye contact I just can’t do it. I’ll look at your shoes...
3. Feeling the fear If you are on the spectrum, then you probably know...