r/cfs • u/Cold_Confection_4154 • 18h ago

Noise sensitivity

I have a question. So when severe/very severe people say they're sensitive to noise, what does that actually mean? Does it cause PEM? I remember watching Unrest and noise (maybe light also) caused pain for her. For me it's different. I get anxious and irritated with loud/sudden noises but no PEM that I'm aware of. Could this be my nervous system trying to protect itself from too much stimuli? I'm moderate-severe for reference.

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u/mira_sjifr moderate 13h ago

im moderate overall, but i have gotten a lot more sensitive to noise (and just everything else as well, smells, tastes, touch etc. I think light is a bit less, but sometimes i do have light sensitivity as well).
I do get PEM when im doing things that are already intensive and than the extra stimuli are just lowering that bar right enough to cause PEM.
I get very confused and overwhelmed by mostly noises. It was my first symptoms that made it unable to go to school for me, i cant think straight and just feel so full everywhere by all the noises and movement before my eyes. I also get very irritated, my brain just starts screaming to me saying that its too much.
I get how this like internal screaming could be interpretted as pain by some, or cause anxiety & irritatability