@LisaCorrigan welcome to the forum. I read your post with interest. I have permanent tinnitus - high pitched ringing in my ears - along with being sensitive to certain sounds. Like you say it causes pain. I am waiting to see audiology & really hoping they can provide something that helps. I also hear my pulse in my ear especially at night time. All of this started after the stroke so guessing it must be related.
Good to hear there is hope though.
Best wishes
Ann
Hi Lisa , stroke nearly 3 years ago , since hearing problems. Not good, actually just come in from sitting in garden, as neighbour cutting grass, just small electric mower , but sound, is bad for me.
Hi Lisa, Hit wrong button 
. Caringing on / Oticon hearing aids, for tinnitus I was booked in about 6 months ago , unfortunately just can’t manage appointments, Always hoping things will improve. Hearing is also bad , crank up tv & MUST have subtitles on ? Poss perhaps is struggle almost , brain processing information? Got helpful advice on here, 6 months ago bought noise machine (waves) for night time, just a distraction, but helps. Would be interested to know, how you get on with hearing aids. David.
I was also sent on a course of CBT through the ENT team which also helped and might be worth a try. Sound equals pain equals anxiety equals avoidance, a vicious cycle. Which can in theory be broken by CBT.
@David3 i thought it was just me that had to come inside when people had lawn mowers going etc. our neighbour had a chain saw going 3 days in a row over Easter weekend and it nearly drove me demented. I hope things improve for you soon.
My hearing was actually improved a little by the stroke and I found out that the audiologist was also a Stroke Survivor which was hopeful. I am more senitive to noise now but have trained myself (I think, problem may yet come back) not to be woken by the dawn chorus any more
@FionaB1 oh yes the Dawn chorus is very loud these days 
. There was a firework display about 10 miles from us at the weekend……it was sooooo loud. I don’t think I’ll be attending any firework displays anytime soon 
Shwmae @LisaCorrigan, no medical professional talks about morbidity after stroke. It’s a huge gap in recovery. We all vie for recovery, but who knows what has been acquired after stroke. The brain does a wonderful job of balancing conditions within our marvellously, complex body, but when that brain can’t balance, what happens then? I have always had a precarious immune system, now that my brain is damaged, I have noticed I have had some odd skin conditions like pityriasis rosea not just once, but twice. Clearly, my immune system has taken a bump, and does that mean that it can’t recover? Who knows. Potential for other conditions may take advantage of the brain’s withdrawal from managing the whole process. There needs to be a more rigorous overview of potential post-stroke morbidity for stroke survivors.
Hi , noise not good, my way of plodding along is to focus in my head on something, then almost go forward towards this, if noises or conversation , distracts me , loose focus, head whirls & have to refocus. Used to be a builder, looking back poss not as considerant, with power tools. So now can’t complain. Good speaking David.
@David3 I like the idea of focusing on something else. I’ll have to give it a try. My husband is a builder so loves his power tools too. He is a nightmare for having them all running at same time - even though he can only use one at a time 
Eleven years ago I had a stroke. I’m still trying to recover from it but it did a few remarkable things for rather than against me! One is the loss of tinnitus. yes, it just aint here now and being a musician the loss of it is wonderful.
The next thing is headaches, I just dont have them any more and this is remarkable because Ive had them since five years old. Three a week on average and many that sent me to a darkened room with a damp towel over my head for usually two hours. Even as an adult I bought Aspirin in bottles of 100 to save cost.
Blood. I was terrified at seeing blood and had to get a first aid certificate to become a fishing guide. Most of the meetings blood is shown and my gore used to rise and I’d spend the rest of the meeting trying to work out how to get the certificate without attendance. Since the stroke that has vanished and I can actually watch a needle being inserted into the back of my hand to draw blood and admire the skill of the operator!
Deigh
Hi Deigh, I have heard a few people say that since their strokes their headaches/migraines have stopped. I wonder if that is something to do with the pressure in the head and the stroke acting as a sort of relief valve. I used to suffer the odd headache and a very occasional migraine pre stroke but nothing like what others describe. Since my stroke I have many more headaches. My stroke also bought on tinnitus and sensitive hearing. But I bet it is wonderful that it cleared yours and I am sure you enjoy music tonnes more now as a result. Maybe there is some hope that mine will clear. It is fascinating how many different effects a stroke can have – and as you say they aren’t all negative there are sometimes some positive ones too.
Never knew what a headache felt like before the stroke, now I am the one lying in bed with an eye mask on trying to shift a headache.
Still can’t tolerate seeing blood. Still have White Coat Syndrome. A few years back, nurses had to lie me on a bed, put a fan in my face and make me take sips of water after having my bloods done. I’d make a pathetic vampire.
Thats incredible! Mind you the stroke made up for the goodies given!
Deigh
I have had some physical changes after the stroke so maybe you will too, best of luck.
Deigh
Oh I am so SO jealous of you for that. It was the one thing I hoped and prayed I’d lose after my stroke. But it never happened
I haven’t experienced complete and utter silence in over 56 years. I was about 8 years old when it my tinnitus started. What’s it like to hear silence 
Lorraine
I must admit that was a great thing to lose, but what it swapped for was even worse!
I am handling major problems at this time. My wife had a tumble a few weeks ago resulting in a broken arm, masses of bruising and is temporarily a passenger rather than the caregiver. This means among other things I’m back to washing dishes so I’m planning to move completely onto paper plates and cups so Just dump stuff rather than washing them. Paper bowls for my breakfast cereal and oats was a disaster and resulted in stuff going everywhere except down my throat. Looks like I will have to handle washing one plastic bowl along with knives, forks and spoons which will be acceptable once I have organized paper cups and cupholders. There are throwaway knives but think I will give them a miss as well as plastic spoons and forks.
Deigh
I hope your wife is on the mend soon & that things get back to normal for you.
I like the idea of paper plates & no washing up although not the circumstances that led up to this happening.
Sending my best wishes to you both.
Ann