Top products from r/misophonia

I use these right now. They're surely not the best, but they're the right balance of function and price for me.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EPQ86A/

I just keep a pack in my backpack at all times. I can usually get 2 or 3 uses out of a pair before they get gross, and... I'm telling you, dude, dudette, whatever, when that noise dulls it's like heaven. It's a bit hard to hear the teacher, sure, but you will still rejoice, and you will hopefully perform better. If you need to, explain to the teacher in private (I have done this and it has always gone well enough), and if there's ever an issue your school's disability services (suck it up) will help you.

The earplug thing is easy to play off as "just helps me concentrate" or something similar when people ask (and yes, they ask sometimes). I have told some people at school about having trouble with classrooms and noise, but I am in a very small department. I don't recommend telling people unless you truly trust them. When they ask, you could tell them the truth as I have with, again, a select few: "I'm not able to ignore sniffling and other bodily noises, so I have to wear these earplugs because you are all gross." If you couldn't say that with a smile to the person, I wouldn't recommend saying much of anything.

Best of luck.

Hey there fellow New Yorker! I was recently in the market for a pair of noise cancelling headphones, too. Based on a recommendation from this sub, I decided to pick up a pair of Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones.

The price is kind of more than I expected to be paying for something like this, but in the end, they do what I wanted them to do: cancel trigger sounds and grant me sanity.

Some pros and cons that I have found while using them:

Pros

• Extremely comfortable. I have a big kinda head, so finding a pair of headphones that don't press on the ears or on the temples can sometimes be annoying. This pair fits nicely around the ears and has very soft leather padding.
  
  
• Upstairs neighbors are no longer an issue (mostly). The headphones cancel out the low-frequency hoof thuds.
  
  
• Noisy co-workers are no longer an issue. Occasionally a sound will penetrate the noise cancelling effect, but it's rare if the music is at a good level.
  
  
• The noise cancelling effect can be had without listening to music. Just want a little peace and quiet for a bit, just put on the headphones in without a wire. Switch them on and the effect can be felt.
  
  
• Music sounds good. Some people describe the bass as being "punchy" and I kind of agree. That's not a bad thing, though! I'm not a total audio geek, but I know what I like. Nothing about the sound or EQ turns me off.
  
  Cons
  
  
• Price. It's a very nice set of headphones, but I needed to wait for some gift money from a special occasion/holiday to purchase them. If they are in your budget, awesome. You may feel the price is worth it in the end, but it was enough for me to hesitate at first.
  
  
• Leather padding can cause your skin to sweat.
  
  
• Headband presses down hair and gives me an odd pattern across the top of my head. This is expected from most pairs of headphones.
  
  
• Some sounds can still penetrate the "noise cancelling" effect. For example: currently I'm typing this out on an extremely clicky mechanical keyboard (cherry mx blue switches) while listening to some prog metal, and I can still hear the keys click every now and then. The noise cancellation effect seems to be better with droning-type sounds or lower frequency sounds rather than abrupt sounds. Stuff like a a cough or a metal object dropping onto a hard floor will most likely be heard depending on the volume level of your music.
  
  
• Runs on a AAA battery. This battery does last quite long (nearly a week with daily use of around 4 hours a day) but the device will not function at all with a dead battery. That is to say, the music will not bypass the noise cancelling effect. I know some headphones have that option of listening to the music without the effect.
  
  
• People will flail about, get aggravated, or possibly attempt physical contact in order to get your attention.
  
  That's all I can really think of at the moment. If you have a specific question about the headphones, my music preferences, upstairs neighbor situation, co-worker triggers... just ask away! I hope this is of some help for you.
  
  
  [edit: formatting, added link to headphones.]

Randomanalysis:

Executive summary:

1. Headphones + Earmuffs + Music
   
2. Find a way to get people to accept your earmuffs
   
3. Consider leaving note at co-worker's desk
   
4. Consider talking to the person or to the boss
   
   I have a couple of tips for you - first of all, I always have music going, but I also wear a pair of shooting range earmuffs over them (for lack of a better word). I've never been to a shooting range, but I had the golden idea of buying these once and have never gone back - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NKSMPZW/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473254856&sr=sr-1&keywords=earmuffs <- these are my personal fave (after trying a couple of pairs). Carry these at all times. You can stack them with headphones to get this amazing and pretty cheap noise-cancelling effect. In-ear buds work best, and you can listen to music, a white noise generator, or maybe audiobooks.
   
   The above tip has worked so well for me that I almost forget I'm misophonic most of the time. Sometimes, though, my new boss likes to pop over to my desk, and there's a new Tier 4 Sniffler near me. To get over this, I've tried to have meetings in closed offices or whatnot to avoid that. I've debated leaving a note at the Sniffle King's desk secretly... We'll see about that, though. It's hard to time.
   
   You may also wonder - how can I get away with the earmuffs? Push for it. I've had people make fun of me for them, but I say "Oh, yeah, I swear by them - they really push up my productivity" and mention I'm an audiophile if people ask. I've established a reputation as a bit of a quirky guy. I don't care - these things help me so much that I'd take that any day. Phrase it in terms of things your office would select for. I work in a place that's all about productivity, so I use the productivity line to communicate this to others.
   
   Here's the last thing - I've noticed that people who sniffle/chew a lot tend to be either from certain regional cultures (generally East Asian or South Asian) or American subcultures (ie. college athletes - always sniffling for some reason!). I know some peers of mine of East Asian descent have gotten heavy feedback from bosses about sniffling too much in client meetings. You can maybe make a case to a boss that the noises your coworker makes could be bad in client-facing settings - or say that the loud chewing has annoyed a whole group of people.
   
   I hope that helps. I know how rough this can be, but with a bit of prevention this can be really ameliorated.

> As they're soft I tend to tear each plug in half so they're a better fit and if I'm in a situation where I want to block out a lot of noise but still be able to hear a little or converse with friends I'll squish them in but leave a tiny gap so some sounds are still audible.

For situations like that, hi fi ear plugs are amazing. They're technically meant for blocking out stuff like live music - where you still want to be able to hear the music, you just want it quieter. Normal foam plugs make everything sound muddy. But the hi fi ones have a brilliant side effect - you can actually still hear people talking pretty well, but you don't hear as many background noises.

First of all that sucks. I get it believe me. Right now my trigger is constant small engine planes all day and night over my house all of a sudden. And it’s especially maddening because there is zero I can do about it. But I think you may be able to do something.
Ok here’s what I think you need to do. Gather a bunch of articles about misophonia. Copy paste the best ones that are easy for people who don’t have it to understand. Then go through this sub and find some especially good posts where people describe how they feel. Get all of this into a word document.
Then ask your parents for a time you can talk to them (or if you’re closer to one of them just ask that one). Show them the document. Then show them your post above. Ask for help. Ask for a compromise. Be sure to reiterate over and over again that this is NOT you just being whiny, this is a real condition (hence the documentation).
Please let me know how it goes. I feel for you I really do. My husband doesn’t get it either.

Oh also if you can get yourself some Bluetooth headphones ASAP. I love mine. Hers the ones I got

TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones, Wireless Over Ear Headset, Foldable Earphones with Powerful Bass (Dual 40 mm Drivers, 25 Hour https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075CBHN9M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_ZmOPmjaFZBJu8

I'm in my early thirties. My misophonia is the defining factor in my relationship with my Dad and has been since I was a young teenager. I definitely get how awful it can be.

I can offer a few suggestions. Try to always have background music at mealtimes. Just put on a CD or something. I can say for myself it buffers the intensity of my misophonia reactions a bit because at least I have something else to focus on. I just tell my parents I like to have music on at mealtimes and kept putting some on, so now they just accept it as a habit when I am around.

make friends with earplugs and earbuds and always have both with you. Invest in some good noise cancelling earbuds. Get into wearing hoodies as well. I will often put in at least one earplug to dull the sound and wear my hood up so people can't tell I'm wearing an earplug. I know that probably sounds super weird and anti-social but if it's that or deal with misophonia noises I'll put my hood up.

When you have to eat around them rest your head on the hand you aren't using to eat with and subtly plug one hear. At least you only hear half the noise that way. It requires having that elbow on the table so you can elevate that hand next to your ear without it looking totally awkward, but your in your early twenties now so the time for parents being able to tell you how to eat has passed.

best thing is probably to try and get her to take misophonia seriously as a condition. I found a documentary about misophonia at http://www.quietpleasefilm.com/ , I haven't watched it yet so I can't speak to it's quality but just the fact that someone produced a documentary gives a little weight and legitimacy to misophonia as a condition I think. I'm going to try watching it with my family as see if they will take me more seriously.

There are a couple books about misophonia

• https://www.amazon.com/Full-Sound-Fury-Suffering-Misophonia/dp/1517018706/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493267760&sr=8-1&keywords=full+of+sound+and+fury
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Overcoming-Misophonia-Conditioned-Aversive/dp/0692494820/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1493267792&sr=8-2&keywords=understanding+and+overcoming+misophonia
  
  In my opinion they both had useful things in them.
  
  
  
  

I bought a box of Howard Leight LL1 Laser Lites a while ago and I'm pretty happy with them. It looks like their NRR is 3 db greater than what you're currently using. I find them comfortable enough to sleep with them in, which is good because my upstairs neighbor works in a bar and comes stomping home at about 3 am most nights. I hope you find something that works for you soon.

'Invisible' ear plugs. They can be worn in situations where earbuds are not appropriate and go unnoticed by most people. For anyone who MIGHT notice, just tell them you have a medical condition which requires them, that's it.

I've found great success with low profile versions such as these: https://www.amazon.com/EarDial-Ear-Plugs-Comfortable-High-Fidelity/dp/B00P2NTVPA ..or one of many others. There are very effective at 'muting' the world without actually blocking it out completely.

For many, the trade-off of being able to hear less vs being tortured by triggers is an acceptable one.

Outside of work or school, you can wear very inexpensive earbud headphones as they are so ubiquitous. No one gives them a second thought. You don't even have to have anything pumping through them most of the time. Just wearing them is enough of a muffle to make life quite manageable.

If you are looking for an inexpensive and effective way to block everything, try the 'Simply Noise' app and use the Brown Noise setting. It blocks both high (whistling, sniffling, chewing) and low-frequency (bass, thumping, etc) sounds around you.

Good luck to you!

I can't help you with noise cancelling, but I arrived at a similar solution through a roundabout way. I got bone conduction headphones so I can hear stuff on my bicycle, and paired them with some earplugs that specifically let some sound through. Then I'll listen to music or pink noise on repeat. Can't hear a damned thing and it's amazing.

I use a set of Trekz titanium bone conduction headphones paired with some earplugs that don't render you totally deaf when the music is off. The effect is similar, and if you actually need to talk to someone, you won't have to take off headphones because they don't cover you ears. I can easily hold a conversation with the ear plugs unless the person is very soft spoken.

If other people are still using headphones maybe it's just an unenforced rule.

>. My friend has told me that since I checked 'yes' on the 'I have a disability' section of my paperwork and didn't fill in a specific reason, I can just strongarm HR with that and tell them they're not legally allowed to demand a reason, but we're a small company and HR is already has this overbearing tone of 'but why don't you just conform? It's not a big deal.' and I don't want to create an adversarial relationship with my work

I think you legally have a right to request accommodations for your disability.

There are also earmuffs like these

If you really believe in the company then the push to do what you need to do is important. They just want you to back down but if its a problem that you wont give up, they may eventually give in.

Also, get documentation of all your requests. Put all your requests on paper so that you have a paper trail for everything. You could even get a payout from this. Remember, HR is there to protect the company, not you.

If it was four months ago you're ok bringing it up again. Honestly I'd just wear the headphones again since others are already doing it. If anyone says anything, which they probably wont, Let them know its for your disability.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NKSMPZW/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mine were really tight at first so I put them on a basketball for like a week to stretch them out :) hope it helps with your sleep!

Okay, this is expensive but it seriously SAVED MY LIFE when living in an apartment with roommates (also a college student). It seems loud at first but you don't notice it after a few minutes. I've actually accidently left mine running for days sometimes, it's just that good of white noise. If your main problem is studying, I highly recommend it. I know they sell a similar model at Walmart and Bed Bath and Beyond too, and if it doesn't work, return it!

http://www.amazon.com/Marpac-Dohm-DS-Speed-Sound-Conditioner/dp/B000KUHFGM/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398463037&sr=8-1&keywords=white+noise+machine

I bit the bullet and got these noise cancelling headphones:http://www.amazon.com/Bose%C2%AE-QuietComfort%C2%AE-Acoustic-Cancelling%C2%AE-Headphones/dp/B0054JJ0QW

The noise cancelling is great, whenever i get annoyed I just put em on, turn it on, and listen to music. I haven't tried them with earplugs inside, but you could do that too, for some peaceful quiet :)

Hi! I want to recommend these for you to experience the with. I use them all the time and I have a feeling they will block out the stomach growling. I personally use the small size, but they have medium and large (I think the link I sent is the medium or “regular” size). They are great because they don’t block out all noise and you can still hear people talk perfectly and you yourself can talk normally. I really think they might help with this trigger.

I personally don’t get triggered by bodily noises but I get horribly triggered by chewing noises and mouth noises.

https://www.amazon.com/d/Earplugs/Comfortable-Protection-Professional-Cancelling-Motorcyclists/B000V9PKZA

Etymotic Research ER20-BSC-C Hearing Protection Earplugs
by Etymotic Research
Link: http://amzn.com/B0015WJQ7A

^ I've been using these at work/home, and they have worked amazingly well.

I got the referral from this post:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sounds-awful/201405/how-my-shrink-cured-my-misophonia-free

Good luck!

Howard Leight are definitely the best I know, these ones:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pairs-Howard-Leight-Laser-Plugs/dp/B0007XJOLG

Ooooo very interesting, I never heard of "Active" noise cancelling headphones! Do you mean something like these?

https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Cancelling-Bluetooth-Headphones-Noise-Cancelling/dp/B075CBHN9M/ref=pd_rhf_dp_s_pop_srecs_sabr_0_1/131-0060125-0950257?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B075CBHN9M&pd_rd_r=5e0d5681-0395-48fc-90ed-d04e548b32a9&pd_rd_w=SRfkD&pd_rd_wg=1r7Lb&pf_rd_p=307fdcc1-2952-4895-8e51-d4130f0d0ebe&pf_rd_r=MC5MCKPHH6TARMJCDVCG&psc=1&refRID=MC5MCKPHH6TARMJCDVCG

My wife and I have two of these in our bedroom, and they seem good. We also don't want an actual fan that blows air because it gets cold in the winter here.

https://www.amazon.com/Marpac-Classic-White-Noise-Machine/dp/B00HD0ELFK/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1550852232&sr=1-4&keywords=white+noise+machine

Non Prescription choice is Rescue Remedy...no side effects.

Prescription is Clonazepam , but its like taking a sleeping pill.

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Rescue-Remedy-Pastilles-Currant/dp/B004RRG2PE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1426088309&sr=8-6&keywords=rescue+remedy

Do you have any clear silicone earplugs (e.g, https://www.amazon.com/Macks-Pillow-Silicone-Earplugs-6-Count/dp/B004CKCX9K/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1482679083&sr=8-3&keywords=macks%2Bearplugs&th=1)?

They're easier to disguise than other earplugs.

I use these for sleeping in and they muffle noise but do not block it out entirely. I have used them in meetings when I know there will be noises and they seem to work well. They can be adjusted by pulling them out slightly if they are blocking too much. You can get them at places like CVS, Walgreens, and Target.

These are what I use. They're comfortable enough for me to sleep in.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051U7W32/

If you're in the US, it may be worth calling my audiologist. They've got a lot of connections with other misophonia practitioners and therapists. They might be able to direct you to someone local.

I'd also recommend a white noise machine for quiet areas, meal times, wherever the situation's worst. (That and make sure she knows she can leave triggering situations)

Based on my own experience and what my audiologist has found, please don't have your daughter cover up sounds entirely (like ear plugs or super loud white noise), just cover up only enough to take the edge off. As much as it sucks and as much as you want to retreat from it in the moment, covering up entirely tends to make misophonia worse over time as the brain re-trains itself to hear through the noise)

Here's the link :)

Those look nice. I use these and they are less expensive.
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GCI9CI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Get something like this from Amazon

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0007XJOLG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478434765&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=ear+plugs&dpPl=1&dpID=31ZxugkFgVL

I've been using them for years. I can't sleep without them.

https://www.amazon.com/NENRENT-S570-Bluetooth-Hands-Free-Smartphones/dp/B01LXNNAEY

Someone on here got something fancy and expensive but these were recommended as an alternative. They are bluetooth so you can only connect one unless you have an app to connect both.

These are cheap and work okay: https://www.amazon.com/3M-Earmuff-Protectors-Hearing-Protection/dp/B00009LI4K

They can also be found at Home Depot.

There are not many noise cancelling earbuds out there most have noise isolation. I currently have a pair from etymotic and they are good but not great. Active noise canceling is terrible at blocking random noise it does much better with things like engine noise.

Best thing I have found is headphones + white noise+ ear plugs. I have worn it for 8-10 hours a day for the past 5 years.

For white noise I use
https://simplynoise.com/

And I have a tab for each color full blast.

For ear plugs
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EPQ86A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

For headphones
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HVLUQW8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use this one, love it. I spend a lot of time in hotels. I think sound-wise you couldn't tell the difference from your mac playing white noise though.

https://www.amazon.com/Marpac-Classic-White-Noise-Machine/dp/B00HD0ELFK

Try these if you can. Make sure that you get an -air tight- seal or they won't work. http://www.amazon.com/Macks-Pillow-Silicone-Earplugs-6-Count/dp/B004CKCX9K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412049518&sr=8-1&keywords=macks+ear+plugs


Edit: Don't pay that much for them. I'm not sure where you live, but you can pick them up at Target for around five dollars. (California)

These are designed to not color the sound, but just bring it down in volume

Here is the mobile version of your link

I wear these all the time. Obviously it only works if you have a lighter complexion though


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0051U7W32/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1542088042&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=skin+colored+ear+plugs&psc=1

Her credentials don't seem up to par with the claimed results of this books. This one seems more credible

http://www.amazon.com/The-Stress-Response-Dialectical-Behavior/dp/1608821307

Check this book out...Do the LOOK INSIDE..

Get a white noise maker. Not a white noise app on your phone or computer - it's not the same as a real white noise maker with a fan. I use this one.

I get triggered by car and motorcycle engines revving. I live near a military base with tons of idiots revving their idiotmobiles down the street - the sounds aren't loud, but if I can hear them (usually when I'm trying to sleep at night), I'm very uncomfortable. The white noise maker has made a huge difference in my quality of life.

Same here although much older. Is changing seats an option? I wouldn't care about school rules and I would buy these silicon [earplugs] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004CKCX9K/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?qid=1463937462&sr=8-1&keywords=silicone+ear+plugs)
I don't know what I would do if it weren't for them.

>She was nope.

Hah!

Check out these earplugs as well. That company primarily make headphones. I have a pair of their headphones with that same triple flange-style insert. That style takes a little getting used to, but I found it worthwhile. Might be good for wearing at home.

If she listens to music to drown out sounds, they also make some kids' headphones with 300 ohms resistance to keeps the volume low. For me it's very tempting to just blast music and disregard my hearing.

I swear by these ones, http://www.amazon.com/Macks-Ear-Seals-Earplugs-1pr/dp/B000GCI9CI/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1412155355&sr=8-10&keywords=macks+ear+plugs

But I only use one in the ear not against the pillow or it'd be too uncomfortable. Not great for loud noises though.

If the earbuds aren't blocking enough noise, try ear plugs coupled with actual headphones. You will be able to turn the music down less because the earplugs are dampening the outside noise. On REALLY bad days I do this. Any over the ear headphone will work... I use these ear plugs.

Lest I be called a self-promoter, here are some of our resources (you can always message me if you need something):

Full of Sound and Fury: Suffering With Misophonia (I wrote it, so there's your disclaimer):
https://www.amazon.com/Full-Sound-Fury-Suffering-Misophonia/dp/1517018706/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482611615&sr=8-1&keywords=full+of+sound+and+fury

Misophonia International - our full news site (most articles are free) and magazine (yearly subscription) with articles by researchers and sufferers.:
www.misophoniainternational.com
There are many articles that you can share with friends/family. Also a coping category!

Misophonia Coping Providers Site - a growing site with professionals that have heard of the disorder, features a full map
www.misophoniaproviders.com

Misophonia Research - Information on our 4 research programs
www.misophonia-research.com

Misophonia Awareness - Site for promoting research
www.misophoniaawareness.org

www.Knowyoursenses.com - another site of ours aimed at educating persons on ALL sensory disorders

These are the ones I have: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015WJQ7A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fI7DDb56E5KBC

Yep! They filter out sound under a certain decibel so like if I'm walking around campus I can only hear the cars but in class I can hear the Prof (even more clearly) and the loudest noises I can hear are unzipping/coughing but muffled.

I probably wouldn't have worn them in highschool because of the questions I might get/people purposefully trying to trigger me but in college no one gives a fuck.