Sensory Overload
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Five Senses?
Putting our heads in the sand (or underwater) doesn’t make for a full sensory experience. (EXIF data f6.3, 400mm, 1/250s, ISO1000)
There are 5 senses, or are there? I have recently finished reading a book that I highly recommend for anyone interested in the natural world, wildlife, insects, birds or fish - you name it Ed Yong covers is in his book An Immense World.
He talks about our sensory bubble which is the part of an animal’s surroundings that it can sense and experience - its perceptual world which he describes as their umwelt (a German word meaning environment or surroundings). I really like that description as it helps me to recognize that the way humans perceive the world is not the same as other animals or insects. In fact when a person, animal or insect perceives the world differently we can have difficulty understanding or relating.
Yong talks about senses being divided into chemical and mechanical categories with magnetic properties being part of one or both of those classifications.
Senses Beyond What Humans Typically Experience
When we take vision beyond the range that most humans experience we get into infrared and ultraviolet ends of the spectrum, not to mention various light sensory modes (think colour versus black and white vision or the ability to see in low light situations). Some of these are modes that most humans have difficulty comprehending as we have no point of reference.
Humpback whales communicating during bubble net feeding session. (EXIF data f8, 400mm, 1/1250s, ISO800)
One sense that Yong covered which I find fascinating is echolocation or the location of objects by reflected sound, in particular that used by animals such as dophins and bats. There are a number of historically derogatory or discriminatory phrases associated with this ability which I think is more of a reflection of lack of understanding rather than a desire to belittle these creatures. Phrases like “blind as a bat” really don’t reflect the reality of their “visual” experience.
There are also ableist phrases that dismiss the full spectrum of others’ experiences - for example, to be blind to something is to be totally oblivious to it, or to have a blind spot is to have a zone of ignorance, to lack vision or creativity - we equate lack of sight to lack of vision. These expressions or interpretations do not reflect a blind person’s reality as blind people are generally profoundly aware of their surroundings and while their visual experience is not the same as a sighted person - it doesn’t mean that it is less rich or valid.
Having an openness to others’ experiences can help to enrich our interactions. I really like this quote by Harriet Learner where she encourages us:
to listen with the same passion that we want to be heard (Harriet Learner - quoted in An Immense World - Ed Yong)
Interdependence
Yong also delves into proprioception which is the awareness of your own body in space (i.e., being able to sense inside our bodies - knowing where our limbs are relative to our bodies and environment) which is critical to equilibrioception which is our sense of balance - both senses are critical for our ability to move through the world and our experience of the world in a less chaotic manner. He even uses the example of a man who couldn’t walk after an infection robbed him of his proprioception.
A wild dog with ears cupped to take full advantage of sounds from the nearby bush. (EXIF data f6.3, 400mm, 1/250s, ISO400)
I really appreciate the interconnectedness of our senses and how this quality enhances and expands our experience. We tend to take things like balance for granted and yet people who experience vertigo or milder forms of interrupted balance can really struggle to move through the world.
I have a significant hearing loss in one ear and this impacts my experience of sound - as an experiment try plugging one ear for a period of time and then attempt to carry on a conversation with a group of people (add in some background noise distraction for a realistic experiment). My hearing loss not only impacts my ability to interact with people in group situations with significant background noise, but it can also impact my balance and experience of certain situations when there is a lot of visual input. I have had people think that I am “stuck up” or indifferent when I don’t respond, but it is more about them not being able to understand how I’m experiencing the situation.
I have been able to adapt and overcome a lot of the challenges that this hearing loss presents - in fact I often don’t talk about it as it can make me feel like the odd person out. Recently it has become more challenging as I’ve also been experiencing tinnitus (ringing in the ear) and unsteadiness due to balance issues.
An Opportunity For A Change
As a result of these new challenges, I made a decision to explore using a hearing aid - I should mention that my hearing loss is due to having fused inner ear bones in my right ear, so the sound does not get transmitted effectively for my brain to interpret. I tried using a hearing aid about 30 years ago without a lot of success - I have a narrow ear canal and my ears produce a lot of waxy material, so fitting a hearing aid is a challenge and keeping it clean and working effectively can be difficult. However, the technology has advanced in the last 30 years - especially around enabling the microphone to be directional (this helps to block out background noise) as well as noise cancelling technology, so I made a decision to look into it again..
Tinnitus (ringing in the ear) is the perception of noise in the form of ringing or static sounds in the ear(s) without an external source of sound. Approximately 15–20% of people experience tinnitus either short term, intermittently or more consistently. It is an indication of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury, or loud noise exposure which causes phantom sounds like buzzing, humming, or clicking. Mine is intermittent sounds in the right ear that are sometimes ringing (think of an extended hearing test) or buzzing (low level static noise).
A profusion of scents and riots of colour at Kingsbrae Gardens is surely a sensory overload. (EXIF data ICM 1/6s, f16, 120mm, ISO400).
Consistently wearing a hearing aid can help to manage and even diminish these symptoms over time as the brain experiences neural rewiring to adapt and reduce the prominence of tinnitus. Our brains are sooooooo amazing. The brand of hearing aid that I wear also has the ability to produce soothing noise that diminishes the prominence of the tinnitus if required.
I’m on the second month of wearing a hearing aid and trying to adapt to the changes which are not insignificant. I have excellent hearing on the left side, so I don’t need a hearing aid on that side (wearing a single hearing aid has some definite challenges). This has resulted in a sudden explosion of sound on the right side that my brain is not used to experiencing. In addition my right ear has become atrophied or lazy and it is tiring and sometimes painful to hear on that side again - definitely an adjustment.
I am committed to working through these changes as my brain adapts, but quite honestly it is definitely sensory overload right now (note: my hearing aid is set low right now in order for me to get used to suddenly being able to hear on the right side). Over time the idea is to increase the amplification until both ears are at the same level of hearing (update: I’ve just had the volume boosted to fit a more optimal profile, so not just a volume increase, but more of a phased shift of volume over different frequencies).
I am also curious to see if this helps to improve my balance as I will have a better sense of my surroundings with more sensory cues from sound as well as sight.
Fingers Crossed I See Improvement Soon
Our resilience and ability to cope with these sorts of challenges sets us apart from other animals in that different parts of our brains can be retrained to take over. I’m in awe of the wonder of our bodies and our brains in the way that we are able to adapt. Although I have not experienced any significant difference in the tinnitus, I am very optimistic that this time the hearing aid will be more successful and help me to address the issues that I’m experiencing. I went out for a photowalk earlier this week and was able to hear a bird singing and determine its direction whereas previously this would have been a challenge for me. To me this is a very positive sign - I’ll provide an update as things progress.
Have you had to overcome any challenges with your way of experiencing the world around you, or do you wear hearing aid(s) and have some tips to share? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below or send me a note directly by clicking on the Connect With Me Button.
Here’s to having a whole new perception of the world around me. (EXIF Data f6.3, 1/200s, 400mm, ISO1200)
I hope you’ll come back soon, share a cuppa, relax and enjoy more of my musings.
