ABC Radio’s Health Report has a programme about Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome, a condition that leads to supersensitive hearing. So sensitive, in fact, that whispers can sounds like thunder, and sufferers can hear their own bloodflow and eyeball movements.
The condition is thought to occur due to a crack in the bony casing that surrounds the inner ear.
Normally, sound is channeled from the outside world, through the ear canal to the inner ear. Here lies the cochlea, the organ that translates sound waves to nerve impulses for the brain.
This arrangement efficiently picks up and filters external sound. When the bony casing to the inner ear is damaged, however, the filtering is thought to stop working as efficiently, so sounds ‘leak in’ from other places – including from the inside of the body.
People with this condition have very sensitive hearing, sometimes leading to pain and discomfort. Occasionally, their strange experiences are mistaken for mental illness, where unusual perceptions can sometimes occur.
A person interviewed for the programme describes her experience as where:
Eyeballs sound like creaking doors, eyelids opening and closing have a scratchy sound, bones and joints creak.
mp3 or realaudio of programme audio.
Link to programme transcript.
Mind Hacks 
I have Semicircular Superior Canal Dehiscence and Meniere’s Disease. Often as you described sounds are magnified and exceptionally painful however pressure causes a more severe reaction for me. I was diagnosed March 2004, June 2004 – Meniere’s Disease and via ultra sophisticated xray of my temporal lobes showed each ear had a dehiscence. Surgery is not an option for me as I also have a vestibular disorder aka meniere’s disease. I do know of a woman who has SCD and underwent four craniotomites and now has a vestibular disorder. Thank you for your attention to this matter, turtledoves
Hi,
I have SCDS and vestibular migraines. Do you take any medications that are helpful? I have been on Ativan for years which has been helpful, though it is not effective as time goes on. Do you have anything that has worked for you?
Sincerely,
Alison
I have SCD in both ears. I had a repair on the right side and lost most of my hearing. My doctor will not operate on the left side because of the risk of hearing loss on that side. I have serious vestibular problems because of the imbalance. My head feels thick and heavy and I feel sleepy all the time. On really bad days I feel as if I have been sedated and I sleep. In the dark my head feels as if I am floating and I have little sense of direction. Is there any hope for me? Can anyone relate?
HELP!
Betty
December, 2012
My husband has had dizzines for 30 years off and on. He has been told he has many different things over the years including vestibular migraines,and tried many medications that don’t help. One Dr. said he also has 40% loss of balance in his left ear. Lately he is dizzy every other day and also started having some migraine headaches once in a while too. A friend of ours just told us about this website and he just had surgery for this SCDS on his 2nd ear and is NOT dizzy anymore! I dont know if my husband has this but how do we find out for sure?
Debbie