In the city of San Luis Obispo, sensitivity to sound or light is just one symptom of a traumatic brain injury. What a person used to feel was an acceptable sound or light level becomes painful and unbearable. People can find that this hypersensitivity affects their ability to go about their daily lives in a negative way.

For example, the noise level in a typical group setting like a noisy office or school cafeteria is 85 decibels. Most people find that they can deal with this level of noise for an extended period of time. For people suffering with hypersensitivity, even a moment’s exposure to this level of noise can be painful. It can be difficult to imagine going through daily life with this type of sensitivity.

Being hypersensitive to light can also be a burden. People are exposed to light throughout the day. Whether they work or go to school, people cannot get away from the exposure. This means that people experiencing sensitivity may find that they are unable to work or attend class as they once could.

The symptoms may be temporary or they may be permanent. Whether or not they are alleviated often depends on the severity of the brain injury itself. When a victim decides not to seek medical treatment quickly enough, hypersensitivity to sound or light may become worse or more persistent. Anyone experiencing these sensitivities should seek out medical treatment as soon as they can in order to be properly diagnosed and begin treatment.