For a long time, I have been subject to great sensitivity to noise, which gradually turned into severe hyperacusis, following an acute viral labyrinthitis, contracted in November 2019, at the age of 68. In the 4 years that followed, I experienced a succession of crisis periods and small remissions.

Most of the time, I couldn’t stand any noise from everyday life: noise from the fridge, crumpled paper, radio, telephone conversation, barking, airplanes, lawnmowers… Everything was physically and nervously painful.

My husband and I would whisper to each other, and even the resonance of my own voice or the sound of the river nearby became intolerable.

On several occasions, I consulted a homeopathic ENT specialist, whose attentiveness and treatment brought me some relief. But as soon as I wanted to return to a more “normal” life, I found myself back in a period of crisis, with even more severe hyperacusis and corollary suffering: ophthalmic migraines, photophobia, insomnia, great fatigue, neck tension, digestive problems…

These symptoms, linked to my growing intolerance to the slightest noise, severely handicapped me in my daily interactions with my entire environment. I had to give up meetings with my children and grandchildren, my friends, my participation in yoga classes (which I taught and followed), cultural outings, restaurants, shopping and any kind of travel (I could no longer stand the noise of the car engine, nor that of the wheels touching the asphalt). During those 4 years, I suffered physically, experienced a great deal of social loneliness, even though I was by nature sociable and outgoing, and slipped into a state of great anxiety and even despair at times.

To try and alleviate the pain, I also had osteopathy, acupuncture, massage therapy and vestibular physiotherapy. I wore hearing protection and headphones when the noise became unbearable…

I then consulted a 2nd ENT specialist at a university hospital. He sent me for an MRI (negative result) and suggested I try a hearing aid with auditory re-education using a white noise producer.

I then tried a hearing aid, but given the feeling of fatigue and aggression linked to the resonance, it was decided jointly with the audiologist who was following me, to stop the trial.

In the spring of 2023, seeing my very distressing physical state and the lack of solutions that could be effective in my case, one of my daughters wanted to widen the circle of research by consulting French social networks, and it was through this that she heard about Øreblue Institute.

She was the one who first got in touch with Mr Bonneyrat, and then I had the opportunity to talk to him at length. I was immediately impressed by his attentiveness, his availability to answer my many questions and concerns, and his empathy.

During the summer that followed, I went to La Rochelle for a hearing check-up and a complete anamnesis with Madame Bonneyrat, which was followed by a first treatment session following the ØREBLUE protocol.

I was immediately won over by Madame Bonneyrat’s holistic approach: an auditory component, with headphone treatment, 5 days a week, lasting 2 hours, following a personalized program, and an emotional component combining research into psycho-genealogy and emotional work.

I attended 6 sessions in La Rochelle and had a wonderful 14-week experience.

I was impressed by Madame Bonneyrat’s professionalism, her availability, her clear-sightedness and her ability to establish links between my hearing problem and my life story. She gave me the keys to breaking out of the painful physical and psychological confinement I’d been feeling for several years. Her guidance enabled me to evolve towards greater awareness and joie de vivre, and to escape the pitfalls of relapse.

Since February 2025, I’ve returned to a normal life, with the joy of welcoming back family and friends, and taking part in social and festive activities.

Nevertheless, I remain vigilant, careful to respect my rhythms and my limits, because when I’m too tired, I tend to be more sensitive to ambient noise, in restaurants for example.

Having arrived in ØREBLUE in a sorry state, I feel as though I’ve been reborn.

My heartfelt thanks to Madame and Monsieur Bonneyrat.