Eric, I'm glad to hear giving jazz a try. I've been a longtime fan - in part, because of my dang-Yankee-from-back-east roots, but also due to living in Albuquerque during a peak in the jazz cycle there (late 70s/early 80s).

May I recommend the soundtrack from the old "Charlie Brown Christmas" TV special, with jazz arrangements and performances by Vince Guaraldi and his ensemble? For me, it is both a favorite holiday recording and jazz recording.

And relaxing, too.

Your last random observation made me laugh out loud - virtually and actually.

Jeff, I'm familiar with Guaraldi's music, because I was giving him airplay back in the early Seventies when I was DJing in Fort Stockton. I still remember his rendition of "Cast Your Fate to the Wind." I was also throwing in the occasional Dave Brubeck and Stan Kenton cut, so I guess I'm not totally rootless when it comes to jazz. I've just been away from it for a long time.

I may have told you before, but I endured many years of phonophobia---an illness where hearing music made me very ill. All the forms of music that I had previously loved---non-secular, opera (especially opera), classical, golden oldies---were utterly painful for me to hear.

Considering that my husband had been a Christian music minister for almost 20 years, and our household was saturated with music---you can imagine how distressing my situation was.

I discovered by 2003, that the only form of music I could listen to was jazz. It won't say that it "healed" me, but bit by bit (note by note) I recovered, and I can say that it is the only form of music that I willingly listen to now, and actually spend money on.

Finally, I am able to listen to other forms of music, but always in small doses.

After almost five years now, I always return to old guys: Dave Brubeck, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, Hank Jones. Gene Harris and John Lewis (of the Modern Jazz Quartet) are my special favorites.

Deborah, I didn't know that. And I'm not familiar with phonophobia. That's fascinating (if also awful). Is it a physical malady?

Eric, it has taken me about thirteen years to figure out the problem. Phonophobia (fear of sound) is not the best word to describe what happened to me, but it comes close.

In a nutshell, taking too much ibuprofen damaged the "fine-tuning" in my hearing. Loud music, music with words, classical music with its sweeping and soaring melody lines---all these forms were a shock to my system.

Even worse, I could not turn off the music inside my head. It would play endlessly, and "catchy" tunes were almost poisonous to me. And songs that I could not remember hearing for years would just pop into my head with no logical prompting.

In 2001, while researching hearing disorders, I found a passing reference that led me to link ibuprofen and my hearing problems---which by this time was very bad. I had stopped going to church, watched TV with the sound off, so I couldn't be blind-sided by commercials, etc. I avoided all music (which was pretty hard on my husband, too),

I decided to stop taking all pain relievers and medications. Not an easy decision because I'd had my feet recently operated on, and have arthritis. But because I was slowly going mad from sound, hurting seemed less of a problem.

I did not take any pain relievers for well over a year (during which time I passed a kidney stone!). When I did occasionally take something after that, I could see---hear!---an immediate change.

Within a few hours, my hearing would be greatly diminished yet extremely sensitive. I have experimented now since then, and know that if I take something for pain relief, I will have these side effects.

I do not take ibuprofen anymore. I will take half of a naproxen if I really hurt, or one aspirin. This will affect my hearing for about four days, so it's a big decision for me to take something.

Jazz, I discovered, did not whack out my brain and my hearing, which seems to have a bit of permanent damage. Still, I have to be very careful and not over-listen. Using earphones seems to worsen the problem, too, because it separates the sound which is unnatural to how the two ears hear together, and unnatural to the brain (in my opinion :)

"Old" jazz is probably less manipulated, and must be easier for my brain to process. As a result, I have come to love it enormously.

Sorry to write so much, but maybe this information will help others.

Oh, my. What a terrible malady! I agree that "phonophobia" is not an accurate description of the illness itself, but it certainly seems appropriate to describe the natural result of it.

Your description of how headphones worsens the symptoms is fascinating. I would have simply attributed it to the fact that the music is less filtered or modulated before it hits your ears, but you seem to be suggesting that there's also a psychological or perceptual facet to the issue.

...but maybe this information will help others.

That was precisely my thought as I read your comment. I'm glad you took the time to document your experiences, as your comment might be the key to someone else starting to get a handle on their own situation.

Thanks for sharing! (And it validates my long-term design position that websites should never have music auto-play enabled, because you never know the circumstances of the visitor!)

Full-fledged quail. I get it.

I'm certainly not making light of what is obviously a seriously troubling afflication, Deborah, but as a former DJ myself (mandated by management to play a defined playlist), I found myself having remarkably similiar reactions to "music" by Madonna, Michael Bolton, and especially Hall & Oates (Aaargh!).

As for jazz, I've always found myself transported by Herbie Mann's "Battle Hymn of the Republic". Like no other version you've ever heard.

As for televangelists and posterior pains...........well, better let that one lie.