I can sympathize also, and to some degree empathize.

I have excellent hearing, and I've embarrassed a few doctors by telling them what they discussed in the hallway. I love loud rock music but could never go to a rock concert because it would be painful, it has to be to my sense of loudness.

I love, and need silence - complete and utter silence with not even the sound of wind or rain. I relax totally in silence. However, I can fall asleep with a movie running and the cats running around knocking things over. But those are my personal sounds and I'm controlling them - well, not the cats' behavior but they are my cats and it's my choice to have them.

I loathe the summer weekend noises of lawnmowers, blowers, power washers, and people who believe you should enjoy whatever music they are playing. I have to put on a movie, though I don't watch it, so it is my noise I'm hearing rather than other people's.

I live in the suburbs and it's not really a loud neighborhood but there is a small airport and Boeing plant a few miles away from me. When I moved in 27 years ago, they didn't test planes at night and a small plane going overhead was very rare. Now my Saturdays are punctuated with plane after plane going over, commuters planes on weekdays, and planes being tested at night - those roars really travel on the night air.

A white noise machine might be just what you need because the sound will be something you control and you will get used to it, so not notice it in time.