As someone also rather sensitive to sound, I highly recommend Bose noise canceling headphones. It is the perfect socially frictionless solution to loud office environments.
Dunno about you, but as someone who's highly sensitive to sound as well, I found my Sony noise cancelling headphones made everyone elses sounds crystal clear - with the HVAC and desktop whirring cancelled, I could eavesdrop up to 4 cubes away.
I think noise-isolating earbuds or headphones are what you want. Just completely block out external sound, listen to nature/bird chirps or your favorite music.
Exactly - it was odd, but most of the noise cancelling headphones I've used do just that - they cancel some noise, which makes other stuff all the more noticeable. Blasting whitenoise in to my ears does the opposite, but muffles most minor noises.
A) it's expensive
B) doesn't work all that well all the time to block out any passing road/truck noise
What's working nearly as well for me (I've tried the bose headphones - not comfortable for long stretches for me) is $5 in-ear earbuds running whitenoise, sometimes with classical music overlaid.
