A strong sensitivity to noise is called hyperacusis. With hyperacusis, you might perceive regular sounds, like talking, running water or chewing during dinner at Wildflower, as unusually loud, painful or frightening. You may find the volume a little annoying or unbearable. In some cases, the volume can be intense enough to cause poor balance or seizures.
Hyperacusis can present on its own or include tinnitus (ringing in the ears), ear pain, pressure in the ears or hearing loss.
What Causes Hyperacusis?
Finding the underlying cause of hyperacusis is difficult. The leading theory is that the parts of your brain responsible for identifying stimulation translate sounds as louder than they are. Other leading theories include damage to the auditory or facial nerve.
Although multiple studies have found a correlation between excess noise exposure (professional musicians are particularly susceptible) and hyperacusis, other studies have found no significant correlation between hyperacusis and hearing loss. While hyperacusis often occurs alongside hearing loss, there isn’t enough evidence to support a cause/effect connection.
What Are the Side Effects of Hyperacusis?
Nearly 50% of those diagnosed with hyperacusis also have a behavioral condition, including but not limited to anxiety and depression. Those with hyperacusis may also suffer from relationship issues, intense stress and social isolation.
What Are My Treatment Options?
Hyperacusis has no known cure, but your symptoms may ease over time. Managing hyperacusis usually focuses on reducing its symptoms and teaching coping strategies—similar to how we manage tinnitus. A few symptom management techniques include:
- Sound therapy. Sound therapy dulls your reaction to hyperacusis by introducing you to gradually louder sounds over a few weeks.
- Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT). TRT is a type of tinnitus management that uses a combination of calming sounds and therapy to minimize your reaction to the ringing. It can also be used to manage hyperacusis. During TRT, you’ll listen to a calming noise, called pink noise, through headphones. The presence of a predictable, calming sound will help minimize reactions to uncomfortably loud noises.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Administered by a licensed mental health provider, CBT teaches you how to manage stress and the negative emotions that arise with hyperacusis.
- Surgery. If your provider determines your hyperacusis is associated with facial nerve paralysis, they may recommend a surgery called a round and oval window reinforcement. The surgery uses tissues behind your ear to support the ossicles (small bones in your middle ear) and regulate sound intensity.
Hyperacusis is frustrating, but you don’t have to deal with it alone. Contact Arizona Hearing Specialists today to schedule an evaluation with one of our specialists.