Hyperacusis is linked to an abnormal perception of loudness. Patients who are diagnosed with this disorder may be highly sensitive to a wide range of sounds, finding specific noises greatly unbearable and horribly loud.
Many people may confuse hyperacusis with recruitment, another disorder that is a normal result of hearing loss, also associated with the abnormal perception of sound as the volume gets louder. While there are similarities between hyperacusis and recruitment, they also have distinct differences.
How common is hyperacusis?
Hyperacusis can affect young and old individuals. While it is considered to be a rare occurrence, affecting only one in 50,000 people, early diagnosis can pave the way for targeted treatment and avoid unnecessary stress and turmoil on the part of the patient.
What can be mistaken for hyperacusis?
Hyperacusis and phonophobia are two separate but highly-related symptoms often mistaken as the same entity. Proper diagnosis is essential to ensure that the root cause(s) is addressed.
Hyperacusis: Signs and Symptoms
The primary symptom of hyperacusis has something to do with being overly sensitive to sound. A person with hyperacusis may be mildly bothered or severely disturbed by normal, everyday sounds including loud conversations, the hum of an appliance, a car honk, water in the shower, etc. Some people have severe hypersensitivity to sound to the point that they either lose their balance or experience seizures.
Complications of Hyperacusis
Untreated hyperacusis can significantly affect a person’s quality of life and may lead to:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Ear pain (if you experience ear pain, you should see an audiologist)
- Social isolation or withdrawal
- Relationship problems
Hyperacusis Causes
Hyperacusis can be caused by various factors. The most common trigger for hyperacusis is damage to the cochlea due to exposure to extremely loud noises.
Exposure to loud noises (i.e a single gunshot or firework explosion) can trigger the disorder. However, hyperacusis can also be triggered by being exposed to loud noises for a long period of time.
Individuals who have tinnitus, or have suffered from a head injury are commonly at risk for hyperacusis. Other hyperacusis causes include:
- Acoustic trauma
- Chronic ear infections
- Autoimmune disorders
- Adverse reactions to surgeries or medications
Is hyperacusis a brain disorder?
Hyperacusis is linked to a hearing disorder rather than a brain disorder. It can also be referred to as sound or noise sensitivity.
Diagnosing Hyperacusis
An ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor, otolaryngologist, or audiologist can check for hyperacusis. A medical history, an ocular check of the ears, and a hearing test will be carried out to confirm or diagnose hyperacusis.
If you need to consult with an audiologist in New Albany, IN, please give Doctors Hearing Care a call.
Hyperacusis Treatment
Since hyperacusis typically affects a person’s daily life, it is usually treated with a combination of acoustic therapy and behavioral counseling. Counseling can significantly help patients manage their fears and anxieties while acoustic therapy can lower a patient’s sensitivity to sounds.
A person with hyperacusis may also be fitted with a wearable device that can produce constant, gentle sounds that can help desensitize the auditory nerves over time. With the right combination of acoustic therapy and behavioral counseling, patients with hyperacusis can tolerate normal environment sounds again.
Can hyperacusis be cured?
It’s worth noting that there is no specific and instant cure for hyperacusis. However, the right therapy (or combination of therapies) can significantly improve the quality of life by lessening one’s fear or anxiety over sounds. Acoustic therapy can also help acclimatize unpleasant sounds and make them seem less disturbing.
Hyperacusis Risk Factors
The human ears detect sounds as vibrations. A person with hyperacusis experiences exaggerated vibrations which makes the brain confused. This mechanism is what causes discomfort.
Hyperacusis isn’t an inborn disorder. It typically stems from specific diseases or medical conditions such as:
- Head injury
- Damage caused by toxins or medications
- Viral infections
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
- Tay-Sachs disease
- Lyme disease
- Migraines
- Meniere’s disease
- Epilepsy
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Depression
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Autism
- Williams syndrome
Hyperacusis Misconceptions
People with hyperacusis might be tempted to use ear muffs or ear plugs to lower the sound volume in a crowd or in noisy environments. Technically, these can indeed provide short-term relief, but in the long run, using ear plugs or ear muffs can only make the symptoms worse. Removing the earplugs will reverse the effect and may make the sounds even louder.
Road to Better Hearing
Taking care of your hearing health is highly important. Hearing too little or hearing too much are definitely red flags when it comes to auditory perception.
Doctors Hearing Care is committed to providing patients with the best hearing care. We provide comprehensive hearing tests and a wide selection of hearing aids in New Albany, IN.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation!