One way your body provides information to you is through pain response. It’s an effective strategy though not a really pleasant one. When that megaphone you’re standing near goes too loud, the pain lets you know that major ear damage is happening and you immediately (if you’re wise) cover your ears or remove yourself from that rather loud environment.
But, in spite of their minimal volume, 8-10% of people will feel pain from quiet sounds too. This condition is known by experts as hyperacusis. This is the medical name for excessively sensitive ears. The symptoms of hyperacusis can be managed but there’s no cure.
Increased sensitivity to sound
Hypersensitivity to sound is known as hyperacusis. Usually sounds in a particular frequency cause episodes of hyperacusis for people who experience it. Quiet noises will frequently sound really loud. And noises that are loud seem a lot louder than they actually are.
No one’s really certain what causes hyperacusis, though it is frequently related to tinnitus or other hearing issues (and, in some cases, neurological concerns). There’s a noticeable degree of individual variability with the symptoms, severity, and treatment of hyperacusis.
What type of response is typical for hyperacusis?
In most instances, hyperacusis will look and feel something like this:
- The louder the sound is, the more intense your response and pain will be.
- Balance problems and dizziness can also be experienced.
- After you hear the initial sound, you may have pain and hear buzzing for days or even weeks.
- You will notice a particular sound, a sound that everyone else perceives as quiet, and that sound will seem very loud to you.
Treatments for hyperacusis
When your hyperacusis makes you sensitive to a wide variety of frequencies, the world can be like a minefield. You never know when a lovely night out will suddenly turn into an audio onslaught that will leave you with ringing ears and a three-day migraine.
That’s why it’s so important to get treatment. There are various treatments available depending on your specific situation and we can help you pick one that’s best for you. Here are some of the most prevalent options:
Masking devices
One of the most commonly deployed treatments for hyperacusis is something called a masking device. This is a device that can cancel out certain frequencies. These devices, then, can selectively mask those triggering wavelengths of sound before they ever get to your ear. You can’t have a hyperacusis episode if you can’t hear the offending sound!
Earplugs
Earplugs are a less sophisticated play on the same general approach: if all sound is blocked, there’s no possibility of a hyperacusis episode. It’s undoubtedly a low-tech approach, and there are some drawbacks. There’s some research that suggests that, over the long run, the earplugs can throw your hearing ecosystem even further off and make your hyperacusis worse. Consult us if you’re considering using earplugs.
Ear retraining
One of the most in-depth approaches to treating hyperacusis is called ear retraining therapy. You’ll use a combination of devices, physical therapy, and emotional counseling to try to change how you respond to certain kinds of sounds. The idea is that you can train yourself to disregard sounds (rather like with tinnitus). This strategy depends on your dedication but usually has a positive rate of success.
Less prevalent solutions
Less prevalent strategies, like ear tubes or medication, are also used to manage hyperacusis. These approaches are less commonly utilized, depending on the specialist and the individual, because they have met with mixed results.
Treatment makes a huge difference
Because hyperacusis will vary from person to person, a specialized treatment plan can be formulated depending on your symptoms as you encounter them. There’s no single best approach to treating hyperacusis, it really depends on finding the right treatment for you.