Pain is your body’s means of delivering information. It’s an effective strategy though not a very enjoyable one. When your ears start to feel the pain of a very loud megaphone next to you, you know damage is happening and you can take measures to move further away or at least cover your ears.
But for around 8-10% of people, quiet sounds can be perceived as painfully loud, despite their measured decibel level. This affliction is known by experts as hyperacusis. It’s a medical term for overly 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. Most individuals with hyperacusis have episodes that are brought about by a particular group of sounds (usually sounds within a range of frequencies). Quiet noises will often sound really loud. And loud noises sound even louder.
No one’s really certain what causes hyperacusis, though it is often related to tinnitus or other hearing issues (and, in some instances, neurological issues). There’s a noticeable degree of individual variability when it comes to the symptoms, severity, and treatment of hyperacusis.
What type of response is typical for hyperacusis?
Here’s how hyperacusis, in most cases, will look and feel::
- You may also experience dizziness and problems keeping your balance.
- You will hear a certain sound, a sound that everybody else perceives as quiet, and that sound will seem very loud to you.
- Your response and discomfort will be worse the louder the sound is.
- You may experience pain and buzzing in your ears (this pain and buzzing could last for days or weeks after you hear the original sound).
Treatments for hyperacusis
When you are dealing with hyperacusis the world can become a minefield, particularly when your ears are very sensitive to a wide range of frequencies. You never know when a lovely night out will suddenly become an audio onslaught that will leave you with ringing ears and an intense migraine.
That’s why treatment is so essential. You’ll want to come in and consult with us about which treatments will be your best option (this all tends to be quite variable). Here are some of the most prevalent options:
Masking devices
One of the most frequently used treatments for hyperacusis is something called a masking device. While it may sound perfect for Halloween (sorry), in reality, a masking device is a piece of technology that cancels out specific wavelengths of sounds. So those offensive frequencies can be eliminated before they reach your ears. You can’t have a hyperacusis attack if you can’t hear the offending sound!
Earplugs
Earplugs are a less sophisticated take on the same general approach: you can’t have a hyperacusis episode if you can’t hear… well, anything. There are definitely some drawbacks to this low tech approach. There’s some research that suggests that, over time, the earplugs can throw your hearing ecosystem even further off and make your hyperacusis worse. Consult us if you’re thinking about wearing earplugs.
Ear retraining
One of the most in-depth approaches to treating hyperacusis is known as ear retraining therapy. You’ll attempt to change the way you respond to certain types of sounds by employing physical therapy, emotional counseling, and a combination of devices. Training yourself to ignore sounds is the basic idea. This strategy depends on your commitment but generally has a positive rate of success.
Approaches that are less prevalent
Less common methods, like ear tubes or medication, are also utilized to treat hyperacusis. These strategies are less commonly used, depending on the specialist and the person, because they have met with mixed results.
Treatment makes a huge difference
Depending on how you experience your symptoms, which differ from person to person, a unique treatment plan can be created. There’s no single best approach to managing hyperacusis, it really depends on choosing the best treatment for you.