Hyperacusis: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

The word “hyperacusis” sounds a little mysterious, but for many people it is sadly an everyday reality. This condition, also known as extreme sensitivity to sound, makes ordinary noises feel unbearably loud and uncomfortable. It is as if your head is permanently stuck inside a stack of speakers. In this article we dive into the world of hyperacusis and take a closer look at the possible causes, symptoms and solutions.

What exactly is hyperacusis?

When you suffer from hyperacusis, it is as if the volume of the world has been turned all the way up. Imagine the sound of a tap being turned on, or even a whisper, already feeling far too loud. This happens because in people with this condition the regulating system in their ears that is responsible for controlling sound levels has become oversensitive.

Hyperacusis: causes

As with many medical conditions, the exact cause of hyperacusis is often complex. It develops from a combination of biological, genetic and environmental factors. Even so, there are a number of factors that can be identified as contributing to sound sensitivity.

One of the most common causes is tinnitus, a hearing disorder characterised by hearing buzzing, ringing or whistling sounds. The constant presence of these sounds can overload and disrupt the way you perceive sound, which in some cases results in hyperacusis.

Hyperacusis can also occur in people who suffer from other conditions, such as PTSD, in which there is heightened sensitivity to sensory input. The same applies to people with Ménière’s disease, a disorder of the inner ear that can affect both hearing and balance. Migraine and autism are likewise associated with a higher risk of hyperacusis.

In addition, prolonged exposure to loud noise can lead to hyperacusis. Anyone who works in a noisy environment, for example on construction sites, in clubs or at music festivals, may develop the condition over time. The persistently loud sounds take a heavy toll on your hearing, which shifts the threshold for what is experienced as “too loud”.

Symptoms and diagnosis

The clearest symptom of hyperacusis is therefore an oversensitivity to everyday sounds. People with hyperacusis can even experience physical pain from sounds that others consider perfectly normal, such as a doorbell ringing or the ticking of a clock.

If you suspect that you have hyperacusis, the first thing you should do is see a specialist, such as an ENT doctor. The diagnostic process usually starts with a thorough discussion of your symptoms. All sorts of details are mapped out, such as: when did you first notice the symptoms? Can you identify specific sounds that you find unpleasant? And how does it affect your daily life? This helps them get a better picture of how serious the situation is and rule out other possible conditions.

They will then carry out a hearing test to determine the exact range and nature of any hearing loss. One of the tests often used in diagnosing hyperacusis is the Uncomfortable Loudness Level (ULL) test, also known as the UCL test. During this test the doctor looks for your “loudness discomfort levels” (LDLs) – the point at which sounds of a certain volume become uncomfortable.

Based on your symptoms, your description of your experiences and the results of the hearing test, the specialist will then determine whether you have hyperacusis.

Sound therapy as a treatment for hyperacusis

There is no medication for hyperacusis. There are, however, treatments that help you learn to cope with it. One of these is sound therapy. This is a type of therapy aimed at gradually getting your ears and your brain used to normal sounds again, by exposing them to a series of quiet sounds.

Alongside therapies, custom earplugs can also play a major role in the treatment of hyperacusis. They can help to reduce the sound level and thereby limit the strain on your hearing. Audinc makes hearing protection. We offer custom-made earplugs that fit your ears perfectly and protect your hearing against demanding or harmful sounds.

Reducing sensory input with earplugs

In addition to protection, custom earplugs also offer the possibility of reducing the amount of sensory input. This can contribute to a more comfortable experience of the world around you – and, with it, to learning to live with hyperacusis.

Preventing sound sensitivity

Of course, the best advice is still to prevent hyperacusis from developing in the first place. So always protect your hearing properly at events with loud music, during noisy work, or when exposed to any other kind of loud noise. Custom earplugs are an important aid in doing so.

Whether you need earplugs for work, events, enjoying music, or simply to make your daily life more pleasant, custom hearing protection like Audinc’s can help you set the world back to your volume!