What Is Hyperacusis? Explanation + 2 Tips

In our blog we regularly refer to so-called “ear conditions.” One of them is hyperacusis. In this blog we will explain exactly what this condition involves and what you can do about it.

What is hyperacusis?

The word hyperacusis itself comes from Greek and means “I hear too much.” That is exactly what this hearing condition is all about. It is not life-threatening, but it can be experienced as bothersome, irritating, or even painful. People with this condition have a heightened sensitivity to sound. Sound cannot be filtered properly, which is why it can be perceived as unpleasant. Not everyone experiences this condition in the same way. The degree and severity differ from person to person. It is also not age-related and can occur at any age. It is usually chronic and often goes hand in hand with hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). It is estimated that 3 percent of the Dutch population has this condition.

A tolerance threshold

Everyone has their own threshold of tolerance when it comes to sound. You can notice this in how loud someone turns up the television or how loudly someone listens to music. One person can tolerate listening through headphones while another cannot. Or one person turns the television down just a little compared to someone else. This is a sound tolerance threshold. If you exceed this threshold, you may experience pain or discomfort from the loudness of the sound. People who have the condition can describe normal sounds, or sounds that would not usually be perceived as loud, as unbearable. This is because they have a low sound tolerance threshold. If you compare it to the volume button on a remote control, you could say that for these people the volume is constantly turned up too high. People around them hear the sounds as normal, but for people with this condition the sounds are far too loud.

How does this happen?

It comes down to dynamic range. Dynamic range is the ability of our ears to quickly adapt to changing sound levels. For example, if you have a radio playing and you are also having a conversation, the person you are talking to may produce a softer sound than the radio does. This means your ears have to adapt to two different sound levels. This works well for most people. Because they can adapt, they can hear both channels clearly and there is nothing further wrong. For people with the condition, this is much more difficult. They do not have the ability to handle these changes in sound level well. Rapid changes in sound cannot be processed easily by them. They cannot dampen sound, and as a result everything sounds very sharp or very loud.

How it is possible that they lack the ability to dampen sound is still not known to this day. However, a link has been established between various situations and hyperacusis. The condition is often associated with other conditions and is the result of them.

Hearing damage

There is a suspicion that the condition is caused by damage to the hearing organ. This can be caused, for example, by an injury or a blow to the head, or by a trauma caused by noise. Think of prolonged exposure to noise that has damaged the hearing. This is also known as noise trauma. It may also be that something went wrong during an operation, causing the hearing to become damaged. In addition, there may be damage to the nervous system that causes this condition.

Finally, there may also be disrupted communication between the hearing organ and the brain. In that case, the sound signals cannot be compensated for properly. This sometimes occurs after a brain hemorrhage. Hypersensitivity to sound is also sometimes seen in those cases. These are possible causes and links that have been established so far. But as long as the cause of the condition itself is not yet known, no certainty can be attached to these links either.

How is it diagnosed?

An ENT specialist is able to diagnose hyperacusis. This is done by means of sound tests. During these tests, sounds are played at various frequencies and the degree of hypersensitivity is determined. It is important that you clearly indicate to the specialist when the sound becomes too loud, so that the diagnosis can be made accurately. And of course they can then take this into account and the sound will not be increased any further. Once the diagnosis has been made, it cannot be treated. This is also related to the fact that so little is known about the causes. That is why it is advisable to learn to live with it, however difficult this may be at first.

For many people, going to the doctor to get a diagnosis is already a huge step, but rest assured that this is not a life-threatening illness. After the diagnosis has been made, you can also make it a topic of discussion with others so that they can take it into account as well.

Living with hyperacusis and hyperacusis hearing protection

You obviously cannot stop the sounds around you. Think of the rustling of paper, people talking, and even children shouting. On top of that, even the background music in a restaurant can be bothersome. These sounds cannot be avoided. You can of course do your best, but there will always be sound. That is why you can also choose to accept the condition. For many people this is not an easy step, but know that you are not the only one with this condition. Seek out others who are going through the same thing, or talk about it with those closest to you. There are no medicines for the condition. Some medicines do affect the condition, and can even cause or worsen it.

Tip #1: Protect your ears

Precisely because it is not visible to others that you have hyperacusis, it is important to talk about it. An audiology center, or sometimes a psychologist, can help you cope with it when you are not able to do so on your own. During this guidance, the focus is also on exercises that you can try out yourself in daily life. These exercises focus on the sounds around you and getting used to these sounds. Through this kind of exercise, you can learn how to react less sensitively to sounds.

In addition to acceptance, it is of course also important that you protect your hearing. Hyperacusis hearing protection is a matter of avoiding loud sounds as much as possible. For example, it is not advisable to go to places where loud music is a central feature, or to listen to loud music through headphones when you could just as easily listen through a dampened speaker. By avoiding these kinds of things, you ensure that your hearing does not become (further) damaged, if this is the cause of the condition. Because you would only make it worse if you did not take it into account. Don’t forget that it is irreversible if your hearing only becomes further damaged.

Tip #2: Seek acknowledgment

One of the difficult things about a condition is seeking acknowledgment. Because it is not very common, you will surprise some people when you tell them what you have. But that does not make it strange. The people around you should understand you and be understanding of the situation you are in. By gaining this acknowledgment, your life becomes a lot more relaxed and you know that you have the support of the people around you. Because little is currently known about the condition, what matters most right now is that you learn to live with it and that you inform the people around you properly.