Pain is your body’s means of supplying information. It’s an effective strategy though not a really pleasant one. When that megaphone you’re standing near goes too loud, the pain allows you to know that severe ear damage is occurring and you immediately (if you’re wise) cover your ears or remove yourself from that rather loud environment.
But for around 8-10% of individuals, quiet sounds can be detected as painfully loud, despite their measured decibel level. This affliction is referred to by experts as hyperacusis. It’s a fancy name for overly sensitive ears. There’s no cure for hyperacusis, but there are treatments that can help you get a handle on your symptoms.
Elevated sensitivity to sound
Hypersensitivity to sound is known as hyperacusis. Usually sounds within a specific frequency cause episodes of hyperacusis for people who suffer from it. Typically, quiet noises sound loud. And noises that are loud seem a lot louder than they actually are.
Hyperacusis is commonly associated with tinnitus, hearing problems, and even neurological issues, though no one really knows what actually causes it. When it comes to symptoms, severity, and treatment, there’s a noticeable degree of personal variability.
What’s a typical hyperacusis response?
In most cases, hyperacusis will look and feel something like this:
- Your response and pain will be worse the louder the sound is.
- Everybody else will think a particular sound is quiet but it will sound extremely loud to you.
- After you hear the initial sound, you may have pain and hear buzzing for days or even weeks.
- Balance problems and dizziness can also be experienced.
Treatments for hyperacusis
When you are dealing with hyperacusis the world can be a minefield, especially when your ears are overly sensitive to a wide assortment 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 crucial. There are a variety of 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 common options:
Masking devices
A device known as a masking device is one of the most common treatments for hyperacusis. While it may sound ideal for Halloween (sorry), in reality, a masking device is a piece of technology that cancels out select wavelengths of sounds. These devices, then, can selectively hide those triggering wavelengths of sound before they ever get to your ear. If you can’t hear the triggering sound, you won’t have a hyperacusis episode.
Earplugs
A less state-of-the-art approach to this general method is earplugs: if all sound is blocked, there’s no chance of a hyperacusis event. There are definitely some drawbacks to this low tech method. 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 thinking about wearing earplugs.
Ear retraining
One of the most in-depth methods of managing hyperacusis is known as ear retraining therapy. You’ll use a mix of devices, physical therapy, and emotional counseling to try to change how you respond to particular types of sounds. Training yourself to dismiss sounds is the basic idea. Generally, this approach has a good rate of success but depends heavily on your commitment to the process.
Approaches that are less prevalent
There are also some less prevalent strategies for treating hyperacusis, like medications or ear tubes. These strategies are less commonly utilized, depending on the specialist and the individual, because they have delivered mixed success.
Treatment makes a big difference
Because hyperacusis will differ from person to person, a specialized treatment plan can be formulated depending on your symptoms as you encounter them. Effectively treating hyperacusis depends on determining an approach that’s best for you.