Pain is your body’s means of delivering information. It’s not a very fun approach but it can be beneficial. When your ears begin to feel the pain of a really loud megaphone near you, you know damage is happening and you can take steps to move further away or at least cover your ears.
But, despite their marginal volume, 8-10% of people will feel pain from quiet sounds as well. Hearing specialists refer to this affliction as hyperacusis. This is the medical name for overly sensitive ears. The symptoms of hyperacusis can be managed but there’s no cure.
Heightened sound sensitivity
Hypersensitivity to sound is known as hyperacusis. Usually sounds in a particular frequency cause episodes of hyperacusis for individuals who suffer from it. Quiet noises will often sound extremely loud. And noises that are loud sound a lot louder than they are.
No one’s quite sure what causes hyperacusis, although it is often related to tinnitus or other hearing problems (and, in some cases, neurological concerns). When it comes to symptoms, severity, and treatment, there is a noticeable degree of personal variability.
What’s a typical hyperacusis response?
Here’s how hyperacusis, in most situations, will look and feel::
- The louder the sound is, the more powerful your response and pain will be.
- After you hear the initial sound, you could experience pain and hear buzzing for days or even weeks.
- You will notice a specific sound, a sound that everybody else perceives as quiet, and that sound will sound very loud to you.
- Balance problems and dizziness can also be experienced.
Hyperacusis treatment treatment
When you are dealing with hyperacusis the world can be a minefield, particularly when your ears are extremely sensitive to a wide assortment of frequencies. You never know when a lovely night out will suddenly turn into an audio onslaught that will leave you with ringing ears and an intense migraine.
That’s why treatment is so important. 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
A device called a masking device is one of the most popular treatments for hyperacusis. This is a device that can cancel out specific wavelengths. So those offending frequencies can be removed before they make it to your ears. If you can’t hear the offending sound, you won’t have a hyperacusis attack.
Earplugs
A less state-of-the-art strategy to this general method is earplugs: you can’t have a hyperacusis event if you’re unable to hear… well, anything. It’s undoubtedly a low-tech strategy, and there are some drawbacks. Your overall hearing problems, including hyperacusis, could get worse by using this approach, according to some evidence. If you’re considering using earplugs, contact us for a consultation.
Ear retraining
One of the most thorough approaches to treating hyperacusis is called 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. This process depends on your commitment but usually has a positive rate of success.
Methods that are less common
Less common approaches, including ear tubes or medication, are also used to treat hyperacusis. These strategies are less commonly utilized, depending on the specialist and the person, because they have delivered mixed success.
A big difference can come from treatment
Depending on how you experience your symptoms, which differ from person to person, a unique treatment plan can be created. There’s no one best approach to managing hyperacusis, it really depends on finding the right treatment for you.
