When Normal Sounds are Painfully LOUD! | Hyperacusis

When Normal Sounds are Painfully LOUD due to Sound Sensitivity! | Hyperacusis. Dr. Cliff Olson, Audiologist and founder of Applied Hearing Solutions in Phoenix Arizona, discusses a rare hearing condition that makes normal sounds too loud.

Just imagine if common everyday sounds, including conversations with family and friends, or something as simple as closing a door, were uncomfortably loud to the point where you basically lived your life trying to avoid any sound at all. Well, this is exactly what it is like when you have a condition called Hyperacusis.

According to the American Speech Language Hearing Association, Hyperacusis is a rare hearing disorder that causes sounds, which would otherwise seem normal to most people, to be unbearably loud. The Hyperacusis Network reports that 1 in 50,000 individuals suffer from Hyperacusis and 1 in 1,000 individuals with tinnitus also have Hyperacusis. Just to be clear, Hyperacusis is not "better than normal hearing" or discomfort with loud sounds. It is also not Misophonia which is a strong dislike or negative emotional reaction to very specific sounds, like nails on a chalkboard, or people chewing food. Nor is it Phonophobia which is a Fear of a specific sound.

When it comes to sound tolerance, a normal hearing ear can hear a wide range of sounds from rustling leaves to a guitar at a rock concert. For almost everyone, sounds around 120 decibels. Generally, you realize a sound is too loud before it reaches a painful level and that "comfortable" loudness level varies from person to person. Most individuals with Hyperacusis, typically have normal hearing yet find everyday sounds like care engines, rustling paper, and dishes clanking, to be uncomfortably loud.

Even if you are exposed to steady state noise for a long period of time, you can still get Hyperacusis. Therefore, it is critical to use hearing protection any time you are in noise. Hyperacusis can significantly impact your overall quality of life because it can also cause fear, anxiety, social isolation, depression, insomnia, and lack of concentration.

If you suspect you have Hyperacusis, you need to consult with an Audiologist and have a Comprehensive Auditory Evaluation. For some individuals, your tinnitus may get better on it's own. For other individuals, treatment may be recommended.

The first treatment option is Sound Therapy. This is when you gradually introduce auditory stimulation at higher and higher levels to diminish your sensitivity over time. Second, is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. This focuses on restructuring negative reactions and regaining control of the condition. Third is other experimental therapies. Therapies including Biofeedback, Acupuncture, and other relaxation techniques may also provide some relief.

However, treatment becomes even more complicated when an individual with hearing loss has Hyperacusis at the same time. In these cases, treatment may require using an ear mold to attenuate sound entering the ear canal and provide gentle amplification at the same time. Over time, your brain may gradually increase its tolerance for sound.

No matter the treatment solution, it is imperative that you work with a team of professionals that are trained and knowledgeable about hyperacusis. Treatment should be personalized to you specifically, and you should understand that it will take time to experience relief. Hyperacusis can be extremely debilitating, but it doesn't have to be that way forever. So if you think you have Hyperacusis, the best thing you could possibly do is see an Audiologist to get you some relief.

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[kartgal]

It’s tricky to treat because earplugs provide momentary comfort but the more you cover up the sound, the worse the sensitivity becomes

[kartgal]

This video is great because I’m sure there are those out there with hyperacusis symptoms who have been dismissed by other professionals as not a real disorder

[klixsyk]

I freaking almost start crying when I hear a loud motorcycle

[citizenm]

In this video, I'm talking about the rare hearing condition, hyperacusis.

Proceeds to play deafening music

[rorkesmydad]

Let’s all pray for our hearing to be restored!

[Anamika_]

Now I am 16 year old .i have this problem from 6 years old..I scared of the loud sounds like thunder, coughing, firecrackers, car horn, balloon etc....my family and friends make fun of me for crying for this...but actually they don't know how much pain i am having...😭😭😭

[farfar]

Sometimes(rarely) when i go to bed i experience this . And it's soooo annoying .i can't even bear my own breathing sound becuz it's so freaking loud in my head .and when a car passes it actually sounds like a jet passed😭 it's horrible .
Thank god It gets better after like ten minutes

[anncabras]

I have a mild version of that, found out because I always heard electrical devices and people talking is sometimes extremely loud. When I have earphones on, I always have it at the lowest volume in a crowded place and both are still loud to me. It gets worse when I focus on sounds but I try to shift it to something else.

[kartgal]

It’s funny how that works, that in some situations not only do you lose the ability to hear soft sounds (hearing loss) but also become unable to tolerate loud sounds (hyperacusis)

[RunsWithCamera]

Thank you Dr Cliff for the video on hyperacusis. My daughter developed severe hyperacusis at the age of 7. Her Loudness Discomfort Levels (point at which sound causes pain) is at 32 decibels in both ears. Her audiogram shows that she can hear all tested frequencies (250 to 8000 Hz) between 10 to negative 10 decibels. She is also sensitive to touch and if you tap any of her bones it hurts her ears. Wearing ear protection can make some sounds that hit her body seem louder and they increase the sound of her own breathing, swallowing, etc. For about a month, when her teeth were coming in at the age of 7, she had a facial tic (grimace) that happened when she was exposed to louder sounds. Over a 4 month period, more and more sounds started to bother her. She started to have strong instant angry responses to some sounds, like the clicking of the turn signal in our car, and she was beginning to get more exhausted, angry, and "strung out". ( If she was allowed to be in our house in silence, she did not have any reactions.) Despite her strong athletic will and sweet personality, she had to slowly give up things like school, riding in a car, track, talking to people, and ballet. She went through a year of what some people call the "raw stage" of hyperacusis where even the smallest sound, like moving her head on a pillow, the breathing of someone in the room, the electricity in the walls, or the sounds of birds from outside was painful. Unfortunately, no medical, psychiatric, or school staff were familiar with any of the sound sensitive disorders, like hyperacusis or misophonia, so despite having a diagnosis from an audiologist, they did not believe my daughter when she said that sounds hurt her ears. Most folks tended to think that the solution was to expose her to more "regular" things and that as a parent, I had just "looked something up on the web." At the age of 12 she started to show signs of one of the genetic connective tissue disorders, like Marfan Syndrome. (loose joints, soft stretchy skin, chest pain with the feeling of a "floppy heart", tall stature, long fingers and toes). Now she is 16 and doing better. As a family went through "years of hell" but over time we have slowly come up with a system for everything to avoid triggers without bringing attention to sound. We stick to the basics: more than average sleep, a safe moderately sound proof room to "let her guard down", making every bite count with an excellent diet to support her cells, exercise, redirecting "self talk" (CBT), calming techniques to cool down the whole limbic and automatic system, and most importantly, joy, humor, and moving forward. My guess is that my daughter's ears and nervous system are as loose as the rest of her body. Somewhere along the auditory pathway sound is being increased: Perhaps the stabilizing ligaments around the ossicles are loose so the lever action is increased. (My theory for why sound trauma causes hyperacusis in some people - they sprain the ligaments in their ears. Sometimes the ligaments recover on their own, sometimes they don't. -- Only a theory...) Maybe the oval window or round window or tympanic membrane are more loose. (Might explain why older folks become more sound sensitive. -- Again, only a theory.) Maybe her entire nervous system is loose, which would explain why my daughter is also sensitive to light. (My daughter's eye exam showed that the cup size and disc size of her optic nerve is large.) My questions for you, Dr. Cliff, are: Do you know any tests that check where sound might be increased along the auditory pathway? Have you come across other patients who are sound sensitive and have a connective tissue disorder? Thank you for all your work!

[rcjward]

I’m so sick of this condition being blamed on anxiety and PTSD. It is not psychogenic. It is a REAL condition with a real physical cause. In my case I’m bothered by even otherwise soft sounds, such as a refrigerator or microwave oven door being closed, or a ceramic mug being placed onto a hard surface, or someone simply talking ever so slightly louder than normal in the next room. It is physically painful. I also have associated tinnitus.

[OnMePro]

Im death with one ear and in sixth grade, someone blew a trumpet in my deaf ear, meaning both ears were affected because the pressure. That kid who did that not only made me dealing with a deaf ear and a terrible condition that affects me today. Sometimes I wanna cry because I can’t really enjoy regular things like any normal person because I need everything turned way down. My brothers and mother understand but I know they don’t like it. I wish I wasn’t dealing with it but that’s life sadly.

[stevelmoon]

Thank you Dr. Cliff. You may have just explained my dad's hearing situation. A lot of normal sounds cause him to get upset. He can even hear them when his home office door is closed.

[ReversePanda]

- turns down volume to 2% -

I'm really glad you mentioned PTSD.

I was diagnosed with Hyperacusis earlier this year after having had PTSD since 2014, and suffering for about two years. My tolerance caps out below normal conversation (45-50dB), and I have normal hearing. I have trouble tolerating the sound of my own voice, and even using a keyboard.

I have to wear musician's plugs every time I leave the house, or even just to complete normal tasks. I've had to give up on or modify my behaviour - I can no longer go to movies, concerts, and certain social functions. Getting the filters has helped me be able to do some of the things I want to do and I'm passionate about - like singing, going on road trips, travelling, and costume performance.

I also regularly use a pair or white noise generators/tinnitus maskers. Sound therapy has been helpful, but unfortunately, it has its limits. I've had to accept that there are just some things I can no longer do.

After doing some research, I learned that the same mechanism in the brain responsible for the "fight or flight" adrenaline response is also the same one that can lead to increased sensitivity. The effect of trauma on the brain is the connection, because as we all know~ Your ears hear, but your brain listens.

I think Hyperacusis is under-diagnosed and just dismissed, so it's great to see more audiologists and those in a professional setting actually acknowledging that this is real and what it can do to your ears and brain.

[水人-ky]

I’ve been trying to find out what’s wrong with me for 2 years now. I think this it. I’ve always been upset by hearing normal sounds such as a ceiling fan and it’s painfully loud in my ear. I get extremely scared of these sounds and I sometimes cry because of it.

[artvandalay]

I have hyperacusis. One thing that I've figured out is that you shouldn't anticipate sounds. A few days ago I was watching a video and I saw a jumpscare but with no audio and I triggered that weird feeling in my ear that when a loud sound is played

[maczajsci]

Very good video, it addresses noise-induced pain but also talks about noise hearing damage too. Please be aware that hearing protection will work differently for different people with hyperacusis. Also, just because a sound is "normal/everyday" doesn't mean that it is safe to listen to - conversations and rustling leaves are all ok, but 'normal sounds' like public transport and crashing dishes can easily go over 85dB and cause NIHL in the longrun.

[maddiemb]

I think i have this, some sounds normal as someone breathing triggers me with an urge to runaway or through a table at them and dont even talk about clinking dishes, feels like all the nerves in my brain are twisted and pulled

[suomipoika]

My volume bar on computer is set at 5/100. So if that gives you some perspective, at 20/100 it starts to be uncomfortably loud.

[dashunworthen]

So happy I found this video! Have you ever tried working when you have this condition. I’m pretty sure my co-workers think I’m crazy with anger issues when truth is I’ve had Hyperacusis and didn’t know it. Just happy to an answer right now.