Are Normal Sounds Too Loud for You? | All About Hyperacusis

What is Hyperacusis?
Dr. Rachael Cook, audiologist at Applied Hearing Solutions in Phoenix, Arizona, talks about what hyperacusis is and how it's treated.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:19 Dynamic Range
01:17 What is Hyperacusis?
01:57 Misophonia
02:47 Cause of Hyperacusis
04:25 Diagnosis of Hyperacusis
06:16 Hyperacusis Treatment
07:09 Sound Therapy
08:36 Counseling and Support Groups
09:46 Final Thoughts

[Sandy-sw]

I have been dealing with ear pain and hyperacusis for 15 years. I believe it started when a person blew an air horn about six feet from my ears. I had ringing and pain in my ears for about a week. Then it settled down. A month or so after that I noticed a sensitivity to loud noises. I went to an audiologist and was tested and diagnosed with hyperacusis. It got worse over the years and I got retested a few months ago and it confirmed I now have moderate hyperacusis, the next level to severe. I have extreme pain when I have a noise event such as fire trucks or ambulances driving by, road construction, children screaming, grocery carts banging, dishes clanging and even normal conversation at times. I end up with a very bad headache, earache, fullness in my ears, and neck pain for several days. What I’ve learned over the years is that if I have several events in succession, the pain is worse and lasts longer. If I can be away from loud noises for awhile, my pain starts subsiding. However, my recovery period is taking longer. My audiologist suggested sound therapy but I’m concerned it might make my condition worse, as I have read it did for some people. The pain is real and I just don’t see how ‘training’ my brain to not recognize the loud noises as not being so loud would help my headaches, ear pain and neck pain. I’m sharing my experiences so that it might help in researching this terrible condition and hopefully finding a cure. My heart goes out to all that suffer from hyperacusis.

[RabinoRicardoFernandez-nlkd]

Best regards, the problem is due to the fact that the business lobby where hearing aids and therapies are sold are not interested in a cure for tinnitus because it would affect their large economic income in millions of dollars. And since it is an orphan pathology, there is not much funding from governments.

[RabinoRicardoFernandez-nlkd]

Best regards, I came to this site on the recommendation of a friend of mine, thank you very much for this great information.

[SniperFrog_]

I have both hyperacusis and 3 or 4 tunes of tinnitus- im glad i found this video as i can send it to my teachers so they understand what i mean when they talk or walk too loud-

[Henochmiro]

Dear doctors, thank you very much for your assistance. I only have hearing sensitivity when there are alarms, noises or very loud speakers in closed places. I don't know if that is normal. I have had tinnitus since February 14, 2023. Please take the Flucess medication. What is it for nail fungus etc. Is it an ototoxic medicine?

[MaryANotess]

My sound sensitivity seems to be somewhat sporadic, and sometimes accompanied by what I can only think to describe as the sound of my ear muscles cringing (I can make that happen even without the sound sensitivity actively occurring, but I'm not sure what it is that I'm doing)

[lauramaeda]

Interesting topic. Emotional support is an important component of any health condition. I have had longterm tinnitus which can cause an emotional reaction when stress is added. CBT be very helpful in treating resulting anxiety from other conditions.

[Hew.Jarsol]

Thanks. Mine started during OCD, extreme Anxiety and PTSD treatment (last year). I've also had missophonia since childhood. How lucky. Up close sudden sounds including light switches hurt. I never use ear plugs and don't do loud music etc.

[Hunter]

I can't tolerate whistiling, or any high piched sounds. One reason is I get migraines, but not until my 30's. The second is my right ear is curved incorrectly, I am a deaf to mid to low tones, but I can hear dog whislles, and other high piched sounds, they make my ear bleed.

[anastasiaburr]

Can you explained this as if to a person on the street who knows no anatomical or physiological terms!

[runninrebel]

I wear silicone earplugs when in public. AirPods with white noise background when driving.

[travisscotthenry]

Time, Quiet and no meds is the only treatment for tinnitus ans hyperacusis

[swimfit]

A lot of voices in one room makes it hard for me to understand what my client is saying! One reason is because they are speaking away from me . I can hear that they are speaking but not understand what they are saying.

[FFWrench]

Thank you Dr Rachel for this video!! I have had times where my ears seem very overly sensitive to sounds. I am being treated for mild to moderate hearing loss in the 2-5 kHz range and tinnitus, but there some times I feel sounds are “pegging my eardrums out”, here it is very uncomfortable. And the sounds aren’t loud (large fan in a room on low, my wife’s voice when we are close proximity, etc). My VA audiologist mentioned hyperacusis and did not advise for hearing protection when I asked if I should. It seems to be early and late in the day when it is worst.

Oddly it seems to be triggered with eye movement too. Like I can be in the room with the fan, move my eyes and it happens. Very weird and I have no idea what to do about it.

[_CinematicB]

This condition ruined my life basically— I went to several ENT’s first two microscution which made my condition worse…4 audiologist who of all one tried to explain the condition but was to busy and ready to go on break and didn’t explain told me to take results to my ENT. Now I’m afraid I’m going to lose my life because of this condition at 32 years old…I spent so much money to find my answer on google…by then it was too late. I can barely tolerate my own 5 year sons voice because it causes me physical pain.

I don’t have any help with this condition but to suffer everyday my last hearing test made me 2x worse after a acoustic reflex test…now I’m stuck and can’t get a hearing test or get formally diagnosed.

[healthiswealth]

Energy drinks, Pre workout, Caffeine in pill form, CAUSE hyperacusis for me. COFFEE does not! Coffee actual helps somehow! Explain that one.

[sridharthumiki]

What to do with ringing in the ears and I being one among them I feel except CBT there is nothing which will help.Because I am writing or typing this message with lots of sounds going on in my ears. God help this Community👥👥👥. Thanks🌹

[iluvj]

Dr. Cook: Have any studies been done pre- and post- administration of anti-anxiety medication? If so, was the reaction to the normal perception lessened or was there an actual reduction in perceived volume?