Do You Suffer from Hyperacusis? Here Is How to Treat It!
Individuals suffering from hyperacusis find that certain sounds seem intolerably loud, but in fact, these sounds seem normal to other individuals. Hyperacusis affects the brain’s central auditory processing centre and how it perceives noise. It can cause the individual to experience discomfort and even pain.
Symptoms include ear pain, general intolerance to noises that don’t affect most people. All sounds may cause a problem, such as background noises from fridges, dishwashers, or running water.
Many individuals find that higher pitched sounds and frequencies can be extremely discomforting. Those who are experiencing hyperacusis may find that their every day life is greatly affected, especially for those who are extremely sensitive to noises. It may be difficult to function or continue to do everyday activities. Those who have hyperacusis are at risk of social isolation, depression, and phonophobia, the fear of normal sounds.
Some of the symptoms of hyperacusis may seem similar to tinnitus. However, tinnitus is characterized by the ringing of the ears. The sounds heard by individuals who have tinnitus can only be heard by the individual themselves, and the sounds appear to be coming from within the ear or the head, not noises from the environment like it does for people experiencing hyperacusis. It should be noted that some individuals may experience both tinnitus and hyperacusis at the same time. In fact, of everyone 1000 people who have tinnitus, 1 experiences hyperacusis at the same time.
To treat hyperacusis, sound therapy may be very helpful. Sound therapy can change the way the auditory processing centre in the brain works. It learns to tolerate everyday normal sounds by retraining it. A device is worn on the ear(s) that are affected. These devices generate a static-like sound that is barely audible.
This device is fitted behind the ear, similar to a hearing aid. The device does not block background noise. It is important to adjust the level of the volume so that the sound is not invasive in one’s daily activity. It often is recommended to use the device for at least 6 hours a day, and once the individual is comfortable with using it for that duration of time, the volume of the device can be slowly increased by a fraction. Usually, this treatment will take 12-18 months.
If you believe you are experiencing hyperacusis, it is important to visit your family doctor to get tested and to see if you need to correct your condition using a sound device.
