Definition
An intolerance to noisy sounds or environments. Sounds are perceived as louder than for most people, even painful. For example, a medium-intensity sound will be perceived as too loud by the sufferer. People then present a hypersensitivity to sounds that are tolerated by the majority of people.
Prevalence
According to a literature review by Ren et al (2021), hyperacusis may affect between 0.2% and 17.2% of the general population. The problem can be experienced by people of any age. However, it should be noted that people with tinnitus are at greater risk of developing hyperacusis. In fact, people with tinnitus tend to evaluate environmental sounds as louder than those without tinnitus.
Type of sound
All the sounds of everyday life may or may not be associated with a person’s hyperacusis. Here are a few examples:
- The sound of dishes banging together;
- The sound of a crowd;
- Noise of people laughing;
- Ringing telephone;
- Children screaming;
- Noise of vacuum cleaner or dryer;
- Etc.
Causes
To date, we know of no exact cause for the onset of hyperacusis. Here are some of the causes and factors associated with hyperacusis:
- Prolonged exposure to high-intensity noise;
- Acoustic trauma (sudden loud noise);
- Trauma or surgery to the head or near the ears;
- Ear problems (e.g. recurrent ear infections);
- Facial paralysis (facial nerve and auditory nerve are very close, so slight damage may occur);
- Stress;
- Anxiety and depression;
- Migraines;
- Presence of tinnitus;
- Etc.
Finding the exact cause is often difficult. It may also be that the onset of hyperacusis involves several factors.
Consequences and impacts of hyperacusis
- Stress;
- Fatigue;
- Frustration and irritability;
- Increased hearing protection, even overprotection of hearing;
- Withdrawal from social situations and isolation;
- Conflicts with loved ones;
- Difficulty or even cessation of certain daily activities (e.g. vacuuming, grocery shopping, using the car).
Traitements et recommandations en lien avec l’hyperacousie
As counter-intuitive as it may seem, the most effective way to reduce hyperacusis is to expose yourself to sound. In fact, a gradual desensitization program is the basic method for reducing symptoms and their associated consequences. It involves training to make the system more resistant and less reactive to environmental sounds. The aim is to expose you to the sounds that usually cause your symptoms, in a safe environment, for a limited period of time. Over time, you can increase the amount of time you are exposed to sounds, and more and more, to reduce symptoms as much as possible.
You can also start with noises you don’t find annoying and disturbing, to train your auditory system to avoid exposure to silence and other sounds. The aim is to avoid silence as much as possible to give your ears as many opportunities as possible to readjust.
It’s important to try to avoid overprotection. The ear adjusts to the sound exposure it receives. The more you isolate yourself in quiet environments, the more the auditory system adjusts to this basic sound level. After a while, it becomes increasingly difficult to tolerate environmental sounds, as they are perceived as louder than they actually are. The same applies to the excessive use of earplugs or headphones. Exposure to ever-reducing sound levels causes the auditory system to adjust to this basic level, and everyday situations where sounds of perfectly normal intensity are present are perceived as being too loud.
In a situation where sounds are considered too loud, we recommend gradually moving away from the sound source until we find a point where sound exposure becomes tolerable. The aim is not to completely avoid every situation where the problem arises.
The use of noise-generating hearing aids is another possible solution. By activating a function on the hearing aid, it will emit a noise directly into the ears on a continuous basis. This noise can be precisely adjusted in frequency and intensity. This allows the ears to readjust their sensitivity to sound.
