Hyperacusis

Hyperacusis is a hearing disorder characterized by heightened sensitivity to ordinary environmental sounds that most people tolerate easily. Patients perceive common noises like jingling coins, car engines, chewing, or vacuum cleaners as unbearably loud, sometimes even painful. This condition affects one or both ears and can develop suddenly or gradually over time.

Unlike recruitment, which exaggerates sounds only within a hearing loss range, hyperacusis makes all sounds—including quiet ones—intolerable.  Common causes include head injuries, Lyme disease, migraines, acoustic trauma, or certain neurological conditions.

Symptoms extend beyond ear pain to include anxiety, depression, stress, and social isolation due to phonophobia (fear of normal sounds). Prolonged avoidance of sound can worsen sensitivity, making management crucial.
Though no quick cure exists, effective therapies improve quality of life. Sound therapy uses controlled white noise to retrain the brain’s auditory processing, typically over 6–12 months. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps patients manage anxiety and change negative thought patterns related to sound.

Audiologists advise against constant earplug use, as it increases sensitivity, reserving protection for genuinely loud environments. Treating underlying conditions may also resolve hyperacusis.