Article on Hyperacusis by Naren Wiggin

Hyperacusis is a health condition that affects a person’s ability to hear normally and is over-sensitive to noise at a certain frequency level. This condition is brought about by a collapse in the normal tolerance of normal environmental sound. People with hyperacusis especially those that has severe hyperacusis has a difficulty tolerating everyday sounds, they are over-sensitive to noise and thus would like to have a quiet surroundings. However, 86% of these people who suffer from hyperacusis also suffer from tinnitus this makes it also difficult for them to be in a serene and quiet surrounding, as they will be bothered by an unusual ringing in the ears.

Studies have shown that tinnitus can be acquired through constant exposure to loud music, as in the case of musicians, or those that works and operates heavy machineries and factories with large equipments, this can damage their ability to hear normally, thus 40% of people with tinnitus are suffering from hyperacusis. When they are surrounded by a very loud noise, they can hear a resounding ringing in the ears or loud buzzing sound. People with tinnitus are affected by unbearable loud sounds, even though these sounds are not bothersome to others. With the use of a brain-imaging device called the functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging or fMRI, researchers find out that the hearing centers in the brain of people with tinnitus are more active than normal people. This means that their hearing a more sensitive to sounds than normal. 
  
In some cases, hyperacusis can be acquired due to brain damage or abnormalities in the brain’s neurological system. This affects how the brain perceives sound. Some rare cases of hyperacusis can be caused by vestibular disorder. Vestibular disorder is a disorder that mixes-up the sounds that are captured by the ears and instead of processing them as loud and low sounds in the brain. The brain sends a different signal and processes them as movement impulses, which might trigger the feeling of spinning, floating or falling, such in the case of vertigo. This can be triggered with sounds higher that 85 decibels. So people who has vestibular disorders, feels dizzy when inside a mall or in a crowded place. With this cause being identified, Scientists are now finding ways to identify the cells that gives these unusual signals so that they can designs ways and cure, to restore these cells to its normal function, by means of drugs or electrical stimulation. 
  
The causes and symptoms of hyperacusis is similar to tinnitus, such as, neck and jaw injuries which can cause obstruction of blood flow in the brain and the body; over-exposure to loud sounds; ear infection and abnormal ear irrigation, head injury, and the like. Thus, the full extent of medical examination is advised by doctors to be able to give proper treatment. 
  
The common treatment for this condition is through Tinnitus Retraining Therapy or TRT, a broadband noise to treat tinnitus. This training the ears to listen to soft levels of sounds for a given period of time everyday, this will help in their tolerance to sounds. The doctor will first identify the level of loudness discomfort level and through that, they can pattern the sound treatment until you achieve a tolerable level.

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