Sensitivity to noise - sometimes wearing ear plugs all the time makes the perception of noise worse, more painful. Read more here: Some people have especially sensitive hearing and are unable to tolerate ordinary levels of noise, this can occur with people with normal hearing as well as people with hearing loss. There are different component which can contribute to sensitive hearing such as hyperacusis, phonophobia and misophonia. Hyperacusis is the medical term used to describe the abnormal discomfort of everyday sounds that some people experience. Hyperacusis is due to an alteration in the central processing of sound in the auditory pathways where there is an abnormally strong reaction from exposure to moderate sound levels. Since all people with hyperacusys can be helped by a behavioural approach with ‘sound therapy’, it has become clear that the symptoms cannot be the result of irreversible ear damage. Misophonia is the intense dislike of being exposed to a certain sound. The auditory pathways may be functioning normally, but there is an abnormally strong reaction of the limbic (emotional system) and autonomic nervous system (body control system) to which the auditory system is intimately connected. Sometimes because of the belief that it will damage the ear, or makes symptoms (sensitivity, or tinnitus) worse. If this dislike is very strong we may call it ‘phonophobia’ literally - fear of sound. Often normal environmental sounds like traffic, kitchen sounds, doors closing, or even loud speech, cannot be tolerated, even though under any circumstances they cannot be damaging to anyone. Misophonia can lead to hyperacusis (changes in central auditory processing), and a consequent persistence of abnormal loudness perception. In practice, most people with decreased sound tolerance have both hyperacusis and phonophobia/misophonia together in varying proportions. How can the symptoms be managed? In treating these conditions, it is important to diagnose which condition is present and which is dominant. Avoidance of silence Many people seek silence as a way to escape from the pressures of everyday life. However complete silence is not found in nature, and should be considered ‘unnatural’. The absence of sound stimulation leads to an increase in auditory gain (amplification) in the subconscious auditory pathways. The brain is always looking for the best way it can for auditory signals. This process is enhanced by silence which is considered to be one of the signs of possible predator activity. The auditory filters ‘open’ in an attempt to monitor the external sound environment. External sounds may then increase dramatically in their perceived intensity and intrusiveness. Some people take to wearing ear plugs, perhaps at night, to avoid sounds becoming intrusive, and this simply worsens the sensitivity. When hyperacusis develops there is a great temptation to plug the ear to exclude unwelcome sounds. This is actually making things worse, as it encourages further increase in the amplification of sounds on their way to the auditory (hearing) cortex. When these sounds are heard in the absence of plugs, their perceived loudness is greatly increased. Menieres.org.uk
Posted on: Wed, 02 Jul 2014 23:19:27 +0000
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