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Causes of Hyperacusis

The exact reason for the development of

Hyperacusis is unknown. However, those who

suffer from it often report some sort of trauma

before Hyperacusis developed. Some common

types of trauma that are associated with the

development of Hyperacusis include:

• Head injury

• Ear damage from heavy metals, chemical toxins or

medications

• Air bag deployment

• Viral infections involving the inner ear or facial nerve such as

Bell’s palsy

• Untreated temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)

Several neurologic conditions are associated with the

development of Hyperacusis, as well. These include:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder

• Chronic fatigue syndrome

• Some forms of epilepsy

• Depression

• Migraines

Diagnosing

If you or someone you know suspects they might be suffering

from Hyperacusis, the best place to start is with a conversation

with an audiologist or regular physician. It might be necessary to

Hearing Aids Fremont California Call Us: 510 379-7579

be evaluated by an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat

doctor) but the initial consultation is likely to include a full

audiologic evaluation to determine where in the system things

might be malfunctioning. Your audiologist can answer any

questions you might have at that time, as well.

Treatment

There are no known cures for effectively eliminating Hyperacusis

and no specific corrective surgical or medical procedure to

effectively treat Hyperacusis. Some find that sound therapy,

which is used to “retrain” the auditory processing center of the

brain to accept everyday sounds, is helpful.

What is NOT effective is to wear earplugs of any kind. It seems

like earplugs would be the perfect solution as they decrease the

volume of the sound to the wearer but in actuality, by wearing

earplugs, those with Hyperacusis can essentially make the ears

more sensitive to sound.

If you or someone you know suffers from hypersensitivity to

sound, give us a call today to discuss your unique situation. We’d

be glad to help!

Visit our website at Hearing Aids Fremont California or call us at

510 379-7579 to know more about hearing aids.