Hyperacusis Treatment in Edina, Duluth and Burnsville, MN

How Do You Treat Hyperacusis?

For some people, hyperacusis is a problem that is managed successfully without the need for medical intervention. For others though, this is not the case and that’s where we come in. At Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic, we are here to address your symptoms head on in order to help you get back to living your life.

Is Hyperacusis Curable?

Hyperacusis can be significantly improved through sound therapy. If you suspect you or someone you care about might have hyperacusis, schedule an appointment with our experienced audiologists.

During a comprehensive hearing evaluation, we’ll measure your uncomfortable loudness levels (UCLs) to gain key insights. If hyperacusis is identified, we’ll recommend personalized treatment options to help you manage it effectively.

How Can I Treat My Hyperacusis?

Though there is no instant cure for hyperacusis, therapy can enhance the quality of life of the individual by lowering their anxieties over sounds, helping them acclimatize to unpleasant sounds and making sounds seem less overbearing. Our goal is to help those with hyperacusis become used to the sounds around them again.

Our methods generally involve daily use of small sound generators, which are worn behind your ears like you would wear hearing aids. These sound generators deliver calming ambient sounds directly to your ears through earbuds. This creates a gentle, consistent sound experience that blends with everyday noises. Because hyperacusis often affects both ears, most systems provide a noise generator for each ear.

The Hyperacusis Treatment Process

1

You begin by listening for a very short time to a very quiet sound. The duration you use your sound generators gradually extends to six hours a day if you are not encountering issues.

2

Then you have to raise the volume slightly. You’ll then take a while to adjust to that sound before the next level.

3

You then boost the volume if you can readily handle the latest sound level. Slowly increasing the volume like this will enhance your ability to handle different sound environments in your life.

4

You do not have to reach a set volume level. When you can tolerate most noise environments, you don’t have to raise the volume any longer. At this stage, you can either decrease the volume level gradually, or decrease your dependence on the sound generators.

5

Finally, when you can handle other environments without your sound generators, we consider the therapy to be complete. You are successfully managing your hyperacusis!

What Else Should I Know About Hyperacusis?

Hyperacusis stands out from tinnitus and misophonia. It’s caused by the brain misinterpreting how loud sounds actually are. While the limbic system and nervous system can play a role, the main issue lies with how the brain processes sound volume. Our desensitization therapy helps retrain your brain to perceive sounds at normal levels.

It’s important to distinguish between hyperacusis and phonophobia. Hyperacusis focuses on the perception of sound, making everyday noises seem uncomfortably loud. On the other hand, phonophobia is the fear of sound itself.

While sound therapy can be helpful for phonophobia, it’s often combined with mindfulness or therapy approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to address the underlying anxiety. Interestingly, these therapies can also benefit those with hyperacusis alongside sound therapy.

Should I Use Earplugs to Help My Hyperacusis?

While earplugs might seem helpful, we typically recommend sound therapy for hyperacusis. Here’s why: earplugs can actually make sounds seem louder once removed.  Sound therapy, on the other hand, uses gentle background sounds to gradually increase your tolerance for everyday noise.

While complete silence might seem appealing with hyperacusis, it can actually make everyday sounds seem even louder once the quiet ends. The key is gradual reintroduction of sound. By surrounding yourself with low levels of calming background noise on a regular basis, you can gently train your brain to become more tolerant of everyday sounds.