Sensitive Hearing: Diminishing Tolerance to Sound
People have some tolerance limit to sound. At certain intensities, sound becomes intolerable for many. But there are people who suffer from sensitive hearing, and they are unable to withstand even ordinary noise. This hypersensitive hearing disorder occurs with or without hearing loss.
Sensitive hearing arises due to hyperacusis, phonophobia, and misophonia. Hyperacusis is a condition that arises from a shift in the processing of sound. Even average sound levels can trigger abnormal reaction as though excruciating noise is heard. In misophonia, only specific types of noise are disliked. People with misophonia detest some noises, which do not at all cause any reaction to the rest. Extreme aversion to noise is called phonophobia or fear of sound, which occurs in people who believe that any noise will cause damage to their hearing.
Abnormal hearing sensitivity may be selective, in which the affected patients may dislike only certain types, but not all, noises. For instance, clattering of kitchen utensils, scratching of boards or surfaces, creaking of doors, and blowing of car horns can irritate these people. However, they may be able to listen to other sounds, like music, even at higher volumes. A significant number of people with poor sound tolerance have hyperacusis, phonophobia, and misophonia. Hearing sensitivity may not be a product of damage to the inner ears. In many cases, failure of the brain to process sound properly leads to errors in sound perception.
Let us explain the mechanism behind sensitive hearing. As we know, the auditory nerve consists of thirty thousand fibers, which carry information to the brain. No hearing occurs until the impulses reach the conscious part of the brain. The brain does a complex task at such a very short span of time of processing the incoming impulses, filtering unwanted sound and amplifying perception of relevant sound impulses.
In the case of hypersensitive hearing, the brain reacts abnormally to what other people would regard as regular noises. The perceived excruciating noise gives rise to negative emotional reactions. People with hyperacusis or misophonia tend to avoid noises. Then they develop fear of sound or phonophobia. Soon this affects their daily life. They cannot have normal conversations with people. They cannot perform their duties normally. Even small noises can irritate them. Going to public places can become a dreadful thing.
Abnormal hearing sensitivity is caused by several factors. Frequent use of ototoxic medications can cause damage to the tiny delicate structures in the inner ears. Some antibiotics and antihistamines can cause damage to the inner ear in the long run. NSAIDs can cause such damage too. This damage leads to different hearing problems like tinnitus, hearing loss, and hyperacusis. Experts also think that stress is a huge factor in the collapse of hearing tolerance. This is probably because stress stimulates the release of certain chemicals in the body, which affect the ears and the brain. Physical injuries can also lead to damage to the auditory system. For instance, a person who suffered a whiplash may develop abnormal hearing sensitivity. People with malfunctioning brainstems may also have abnormal tolerance to noise and certain sounds. There could be other causes of sensitive hearing, but audiologists cannot possibly identify all causes.
There are different ways to treat hypersensitive hearing, but none of these methods are thought to be very effective. Doctors can prescribe medications to reduce sound intolerance. Some medications are antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, migraine medications, and anti-seizure drugs. Prolonged use of these drugs is not recommended at all because of considerable side effects.
Devices may also be used to counteract hyperacusis and other forms of hearing hypersensitivity. Two common devices are earplugs and tinnitus maskers. Earplugs, however, cannot offer long term benefits because they hinder the process of habituation. For you to be able to adapt to the noises, you should be able to hear them, and earplugs do the opposite. Tinnitus maskers, on the other hand, are designed especially for tinnitus sufferers. Masking devices help people be able to tolerate noise.
Sometimes abnormal hearing sensitivity is dealt with through psychological approaches. Counseling may be done to help patients understand that what they are going through is not threatening at all. A more thorough approach is retraining therapy, in which similar therapy applied to tinnitus sufferers is ordered. It is a combination of psychotherapy and sound therapy. One reason affected people should go to psychologists is to help them cope with depression or anxiety that develops as they suffer from their abnormal hearing.
Surgery becomes an ultimate option, but is only chosen if the patient is suffering from dysfunctional cochlea or severe hearing loss due to physical abnormalities within the hearing system.
There are certain things you should do to keep your suffering at a minimum. Exposure to noise should be avoided, especially loud sound or music, because it could damage your hearing further, leading to worsening case of your hypersensitive hearing. Caffeine and alcohol should be kept away, as they cause disturbances in your blood pressure and body chemistry. Also, avoid substances that trigger migraine; such substances include MSG, chocolate, and aged cheese. Certain medications should be discontinued; ask your doctor regarding safe drugs that are not ototoxic.
Identifying the Causes and Syptoms of Tinnitus
Having tinnitus can be a very frustrating experience. Imagine yourself hearing a noise in one or both ears that could go on for days and months and years. Aside from the noise, it may also become very painful. Because of the torment that it brings, it is very important to find the right tinnitus ringing ears cure that can help you get rid of tinnitus. However, before you take part in any kind of treatment or take any kind of medication, you must be able to understand the causes and syptoms of tinnitus. This knowledge will help you take the right actions to totally stop the noise in your ears.
Here some of the most common causes of tinnitus:
1. Hearing loss – although this condition is very common among elderly people, it can also affect younger persons. It is often caused by aging and the exposure to loud levels of sounds.
2. Ear infections – there are several kinds of ear infections which if not given the proper treatment may lead to tinnitus. It can be caused by bacteria or fungus which you may get if water gets into your ears, improperly cleaning your ears or injuring the inner part of your ears.
3. Stress – it can actually weaken your immune system leading to different kinds of health problems including those that can cause tinnitus.
4. Ototoxicity – this is essentially an injury in your auditory nerve caused by the intake of ototoxic drugs such as some kinds of antibiotic and chemotherapy medications.
5. Meniere’s Disease – it is an inner ear disorder which may bring about hearing loss, vertigo and ringing in the ears. There is no cure for Meniere’s disease but it symptoms can given some kind of relief such as wearing hearing aids, some ear ringing treatments and medications to lessen the vertigo attacks.
Why Hearing Loss Causes Tinnitus
Tinnitus and hearing loss are two conditions that are often intertwined. It’s not surprising because both share common causes. In most cases, hearing loss spawns tinnitus and both change the way a person lives. A person may lose his hearing because of many factors. Too much earwax in his ear can cause conductive hearing loss. A ruptured eardrum may also cause hearing loss, just as middle ear infections would. Noise is an important cause of hearing loss, and it must be noted because it is now a leading reason why people wear hearing aids. Too much noise exposure can damage the tiny structures in the cochlea, known as stereocilia. Destruction of these sensors cause sensorineural hearing loss. Noise induced hearing loss can develop over a long span of time during which a person receives continual exposure, or it can develop right after an extreme exposure.
The development of tinnitus in people with hearing loss is not thoroughly understood by experts, but there are existing theories. It has a lot to do with how the brain compensates with the loss of aural signals. The brain compensates by tuning to other sources. Some of the neurons may also play an essential role in the perception of phantom sound. The loss of signals coming from the auditory nerve can cause activation of other neurons. Random signals fired by these neurons are interpreted by the brain as noise – tinnitus. Latest treatment for tinnitus includes laser treatment and TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation). However, no treatment can eliminate tinnitus. It’s an incurable condition.
Is Tinnitus Resulting in Seeing and hearing Loss | thatoneparticularharbor.com:
Depression in Hearing Loss Patients
Many people with hearing loss go on with their lives without having their malady treated. One reason is that many people with developing hearing impairment don’t know they have it. The next reason has something to do with embarrassment. The hard of hearing may find it outrageous to admit they don’t have something normal people have.
The result of untreated hearing loss is progressive impairment as the auditory nerve network to the brain no longer receives sufficient impulses. This is why one should go to an audiologist when signs of hearing loss are felt. Not doing so would lead to a more serious ordeal.
Specialists and experts are looking into the likelihood of depression in people with hearing impairment. Statistics reveals that many people with hearing problems suffer from depression, which only in turn worsens their condition. Depression develops mainly as a consequence of inability to communicate well. They cannot hear well and so cannot have a decent conversation with anyone. Loss of confidence and self-esteem develops over time and the individual feels like isolating himself.
Hearing aids and counseling are the solution to these compounded problems. Audiologists can fit the right hearing aid for the individual to restore hearing in the most effective way. Bespoke hearing aids are not available to match an individual’s hearing impairment. Depression can be addressed through counseling by a psychologist.
Hearing impaired individuals may also suffer from tinnitus or ringing in the ears, and this is another problem most people with hearing loss has to deal with. While there is herbal treatment for tinnitus, masking devices have been reliable in helping these particular patients.
Hearing Loss and Depression « New Generation Hearing Blog:
Can Tinnitus Be Eliminated?
It is estimated that around 35 million individuals in the United States experience bouts of constant buzzing, ringing or breaking-glass sound in their ears. Derived from the Latin word “tiinniere”, tinnitus is an ailment which means “ringing in the ears”, and is caused by a number of factors, which may manifest as a loud bang, a high-pitched roar or whining, or even as a low-pitched whistle or hum that sometimes may even go in tune with the person’s pulse or heart beat. So can tinnitus be eliminated? The answer is yes, although the treatment modes may have different outcomes for patients. Some may experience relief in a few days or weeks, while some need to keep enduring it for months and possibly a year or more.
Medical experts stress that tinnitus is a disorder which may actually be a symptom of an underlying medical condition, such as an ear or throat infection, stress, the clogging of the ear canals with ear wax, a damaged auditory nerve, blood vessel disorders, diabetes, thyroid problems and other temporomandibular irregularities. It may also be a side effect from taking a number of medications such as ibuprofen, caffeine, aspirin or even birth control pills. Can tinnitus be eliminated? Medical experts constantly stress that relief for ringing ears may be simple, or may require that the patient undergo a battery of diagnostic and hearing tests. However for some, the underlying causes may never be established, which can be utterly frustrating for both the patient and their physician.
But whenever the causes are quickly traced and identified, the treatment methods can then be properly planned and focused. For example, if the causes for the bouts of ringing ears are traced to the use of aspirin, then the aspirin use could then be discontinued and an alternative medication would then be given. These days, doctors implement a mixture of treatment modes, ranging from relaxation exercises and training, biofeedback, specialized psychotherapy and counseling sessions, as well as giving the patient a couple of approved herbal therapies. A number of anti-anxiety drugs may also be given, as well as a variety of antidepressant medications and muscle relaxants.
Can tinnitus be eliminated only by these medications and therapies? Apart from the methods mentioned earlier, doctors may also employ the use of specialized hearing aids and equipment, as well as provide electronic masking devices, hearing aid implants and other auditory stimulation devices for severe cases of tinnitus. Alternative and non-traditional methods like acupuncture, hypnosis and chiropractic adjustments may also be employed, depending on whether the patient is receptive to these methods.
