Tinnitus Retraining Therapy or TRT, Round and Oval Window Reinforcement
Hyperacusis is an increased sensitivity to sound and a low tolerance for environmental noise. Definitions of hyperacusis can vary significantly; it often revolves around damage to or dysfunction of the stapes bone, stapedius muscle or tensor tympani (eardrum). It is often categorized into four subtypes: loudness, pain (also called noxacusis), annoyance, and fear.[1][2] It can be a highly debilitating hearing disorder.[3]
There are a variety of causes and risk factors, with the most common being exposure to loud noise.[1] It is often coincident with tinnitus.[1] Proposed mechanisms in the literature involve dysfunction in the brain, inner ear, or middle ear.[4][5][6][7][8][9]
Little is known about the prevalence of hyperacusis, in part due to the degree of variation in the term's definition.[1][10] Reported prevalence estimates in the literature vary widely, and further research is needed to obtain strong epidemiological data.[11] While there are no exact numbers, several people have died by suicide due to the severe consequences of the disease.[12]
^ abcdTyler RS, Pienkowski M, Roncancio ER, Jun HJ, Brozoski T, Dauman N, et al. (December 2014). "A review of hyperacusis and future directions: part I. Definitions and manifestations". American Journal of Audiology. 23 (4): 402–419. doi:10.1044/2014_AJA-14-0010. PMID25104073.