If you have a partner with untreated hearing loss, you realize that getting their attention can be… a struggle. First, you try to use their name. “Greg”, you say, but you used a standard, inside volume level, so you get nothing. You try saying Greg’s name a bit louder and still nothing. So finally, you shout.
Well this time Greg hears you and crossly asks what you’re yelling for.
It’s not just stubbornness and irritability that create this interaction. Individuals with hearing loss frequently report hypersensitivity to loud sound. So it makes sense that Greg gets cranky when you shout his name after he continually fails to hear you when you speak to him at a normal volume.
Can hearing loss make loud sounds worse?
Hearing loss can be a peculiar thing. Normally, hearing loss will cause your hearing to decline, especially if it goes untreated. But things can get very loud when you’re out at a crowded restaurant or watching a Michael Bay movie. So loud that it can become uncomfortable. Maybe the movie suddenly gets really loud or somebody is shouting to get your attention.
And you’ll wonder why you have this sensitivity to loud noise.
Which can, truthfully, put you in a cranky mood. Many people will feel like they’re going mad when they notice this. They have a difficult time figuring out how loud things are. Imagine, all of your friends, family, and acquaintances seem to confirm you’re losing your hearing, but you have this sudden sensitivity to loud sound. It feels like a contradiction.
Auditory recruitment
The cause of this sound sensitivity is a condition called auditory recruitment. It works like this:
- The interior of your ears are covered in tiny hairs called stereocilia. These hairs vibrate when soundwaves enter your ears and this vibration is then converted to sounds by your brain.
- Damage to these hairs is what brings about age-related sensorineural hearing loss. Over time, these delicate hairs are permanently damaged by frequent exposure to loud sounds. Consequently, your hearing becomes less sensitive. The more damaged hairs you have, the less you can hear.
- But this process doesn’t happen evenly. There will be a combination of healthy and damaged hairs.
- So when the damaged hairs are exposed to a loud noise, the healthy hairs are “recruited” (hence the condition’s name) to send a message of alarm to your brain. Suddenly, all of the stereocilia fire, and everything becomes very loud.
Think about it like this: everything is quiet except for the Michael Bay explosion. So it’s going to seem louder, when that Michael Bay explosion happens, than it normally would.
Sounds a lot like hyperacusis
You may think that these symptoms sound a little familiar. That’s most likely because they’re frequently confused with a condition known as hyperacusis. When you first compare them, this confusion is understandable. Both conditions can cause sounds to get very loud suddenly.
But there are some key differences:
- Hyperacusis isn’t directly related to hearing loss. Auditory recruitment absolutely is.
- Noises that are normal objectively will seem really loud for somebody who has hyperacusis. Think about it like this: A shout will still sound like a shout with auditory recruitment; but a whisper can sound like a shout for those who have hyperacusis.
- Hyperacusis is painful. Literally. Feeling pain is common for people with hyperacusis. With auditory recruitment, that’s usually not the case.
Overall, auditory recruitment and hyperacusis have a few superficially similar symptoms. But they are entirely different conditions.
Can auditory recruitment be treated?
Here’s the bad news, there’s no cure for hearing loss. Once your hearing is gone, it’s gone. Treatment of hearing loss can largely prevent this.
This also applies to auditory recruitment. Luckily, there are ways to effectively address auditory recruitment. Normally, hearing aids are at the center of that treatment. And those hearing aids need to be specifically calibrated. So it will be necessary to make an appointment with us.
We’ll be able to identify the particular wavelengths of sound that are responsible for your auditory recruitment symptoms. Your hearing aids can then be calibrated to diminish that wavelength of sound. It’s a really effective treatment.
Only certain types of hearing aid will be effective. The symptoms can’t be managed with over-the-counter hearing devices because they lack the technological sophistication.
Schedule an appointment with us
It’s essential that you recognize that you can find relief from your sensitivity to loud noise. The bonus is that your new hearing aid will make everything sound clearer.
But it all starts by making an appointment. This hypersensitivity is a natural part of the hearing loss process, it happens to lots and lots of people.
You can get help so call us.