Symptoms


Defining Symptom

  • Reduced tolerance of every day sounds as a result of heightened loudness sensations or pain. Reduced tolerance as a result of fear, annoyance, reactive tinnitus, vertigo, or distortion is not conventionally defined as hyperacusis.

Other Symptoms

  • Aural fullness (pressure in ear)
  • Tinnitus.
  • Sharp, dull, or burning pain localized deep in the ear induced by sound exposure. Pain can linger for days, weeks or longer after sound exposure.
    Click to Show: Ear Pain Descriptions
    • Sound is abrasive
    • Stabbing pain, sharp pain
    • Rattling pain
    • Dull ache, soreness
    • Headache in ear
    • Acid in ear, Burning
    • Simultaneous cool and hot sensation in ear
    • Coherent pain, as if from wound
    • Thumb in wound
  • Pain radiating to outer ear, cheek, scalp, jaw, teeth, front portion of tongue, maxillary sinus and other areas innervated by the trigeminal nerve.
  • Tickling or itching sensation in the ear.
  • Autophony (own voice sounds boomy). Commonly caused by Patulous Eustachian Tube dysfunction (PET). Some consider this to be an associated symptom of Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome (TTTS).
  • Muffled hearing and tympanic flutter. Symptoms commonly associated with TTTS.
  • Headache.
  • Unsteadiness or disordered balance.
  • Distortion.
  • Clicking, thumping, popping or crackling sounds near the ears. Can occur during specific actions such as when speaking or swallowing. Can also occur spontaneously. Stapedius myoclonus, tensor tympani myoclonus and palatal myoclonus are potential causes.
  • Sore throat after sound exposure.
  • Facial twitching from sound near eyes, cheek, or mouth.

Next: Traits


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References

Anari M, Axelsson Alf, Eliasson A, Magnusson L. Hypersensitivity to Sound: Questionnaire data, audiometry and classification. Scand Audiol 1999:28:219-230

Juris L. Hyperacusis: Clinical Studies and Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Medicine 2013:934:1-64.

Westcott M et. al. Tonic tensor tympani syndrome in tinnitus and hyperacusis patients: A multi-clinic prevalence study. Noise & Health 2013:15:117-128.