Expert: Harriet B Jacobster, Au.D. - 1/15/2009

Question
I am 13 years old and am worried that I may have hyperacusis. In class, I'm always asking for things to be turned down, because they sound very loud. I wear ear defenders when we go to theatres. Sometimes, my ears feel strange or hurt on and off, often after sitting in a loud room (e.g. the sports hall during P.E.). At night, I can hear the television upstairs, my parents talking, the washing machine, my watch. Wherever I put my watch, I can still hear it ticking and it often takes me along time to get to sleep. I worry when I have to enter a loud environment (such as when we're taken to watch a dance routine for a school show as a "treat" during a lesson), that it might ruin my hearing because of how loud it sounds, yet it bothers no-one else. I ask for the listening tape in French to be turned down, but then others (who are the type to blast their ears out at parties) say that they cannot hear it, which seems barmy to me. My friends say that I have very sensitive hearing. My brother plays music on his CD player upstairs, and I can hear it downstairs in my room, and it sends me mad when I'm trying to play the violin or read. I like the keyboard best on the quietist volume setting, yet my brother always puts it on full volume. When he played "We Wish You A Merry Christmas at that volume, my ears then felt wierd for a few hours after. I now go out of the room when he plays it. Sometimes, I want to momentarily cover my ears when people are speaking, such as in maths and when my PE teacher whistles at us to get us to stop what we're doing.

The pain in my ears doesn't appear often, just occasionally  - but they've felt odd a lot recently. I don't remember my ears being like this in junior school. I don't think it's very bad pain - I don't feel sick or anything, but I do become very agitated when I keep on hearing some alarm beeping somewhere or when everyone seems to be shouting.

My mum cannot stand the noise at shows or babies screeching.

I play many musical instruments, but my ears are fine at orchestras and band rehearsals.  I have had no ear infection recently (I had one in year 1) and am generally well.

Does it sound like something's wrong with me? What would you suggest I do?

Abby  

Answer
Hi Abby,
I must first say that you sound very mature for your age...very few people are as concerned about their hearing as you appear to be.
Some people are more sensitive than others to sound. The first thing I would suggest is that you visit an ear specialist, known as an ENT, and have him take a complete history about your symptoms. He will then look in your ears to make sure there is nothing physically wrong that he can see.  Next, he will have an audiologist evaluate your hearing to see exactly what you are or are not hearing.  Make sure he also does a complete middle ear evaluation.  After he does all the testing, he will make his recommendation. If you are truly hyperacusic, then there are behavior modification techniques that he or the audiologist can help you with.  I am going to give you a website: http://www.hyperacusis.net/hyperacusis/home/default.asp  Some of it may be too complicate, but it will give you an idea of some of the symptoms and treatments for hyperacusis.
Hope this helps.
Harriet Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified in Audiology