Can Sensitivity to Loud Sound be a Symptom of Hearing Loss?

A young woman by the window bothered by the loud construction work outside.

If you have a partner with neglected hearing loss, you know that getting their attention can be… a challenge. First, you try to say their name. “Greg”, you say, but you used a standard, indoor volume level, so you get nothing. You try saying Greg’s name a bit louder and still nothing. So you resort to shouting.

And that’s when Greg whirls around with absolutely no appreciation of his comedic timing and says crossly, “why are you shouting?”

It’s not just stubbornness and impatience that cause this interaction. Individuals with hearing loss often report hypersensitivity to loud sound. So it seems logical that Greg gets aggravated when you shout his name after he repeatedly fails to hear you when you speak to him at a normal volume.

Can hearing loss make loud sounds even worse?

Hearing loss can be a peculiar thing. The vast majority of time, you’ll hear less and less, especially if your hearing loss goes unaddressed. But every once in a while, you’ll watch a Michael Bay movie, or be talking with someone, or be eating in a restaurant, and things will get really noisy. So loud that it can get uncomfortable. Maybe the movie suddenly gets really loud or someone is shouting to get your attention.

And you’ll think: What’s causing this sensitivity to loud noise?

Which can also make you feel a bit aggravated, honestly. Many individuals will feel like they’re going crazy when they experience this. That’s because they can’t determine how loud things are. Imagine, all of your friends, family, and acquaintances seem to confirm you’re losing your ability to hear, but you have this sudden sensitivity to loud sound. How can that be?

Auditory recruitment

A condition known as auditory recruitment can cause these symptoms. Here’s how it works:

  • The inside of your ears are covered with tiny hairs known as stereocilia. When soundwaves enter your ears, these hairs resonate and your brain translates that signal into sounds.
  • Age-related “sensorineural” hearing loss happens as these hairs deteriorate. Over time, these delicate hairs are permanently damaged by repeated exposure to loud sounds. Consequently, your hearing becomes less sensitive. The more damaged hairs you have, the less you’re able to hear.
  • But this process doesn’t occur evenly. There is always some mixture of damaged and healthy hairs.
  • So when you hear a loud noise, the impaired hairs “recruit” the healthy hairs (hence the name of the condition) to send a warning message to your brain. Suddenly, all of the stereocilia fire, and everything gets really loud.

Think about it this way: That Michael Bay explosion is loud but everything else is quiet. So the Michael Bay explosion is going to seem louder (and more obnoxious) than it would otherwise!

Sounds like hyperacusis

Those symptoms might sound a little familiar. That’s probably because they’re frequently confused with a condition called hyperacusis. That conflation is, at first, reasonable. Auditory recruitment is a condition where you have a sensitivity to loud sounds, and hyperacusis is a condition where sounds very suddenly get loud.

But here are some considerable differences:

  • Hyperacusis is not directly related to hearing loss. Auditory recruitment definitely is.
  • When you have hyperacusis, noises that are at an objectively normal volume seem very loud to you. Think about it like this: A shout will still sound like a shout with auditory recruitment; but when you have hyperacusis, a whisper may sound like a shout.
  • Hyperacusis is painful. Literally. Feeling pain is common for people who have hyperacusis. With auditory recruitment, that’s normally not the case.

Overall, auditory recruitment and hyperacusis have a few superficially similar symptoms. But they aren’t the same condition.

Can auditory recruitment be treated?

The bad news is that there’s no cure for hearing loss. Your hearing will never return once it goes. Addressing hearing loss early will go a long way to prevent this.

This also applies to auditory recruitment. Luckily, there are ways to successfully address auditory recruitment. In most situations, that treatment will include hearing aids. And those hearing aids need to be specifically calibrated. So it will be necessary to make an appointment with us.

The exact frequencies of sound that are triggering your auditory recruitment will be determined. Your hearing aids can then be adjusted 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 addressed with over-the-counter hearing devices because they lack the technological sophistication.

Call us for an appointment

It’s essential that you recognize that you can find relief from your sensitivity to loud sound. The bonus is that your new hearing aid will make everything sound better.

But it all begins by making an appointment. Many people who have hearing loss cope with hypersensitivity to loud sound.

It doesn’t have to keep making you miserable.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.