| Hyperacusis is a particular condition, in | | | | manifestations will ultimately lead the |
| which the tolerance for various audible | | | | patient to total deprivation from social |
| frequencies is collapsed. Hyperacusis is not | | | | living. |
| a congenital condition; it develops in the | | | | |
| later stages of life. Hyperacusis has to be | | | | The incompatibility of the patient with |
| clearly distinguished from other hearing | | | | normal life depends on the level of |
| impairments, to practice adequate treatment | | | | hyperacusis and its impact on life. |
| strategies. Patients do not have any | | | | Hyperacusis is generally categorized into |
| considerable hearing loss, but only | | | | five levels, according to the sound tolerance |
| uncomfortable to common sounds. The normal | | | | level. The category zero patients do not |
| bearable sound range is 100 decibels and the | | | | experience any difficulty in normal living, |
| characteristic problem of hyperacusis is the | | | | even though they experience sounds above 85 |
| false perception of common sounds, even in | | | | decibels as very loud. The category one |
| lower decibels as loud sounds and inability | | | | patient may have mild impact since they |
| to adjust the sensitivity according to | | | | require ear protectors to bear sounds in the |
| loudness. The disease, hyperacusis has | | | | range of 80 to 85 decibels. Category 2 |
| significant relevance in modern life, as the | | | | patients are moderately affected by |
| day to day environment is flooded with a | | | | hyperacusis as 65+ decibels sounds such as of |
| variety of large and moderate sounds. | | | | normal conversation, seems to them very |
| | | | disturbing. They consider mainstream living |
| The risks associated with it mainly include | | | | as a challenge and prefer isolation. The |
| the difficulty of the patient to pursue his | | | | category three patient suffers even from |
| life. They feel the normal sounds such as | | | | whispering sound in range of 50+ decibels. |
| speaking, walking and even combing, as very | | | | The patients have the chances to develop |
| loud disturbing voices, depending on the | | | | associated diseases such as anxiety, |
| seriousness of disorder. This will lead to | | | | depression, phonophobia, and insomnia. |
| them to many psychological disorders such as | | | | Hyperacusis patients in category four are |
| phonophobia, the fear of sound, anxiety, | | | | very critical. These patients cannot proceed |
| depression, and loss of sleep. The chance for | | | | a main stream living and resorts to complete |
| the occurrence for other complicated | | | | isolation. The condition becomes impossible |
| disorders, as a result of the manifestation | | | | as they cannot even tolerate own voice. They |
| of underlying cause of hyperacusis, is also a | | | | are also at the risk of all associated |
| major risk factor. The complications of the | | | | diseases. |
| diseases such as Lyme disease, | | | | |
| Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome, Bell's | | | | The improvements in the medicine have |
| palsy, Tay-Sach's disease, and post trauma | | | | formulated efficient diagnostic tools, and |
| effects of head injury can affect the patient | | | | effective medication to cure hyperacusis. The |
| since these diseases can be actual reasons | | | | combined use of psychotherapy and medicine |
| for sudden outbreak of hyperacusis. The | | | | will definitely help the patient to overcome |
| collapsed sound conditions and associated | | | | the condition. |