Are You Sensitive to Certain Noises? There’s a Name for That
A Healthier Michigan
| 3 min read
If the sound of chewing makes you feel disgusted or irritable, you may have a sound sensitivity disorder.
Sensitivity to sound manifests in different ways and can be caused by seemingly innocuous noises. The two primary sound sensitivity disorders are misophonia and hyperacusis. Misophonia causes emotional, physical or behavioral responses to triggering noises, while hyperacusis results in pain or discomfort from noises that are not loud but affect the individual as if they are loud or painful sounds. Fewer than 20% of the population are estimated to have misophonia, and fewer than 15% are estimated to have hyperacusis.
What is misophonia and what are the symptoms?
Misophonia is a disorder that affects how an individual receives sounds and noises. This can cause:
- Fear
- Disgust
- Anger or irritability
- Flight or fight mode
- Increased blood pressure
- Sweating
- Emotional outbursts in children
The most common symptom of misophonia is an aversion and hypersensitivity to specific sounds, although these sounds may vary by individual. The most common examples are:
- Chewing
- Swallowing
- Lip smacking
- Breathing sounds
- Ticking or tapping noises
While it is not officially recognized as a distinct disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), many doctors and experts recognize misophonia exists and affects those who have it.
What causes misophonia?
The causes of misophonia are unknown. It is more prevalent in women, individuals with disorders or learning disabilities including autism and ADHD and those with other existing hearing disorders. Family history, bone structure or nervous system dis orders may influence whether or not someone develops misophonia. Some research has shown that people with misophonia have higher levels of myelin, a fatty insulation in the brain and nerve cells, and higher levels of activity in the anterior insular cortex during triggering noises, including more activity in the parts of the brain that control fear and emotions. It is not known if these are causal, correlative to or an effect of misophonia.
What is hyperacusis and what are its symptoms?
Hyperacusis is a rare hearing disorder that causes normal everyday sounds to seem loud, frightening or even painful to those affected by it. It is also referred to as decreased sound tolerance, or DST.
Symptom of hyperacusis include:
- Pain or discomfort caused by any level or frequency of noise
- Sounds seeming much louder than they are
- A buildup of pressure in the ears
- Stress and anxiety related to pain and discomfort
- Fear or avoidance of sound resulting in isolation
Hyperacusis can increase stress and anxiety. It often coincides with tinnitus or hearing loss, but can be present on its own.
Examples of noises that may trigger hyperacusis:
- Electrical hums
- Running water
- Car engines
- Generators
- Talking at normal volumes
What causes hyperacusis?
The causes of hyperacusis are still unknown but being researched. Possible causes may be auditory nerve damage or disruption to the brain interpreting sounds and interacting with auditory nerves, according to Cleveland Clinic. Hyperacusis appears to be more common among people who have been exposed to loud noises for extended periods of time, such as musicians or military personnel.
How are sound sensitivity disorders treated?
Since the causes of misophonia and hyperacusis are not fully understood, there is no consensus on clinical treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure using sound therapy, sound muffling devices or the use of white or pink noise may be helpful to some people with these sound disorders. If you are experiencing either of these issues, talk to your doctor about your symptoms and concerns.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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