Hyperacusis
Hyperacusis is the painful perception of a sound at such an intensity that people who do not suffer from this symptom experience no discomfort.
In more than two thirds of cases, hyperacusis is associated with tinnitus, with which it shares pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical assessment and investigations.
Hyperacusis can have a strong impact on the patient’s quality of life, affecting his social life and even driving him to suicide. As in the case of tinnitus, taking into account the repercussions or the psychological context in which the hyperacusis develops is therefore one of the main challenges of the consultation.
The assessment of a patient with hyperacusis involves a meticulous investigation using questionnaires and rating scales (visual analogue scales, PSS and HAD scales), supplemented by a thorough medical history. The impact on the patient’s life and the associated psychological context are assessed, which are essential elements to guide treatment. The investigation is completed by a thorough clinical examination of the ears.
Assessment of hyperacusis
In all cases, specialised hearing tests are necessary, the choice of which is guided by the initial assessment:
- Extended high-frequency tonal audiometry, speech audiometry (in silence) and a cautious search for auditory thresholds of discomfort.
- Multi-frequency tympanometry.
- Search for Otoacoustic Emission (OEP, OEAS, OEAP, PDA).
If necessary, these tests can be supplemented by :
- A psychiatric consultation
At the end of the assessment, a treatment plan will be proposed, which usually involves a multidisciplinary approach that may include :
- Counselling
- Treatment by a relaxation therapist, psychotherapist or hypnotherapist
- Treatment by a hearing therapist, who will initially protect the patient from sounds that are too loud for him/her, correct any hearing loss and, if necessary, mask the associated tinnitus by keeping the sound intensity below the annoyance threshold.
Patients suffering from tinnitus and/or hyperacusis will find in our centre an experienced medical team ready to listen to them. OTONEURO MONACO has top-class technical facilities for functional exploration, working in a network with medical and paramedical professionals and offering the latest therapeutic advances. Our team is also involved in tinnitus and hyperacusis research with Professor Jean-Luc PUEL’s INSERM unit in Montpellier dedicated to hearing disorders.
