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Center for Hearing Loss Help

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When Everyday Sounds Seem Too Loud

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.

I received an interesting email which read, in part, “My sister’s hearing has increased so much that she wears ear plugs during the day, especially when her children start crying or screaming. Every little sound bothers her ears. She also has some balance problems. If there is inner ear damage, wouldn’t her hearing be reduced, not increase?”

Excellent question. You would think inner ear damage would result in hearing loss and not increased hearing, wouldn’t you? Let me explain.

Your sister does not really have increased hearing. It just seems that way. What has happened is that her perception of sound has changed so that she now perceives normal, everyday sounds as being far too loud.

She has is a condition called hyperacusis. Hyperacusis can be brought on by various things. For example, exposing your ears to loud noise–such as a sudden explosion, or from taking certain ear-damaging drugs. It can also be result from head trauma or even surgery, and possibly by a virus attacking your inner ears.

A somewhat similar condition, called recruitment, only affects hard of hearing people. Recruitment is caused by the reduced dynamic range you get when you lose some of your hearing. However, the results are basically the same–you can’t stand certain normal, everyday sounds any more. They now sound so loud that they hurt.

People who do not have either recruitment (which I have) or hyperacusis don’t have a clue just how loud and painful these everyday sounds appear to be.

Click on the following link to learn more about hyperacusis, what causes it, and more importantly what you can do to elp relieve it.

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Hearing Loss Research & Resources

Free Visor Cards

Download your free Visor Cards for hard of hearing or deaf people here.

Loop Systems

Loop your home or meeting room. Discover how you can hear wonderfully clear sound again when listening to the TV/radio, etc, or when listening to a speaker at a meeting.

Loop systems are one of the best-kept secrets in town. To learn more about Loop Systems and what they can do for you, click here.

Take Control of Your Tinnitus—Here’s How

If your ears ring, buzz, chirp, hiss, click or roar, you know just how annoying tinnitus can be. You do not have to put up with this racket for the rest of your life. This book teaches you many things you can do to help bring your tinnitus under your control so it no longer bothers you.

Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

Sounds Now Too Loud for You?

Hypersensitive to Sound front coverIf some (or all) normal sounds seem so loud they “blow the top of your head off”, or make you wince or jump, or cause you headaches or ear pain, or affect your balance, or result in fear or annoyance of sounds so you feel you have to avoid these sounds, this book is for you!

Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

Hearing Phantom Sounds?

When hard of hearing people begin hearing phantom voices or music, they immediately worry they are going crazy. It never crosses their minds that they are sane and are just experiencing Musical Ear syndrome.

To learn more about the strange phantom sounds of Musical Ear syndrome and what you can do about them, click here to read a comprehensive article about Musical Ear Syndrome.

Or get the book—Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

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Center for Hearing Loss Help

Neil G. Bauman, Ph.D.

1013 Ridgeway Drive, Lynden,
WA 98264-1057 USA

Email: neil@hearinglosshelp.com

Phone: 360-778-1266 (M-F 9:00 AM-5:00 PM PST)

© 2025 Center for Hearing Loss Help – Help for your hearing loss, tinnitus and other ear conditions

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life [which also includes perfect hearing] through Jesus Christ our Lord." [Romans 6:23]

"But know this, in the last days perilous times will come" [2 Timothy 3:1]. "For there will be famines, pestilences, and [severe] earthquakes in various places" [Matthew 24:7], "distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring"—tsunamis, hurricanes—Luke 21:25, but this is good news if you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, for "when these things begin to happen, lift up your heads [and rejoice] because your redemption draws near" [Luke 21:28].