Hyperacusis

Hyperacusis is a debilitating hearing disorder where there is an increased sensitivity to certain frequencies and volume ranges of sound.

Everyday sounds can be unbearable to the sufferer but will have no effect on others. Hyperacusis is often accompanied by tinnitus. Hearing loss is a significant risk factor with both conditions.

Prevalence
Hyperacusis and Tinnitus have a prevalence of about 10–15%.

Symptom recognition
Hyperacusis is a symptom of ME recognized in the International Consensus Criteria's neurosensory symptoms, and counts towards the neurological symptoms required to diagnose ME or atypical ME (which is when symptoms are partially rather than fully met).

Hypersensitivity to noise is mentioned as part of the "overload phenomenon" diagnostic symptom in the Canadian Consensus Criteria's Neurological/Cognitive Manifestations. The same section also refers to "sensory disturbances". It is can also be rated using the Symptom Severity and Severity Hierarchy Chart (Appendix 3), although sensitivity to light, noise, and odors is combined into as one item. Hyperacusis is recognized in the in the Visual and Auditory Disturbances part of the Signs and Symptoms list in Appendix 4.

There is no reference to noise sensitivity in the more commonly used Fukuda criteria.

Notable studies

 * 1992, Optometry and Vision Science: October 1992 - (Abstract)

Learn more

 * ME/CFS flares: what do they feel like and how to cope