Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017:2017:2723715.
doi: 10.1155/2017/2723715. Epub 2017 Oct 9.

Clinical Interventions for Hyperacusis in Adults: A Scoping Review to Assess the Current Position and Determine Priorities for Research

Kathryn Fackrell  1   2 , Iskra Potgieter  1 , Giriraj S Shekhawat  3   4 , David M Baguley  1   2 , Magdalena Sereda  1   2 , Derek J Hoare  1   2
Affiliations

Clinical Interventions for Hyperacusis in Adults: A Scoping Review to Assess the Current Position and Determine Priorities for Research

Kathryn Fackrell et al. Biomed Res Int. 2017.

Abstract

Background: There is no universally accepted definition for hyperacusis, but in general it is characterised by decreased sound tolerance to ordinary environmental sounds. Despite hyperacusis being prevalent and having significant clinical implications, much remains unknown about current management strategies.

Purpose: To establish the current position of research on hyperacusis and identify research gaps to direct future research.

Design and sample: Using an established methodological framework, electronic and manual searches of databases and journals identified 43 records that met our inclusion criteria. Incorporating content and thematic analysis approaches, the definitions of hyperacusis, management strategies, and outcome measures were catalogued.

Results: Only 67% of the studies provided a definition of hyperacusis, such as "reduced tolerance" or "oversensitivity to sound." Assessments and outcome measures included Loudness Discomfort Levels, the Hyperacusis Questionnaire, and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) interview. Management strategies reported were Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, TRT, devices, pharmacological therapy, and surgery.

Conclusions: Management strategies were typically evaluated in patients reporting hyperacusis as a secondary complaint or as part of a symptom set. As such the outcomes reported only provided an indication of their effectiveness for hyperacusis. Randomised Controlled Trials are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of management strategies for patients experiencing hyperacusis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of stages of study selection process.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The four themes and underlying theme to emerge from the content of the working definitions of hyperacusis reported in the included records.
Box 1
Box 1
Data extraction fields.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Baguley D. M., McFerran D. J. Hyperacusis and disorders of loudness perception. Textbook of Tinnitus. 2011:13–23. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60761-145-5_3. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60761-145-5. - DOI - DOI
    1. McFerran D. Misophonia and Phonophobia. In: Baguley D. M., Fagelson M., editors. Tinnitus Clin Res Perspect. San Diego: Plural Publishing Inc; 2016. pp. 245–260.
    1. Kumar S., Tansley-Hancock O., Sedley W., et al. The Brain Basis for Misophonia. Current Biology. 2017;27(4):527–533. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.12.048. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Rosing S. N., Schmidt J. H., Wedderkopp N., Baguley D. M. Prevalence of tinnitus and hyperacusis in children and adolescents: a systematic review. BMJ Open. 2016;6(6) doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010596.e010596 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Hall A. J., Humphriss R., Baguley D. M., Parker M., Steer C. D. Prevalence and risk factors for reduced sound tolerance (hyperacusis) in children. International Journal of Audiology. 2016;55(3):135–141. doi: 10.3109/14992027.2015.1092055. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources