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SOUND THERAPY Sound therapy works by gradually exposing individuals to specific sounds, breaking down nervous system responses so those triggers no longer have the same effect. Patients

listen to a low-level sound — wearing a noise-generating device that resembles a hearing aid or playing a recording of the specific sounds they're bothered by in the background — for a

certain amount of time each day. “Over a period of several weeks or months, the level of the sound is turned up, a little more each time, to enable the brain to get used to hearing the

sound,” Tyler says. “Loudness discomfort levels can actually decrease.” This can also be done using hearing aids. Wearing a device with a closed earmold will block the ear canal, attenuating

sounds by 20 to 30 decibels, so the hearing aids essentially start off functioning like earplugs. “Then the electroacoustic characteristics of the hearing aid can control the sound level

going into your ears,” Tyler says. “Gradually, over several weeks or months, you increase the maximum output of the hearing aids.” COUNSELING The other part of the treatment involves

counseling. “The reason that hyperacusis tends to have psychological components — such as anxiety and tension, or trouble concentrating or sleeping — is because there's not only

hyperactivity in the auditory system, but also in the limbic system, which is our emotional regulation center, and the autonomic nervous system, which creates the fight-or-flight response

and regulates stress,” Fasman says. “We often need to address these issues by calming down our nervous system's response to the sound.” Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the

strategy often used to help patients gain control by examining why and how they are experiencing symptoms, and changing their pattern of thinking and behavior to reduce the condition's

impact. MINDFULNESS/RELAXATION A third component is mindfulness, which uses guided imagery and meditation to cope with hyperacusis. Tyler suggests carving out 10 minutes or so in your day to

sit down, close your eyes and imagine being somewhere soothing, such as a tropical beach. Or take yoga, tai chi or exercise classes. “Whatever it takes to relax your mind and focus on

something else, so hyperacusis isn't the main focus of your life,” Tyler says. It can take time and strategizing to get hyperacusis under control, but Fasman says the results are worth

it. “In our practice, we specialize in tinnitus and hyperacusis treatment, and I would say oftentimes the results from hyperacusis are even more robust,” she says. “That's because with

hyperacusis, there are a lot of pathways where we can successfully retrain the brain and reduce that impact.” Fasman adds that more than 85 percent of their patients see improvement with

treatment.