Peripheral or Central Hyperacusis?

[bekker]

I have hyperacusis in both ears.

The hyperacusis in my right ear is only much more sensitive. I feel it much more.

The strange thing is that when my doctor checked my hearing with a metal device it hurt in my left ear and not in my right.

Now is my question do I have central or peripheral hyperacusis?

Internet says that central hyperacusis is caused in the brain (auditoral system) and peripheral hyperacusis is caused by damaged nerves and is mostly in one ear.

 

[Tinker Bell]

I have never heard of this! I have hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis in my right ear. My right ear rings louder to pretty much everything from my own voice to papers shuffling.

Would you mind posting links about the two types? Just did a search and I'm not seeing much.

 

[bekker]

http://www.stichtinghoormij.nl/nl-NL/Hyperacusis/Wat-is-hyperacusis/Varianten

It is a dutch website(a sort of foundation for people with hearing problems). You can put it in Google translate to read it.

 

[addot]

I recently came across and interview with hyperacusis researcher Dr. Paul Fuchs that relates to this:

I like to draw the comparison between hyperacusis and tinnitus. They are consequences of peripheral damage in some way. But when one looks at tinnitus, it is pretty clear that there are a lot of central plasticity and central changes that conspire to provide tinnitus to people. Hyperacusis seems more strongly associated with a change in the peripheral sense organ itself, so hyperacusis is more likely to be something where we can localize the actual mechanism to the inner ear as opposed to the brain.

(taken from this interview, I encourage everyone to check it out!)

These are his words, though. Bottom line is, its hard to tell for sure if you (or anyone for that matter) has only peripheral or only central H because there just isn't a definitive model of H yet. What we do know it that often peripheral changes result in central changes.

This is how it would work: like me, it seems your H was caused by noise exposure, which causes damage to the inner ear. Exactly what is damaged is difficult to pinpoint: it could be your hair cells; it could be the nerve fibers under them, etc. In any case, this damage results in less input being sent to the brain. The brain tries to compensate for it, and cranks up his internal gain circuit. So there is both peripheral and central issues happening.

If you'd like to read more about this, i'd recommend checking out the Inner Ear and Central Auditory System links of Hyperacusis Focus

 

[bekker]

Im curieus TRT would help nerve hyperacusis? I am at a point to do TRT But i have my doubt if it works. Though i think i should do it because nothing else works