Hypersensitivity to Sounds

The vocabulary and terminology used with regard to hypersensitivity to sounds are varied and imprecise. In this chapter, we explore and clarify understanding of hypersensitivity to sounds in adults, by identifying specific forms of decreased sound tolerance, such as recruitment, phonophobia, and misophonia. Due to the ill-defined terminology and insufficient literature, clear distinctions between diagnoses are hampered. These disorders of sound tolerance can be part of a more general medical disorder and, as such, have multiple comorbidities. Furthermore, they are complex and involve physiological and psychological aspects. As such, cognitive behavioural therapy and exposure therapy are often proposed for treatment, but evidence is lacking. Recently, there is a substantial and growing interest within both the clinical and research communities regarding decreased sound tolerance. Further progress can be made by reaching a consensus on the definition of loudness tolerance disorders and its subtypes, as well as investigating the treatment of these subtypes.