There are a number of different types of sound sensitivity:
- Hyperacusis is an unusually low tolerance to ordinary environmental sounds, which are tolerable to listeners with normal hearing. There are estimates that between 40-86% of people who report this also have tinnitus and most sufferers present with no obvious hearing loss.
- Phonophobia is the fear of sound, often relating to more specific sounds which often have emotional associations.
- Misophonia is the dislike of sound and again there may be a strong emotional association.
- Recruitment is a large increase in the sensation of loudness with only a slight increase in the actual intensity of a sound. Even though quiet sounds cannot be heard due to the presence of hearing loss, louder sounds may quickly become uncomfortable to the listener as they increase in volume. Recruitment is commonly associated with a sensorineural hearing loss and does not vary with emotions.