Seminars in Hearing Research at Purdue (SHRP)

Date: Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Time: 3:30 - 4:30 pm
Location: Lyle 1150

Title: A Novel Treatment for Hyperacusis: Basic Science, Technology, and Counseling

Speaker: David A. Eddins, Ph.D., CCC-A Professor, School of Communication Sciences & Disorders Director, Communication Technologies Research Center University of Central Florida

Abstract:Patients with moderate to severe hyperacusis, an abnormal sensitivity to the loudness of everyday sounds, present a unique clinical challenge. Hyperacusis frequently is debilitating and life-altering, with patients engaged in self-treatment that involves limiting potential exposure to offending sounds through a combination of situational avoidance and use of hearing protection devices. They often present for assessment wearing earplugs, earmuffs, or both. Unfortunately, chronic use of earplugs exacerbates the condition. The adverse impact of this partial sound deprivation in mature adults induces hyper-sensitivity to high-level sounds, as measured using psychoacoustic, electroacoustic, and electrophysiological methods. The clinical challenge, therefore, is to eliminate the use of counter-productive hearing protection devices and introduce effective treatment. In this seminar, a novel treatment that overcomes these challenges using a combination of technology, precision audiology, and proven counseling methods will be presented along with the underlying scientific principles. Results from initial evaluation of the treatment indicate remarkable success based on objective and subjective outcomes..

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