Individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) frequently report major listening difficulties despite hearing thresholds that may not fully explain their functional impairment. Most audiological assessment batteries focus heavily on speech perception, yet this paper argues that environmental sound perception...
This cross-sectional study examined whether environmental sound perception contributes to self-perceived hearing abilities in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). In total, 42 participants with ANSD completed the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ), alongside measures of...
Everyday sounds can feel unbearably loud or physically painful for people with hyperacusis, a complex disorder that may require tailored, cautious care. Hyperacusis is a disorder in which everyday sounds are experienced as uncomfortable or intolerable. For some people, sounds...
Although there is high prevalence of late-onset, progressive, and acquired hearing losses during childhood, these hearing losses can easily go undetected due to the lack of systematic hearing screening beyond newborn hearing screening. In this article, the authors share the...
Sound tolerance symptoms in young patients can be a challenge, Veronica Kennedy and Claire Benton share their clinical experience in navigating the issues that can arise in diagnosis and management. In any noisy environment, it’s a common sight to see...
In hyperacusis, the physiological and the emotional aspects can become deeply entwined. Dr Sarah Theodoroff draws us into her perspectives on this important aspect of the condition. Background Sounds and Emotions The basic act of hearing sounds triggers an emotional...
Misophonia can be a distressing condition for teenagers and can have devastating effects upon their home and school lives. There is little research in this area and, as Lucy Partridge explains, more is greatly needed in order to identify interventions...
Humans’ ability to process sound is a multi-faceted phenomenon. It is a marvel which likely changes through our ageing process and is influenced by a myriad of factors. This paper examines the particulars of the dimensions of sound processing –...
Aki Pasoulas summarises the diverse forms and approaches of the relatively new and expanding area of acoustic ecology, a discipline that studies the relationship between living beings and their sonic environment. Sound Ecology emerged in the late 1960s through the...
Decreased sound tolerance (DST) affects a significant proportion of autistic people throughout their lifetime and, as Zachary J Williams explains, it is important that clinicians are aware of the three distinct subtypes of DST when making a diagnosis. Autism spectrum...
Plasma, eardrums the size of planets and questioning the wisdom of your school physics teacher! Martin Archer explains the fascinating world of sound and space. Is there sound in space? If you believed the marketing of the movie Alien, or...
Radio 3’s The Essay this week features Nicky Spence, operatic tenor and professor of voice, in conversation with our editor Declan Costello, ENT surgeon and one of Britain’s leading voice specialists.