Does Extended Audiogram Show Hyperacusis?

[Ngo13]

I went to an audiologist who specializes in tinnitus this past week. She did an extended audiogram and matched my tinnitus tone. It isn't a perfect match as I have multiple tones. My main tone is around 12,000 Hz. The surprising thing to me was I have no hearing loss up to 20,000 Hz. It was at 0 dB and went down to -10 dB at some frequencies. No dip at 12,000 Hz or anything. Don't only young kids hear up to 20,000 Hz?

She said I have "super" hearing and no sign of hearing damage. She suspects that the noise trauma that I had caused acoustic shock, possibly temporary damage, but when that healed my brain kept the tinnitus. She described it as a "body scan" and since my ears are already sensitive in the high frequencies that my brain just latched on to the tinnitus. So I think that means that due to my innate better than average hearing in that range, my ears/brain are more sensitive to any changes or subtle issues and therefore sustained the tinnitus. I don't know if I have the science right there?

My standard audiogram, tympanometry, DPOAE, speech recognition, etc. were all normal too, both a week after onset and last week when I was tested again.

I just don't get it. I thought for sure I would have high frequency hearing loss or something. I don't understand why I have tinnitus. I guess mine is really a brain thing, not ears. Unfortunately, she couldn't give me any answers on why my ears are clogged either. She prescribed sound therapy that over time should "hopefully soften my tinnitus".

Anyway, I'm wondering if my high frequency hearing is really that sensitive, or if it's a sign of hyperacusis. Like, if my sound sensitivity were to decrease/heal and I get my hearing tested again, would it change to show loss?

 

[Juan]

The only non-very-scientific way to test for hyperacusis is carrying out an LDL (loudness discomfort level) test.

Basically it's the opposite of an audiometric test: in the LDL test there are beeps that increase in volume, for each frequency, and you push the button when the beep is too loud for you (there can be hearing distortion associated to this too, reactive tinnitus etc., it depends, every person is different.)