Hyperacusis Since Aug 2016, Looking Into Possible Professional Treatment

I developed hyperacusis in August of last year. I'm currently 25 1/2, and for the most part, I've never really had any ear issues. Over the past several years, I've begun listening to music much more with headphones. In August of 2015, I began looking into amplifier equipment to complement a high-end pair of headphones I'd bought in early 2014. I ended up buying a high-end AMP and DAC. I was trying to decide among a few different AMP's and combos, and to be honest, as incredible as the sound was, I felt apprehensive about it and thought it might cause ear problems if I listened too long. I ended up going with it anyway though; looking back on it, I thought any potential ear problems wouldn't manifest for awhile anyway.

I listened to music on the headphones constantly, at high volumes and with high gain. As time wore on, I started listening more and more to abrasive, dissonant genres like metal, noise rock etc. I would honestly getting ringing in my ears every time I took off the headphones, even sometime before the hyperacusis developed. As August rolled around, I started getting this growing discomfort to that sort of music and the headphones in general, until around the end of the month, I couldn't stand it anymore and realized something was wrong, so I largely stopped wearing them and avoided that kind of music.

Soon after, I went a local ear/nose/throat clinic, and my hearing was altogether fine and there was only a sign of slight hearing loss. The doctor told me to wait atleast a few months before it subsided, and recommend I potentially get rid of the equipment or the headphones.

It's been over a year now and I still have it. Early on, I'd experiment with the headphones to see how much I could handle it, but I ended up eschewing them for awhile. I'd get ringing in my ears on and off, often out of nowhere, but it eventually subsided, and I gradually improved. It was to the point where earlier this year, I could wear headphones for fairly extended periods of time and listen to certain music with minimal issue. But then around April, this stopped, and I've found myself very gradually regressing, to the point where I've kind just stopped- no more worsening, but no progress either. I haven't used the headphones in months, I make sure to minimize noises that could irritate me, and I rarely get ringing anymore, I haven't really gotten it in months either. But I feel like I'm similar to how I was towards the end of last year. That isn't to say my hyperacusis is especially bad, honestly; it's only rather loud, relatively high-pitched noises (or sounds resembling the music I listened to) that irritate me, in my general day to day life it's pretty marginal.

But, I can't really have speakers or radio on that high. I do have to cover my ears at various loud noises. I recall when I went to see Dunkirk in the theater, which was full of old people, I was the only one I could see that had to cover my ears. And again, I can't really wear headphones at all.

I honestly didn't know the exact name of this condition I have until around the turn of August. The doctor literally never told me the name, and I'm wondering if I could have done something else in the meantime (I've generally just kind of been waiting for it to subside). But I went back, and although I did somewhat better on the hearing test, the doctor said that could be just normal variation. But the fact I rarely get tinnitus is a good sign, and my seeming decline to where it's flatlined (now) is normal. For all intents and purposes, my progress with this is normal and I've done well to maintain my ear integrity. But who knows when it could go away; he told me it could be another 2 years.

He gave me one referral, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary located in Boston, which isn't that close. And while they do offer hyperacusis treatment, they have no information for it online. Nobody could tell me over the phone. I'd have to schedule an appointment to actually find anything out.

So I'm wondering what to do at this point. I'm really, really sick of living like this. Music used to be one of my main forms of leisure, and I have no idea when this will subside. If I can do something to improve my situation or bring about recovery sooner, I'll go for it. I've foregone really looking into what information there is online until I speak to professionals who deal with hyperacusis, but I have no idea what's really out there and if it'll actually be of help.

If anyone has any information on what clinical hyperacusis treatment offers (and this particular center or Boston, or others in the area), and if there's better alternatives I can do on my own, I'd love to hear it.

And it goes without saying, but once I get over this, I will most likely sell the AMP/DAC combo. It gave me some absolutely incredible, incomparable sound, but it wasn't worth this.

 

Since I can't edit my post, a couple of other details:

-Don't think I made this that explicit, but while only relatively loud/high pitched noises get to me (loud yelling, lawnmowers, loud vehicles etc.), I'd say the only thing that really gets me at lower frequencies (aside from sounds specifically resembling the music that got me, which is primarily just the music) are sounds that come from speakers. Even at low volumes there's genuine irritation and discomfort. Not to say I can't handle them, but they have to be quite low. Obviously goes in line with the headphones. Like I said, in day to day life, I'm fine unless these things come up.

 

Here's a list of clinicians who utilize the Jastreboff model to treat hyperacusis. Maybe you'll find it helpful.

http://www.chat-hyperacusis.net/post/trt-worldwide-list-of-clinicians-retraining-therapy-3334680

 

Sound is like food. The more processed and unnatural it is, the worst. So a bad thing would be listening to distorted music (metal for instance) on a crappy cellphone at very loud volume. Or listening to very loud sounds that have been introduced in this world by mankind, like construction tools. There is a big difference between a natural sound (thunder) and an artificial sound (power saw).

As for hyperacusis, after many years with it, I can tell you that over time it either goes or stays, but doctors can hardly do something for you. It is a matter of time for you to see how your hyperacusis or hearing sensitivity evolves. There is no cure for hyperacusis, and all those studies trying to show improvement using white noise etc are just showing that some people partially recover spontaneously over time.

Just try to live as close to a normal life as possible, avoid very loud sounds (sounds that go up in volume very fast are truly dangerous, like a firecracker, a car horn, siren, construction tools etc), eat healthy, try to make exercise (it does make a difference) and do not listen to music with headphones, if that bothers you.

If you can deal with sounds like a fork on a plate, doors closing, loud voices etc, your hyperacusis is not very bad, so there is a good chance it can recover by itself, and go back to normal.

 

I don't agree with this. There is evidence that treatment can make some kind of difference vs the passage of time.

http://hyperacusisfocus.org/research/soundtherapy/

 

I disagree with you but respect your decision. I believe Hyperacusis can be cured in most cases with the proper treatment. This will require the auditory system to be desensitised in some cases using white noise generators and also having counselling with a Hearing Therapist. I once had severe hyperacusis that has been completely cured now for 18 years, using white noise generators and having counselling as part of TRT.

Michael

 

Hi @Srebint

I am an Audiophile like you and used to listen to music through high quality Beyer dynamic headphones that eventually gave me severe tinnitus and hyperacusis. That was 21 years ago. I had TRT treatment and wore white noise generators for 2 years. My tinnitus reduced to a very low level and my hyperacusis was completely cured and it has remained so till this day. My tinnitus increased severely in 2008 but that's another story as my hyperacusis did not return. I have not listened to music through headphones since 1996.

I believe if you want your symptoms to improve you will have to make the same decision as I did and stop listening to music through headphones even at low volume. My advice is to listen to music through high quality speakers as I do now. As an Audiophile I will assume that you know about HI-End hi-fi equipment and not just for headphone use. If you don't, then I advise you to invest in Valve/tube amplification. In my opinion, tubes give a smoother richer sound than solid state, especially when using a Class A amplifier. 300B tubes give a beautiful sound and you won't be disappointed.

Try to get a referral to see a Hearing Therapist, who's trained in the treatment and management of tinnitus and hyperacusis. Ideally, the treatment I recommend for hyperacusis, is white noise generators and counselling, to desensitise your auditory system and it will often treat tinnitus if it is present. Please read my article: Hyperacusis As I see it. click on the link below.

Al the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

 

There's only one MA specialist, but I'll check it out.

How many years have you had it exactly? What caused it for you and how is it separate from your tinnitus?

Yeah, none of those are bad for me at all. Never have been this entire time.

Did you begin therapy immediately after it set in? Do you think I've been missing out on proper improvement by not doing anything for so long? If I have, that's infuriating. I don't think I've ever had a specialist diagnose me with something and never tell me the name of it. He didn't really recommend any treatment like what's been recommended here either.

Reading your article though, your case was clearly more severe than mine.

And why have you not listened to music through headphones in 21 years? I really can't bare the thought of never wearing headphones again. Is this just in your case, or would you recommend it across the board?

Not that getting rid of the AMP and DAC isn't a big deal though; this is what I have, that gave me the hyperacusis:
https://www.amazon.com/Modi-USB-Digital-Analog-Converter/dp/B00SCCSJVA
https://www.amazon.com/Schiit-SCH-0702-Magni-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00SCBKPW2

And these are the headphones: https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Crossfade-Wireless-Over-Ear-Headphone/dp/B06XX2TJSD/

I'll still look into another AMP most likely, but nothing like this.

For the time being, I'm not going to bother with any other kind of audio equipment. My speakers are okay, but I have sensitivity to audio produced by speakers in general.

 

I strongly advise anyone that has tinnitus / hyperacusis or both. If they were caused by loud noise, not to use headphones even at low volume. Some people with "noise induced" tinnitus use headphones without any adverse effects. However, I think there is always a risk of the tinnitus/ hyperacusis becoming worse. There are many posts in this forum, where people have said, they habituated and returned to using headphones at low volume and regretted it. The tinnitus ramped up in volume and will not return to base line.

This is the reason I have not used headphones in 21 years. In my opinion, it is not a good idea and believe a person with "noise induced tinnitus" using headphones is literally playing with fire. Believe me, if your tinnitus / hyperacusis becomes severe it will be like living your worst nightmare. Sorry to sound so sobering.

I wish you well.
Michael

 

I've wondered if, when I recover, I'll have some kind of permanently induced sensitivity where things could return again or get worse. I don't know anything of the long-term effects. Earlier this year, when I was able to use headphones again for some extended periods (though not with heavy music), was I actually making it worse? I thought those were just signs of improvement, but that turned out to be wrong and here I am in a sense worse than how I was earlier this year. But again- I have not worn headphones in months, like half a year or more.

And I haven't expected to readily go back to wearing headphones and such even when I do recover; I have expected there to be a period where I'd be best to be on the safe side before jumping back in. And I have expected that I will most likely not use that audio equipment I bought again. I will experiment for a bit, but given the apprehension I experienced when I first tried them out, when I didn't have any of these issues, it's very slim I'll keep them. I guess you could say I really didn't expect problems like this to occur so quickly and at the age I'm at. It was just recklessness.

Do you think I've been missing out on potentially bringing about recovery sooner by eschewing treatment, possibly ending up with a better outcome than I would if I just let this subside on it's own? Given how altogether mild my symptoms are, what might my prognosis look like? Has my progression of having this for over a year now and this weird, gradual decline over the past 6-7 months been typical? What might I expect in the near-future? When I do recover, would I, in isolation of anything that could directly exacerbate it, really be back to just how I was before all of this developed?

And while I've gotten references, I really have no idea what to expect out of professional treatment, if that can really be of help.

 

I stopped using earphones since getting H in August last year too. Maybe get speakers and listen from a bit of a distance? Not as much fun but at least the source isn't too close to your ears.

As for your other questions ... I don't believe we H sufferers can really go back to healthy ears. Our hearing is already compromised. But we can get better. And though not everyone is helped by TRT, some benefitted from it. Maybe you'll be one of them.

 

I do listen through speakers, but at low volumes. I can't really handle much more than that. Sound produced through speakers is really the biggest issue for me. And of course, listening to music like this is really unenjoyable.

When you say going back to "healthy ears", do you speak of just permanently heightened risk? I really don't know what to expect at this point, and just from this thread, the claims of where things will go are pretty variable.

But I want to emphasize again that tinnitus hasn't been a feature of my hyperacusis for months. I get it rarely, although when I do, it's usually pretty random- it generally does not come from loud noises. But this is a huge, huge contrast compared to where, in the lead-up to the development of hyperacusis, I'd get it basically every time I wore headphones, and how even when I stopped, I would have it pop in randomly quite often for some months afterwards.

But regardless, it has not been an issue for sometime at all, and I think the only disconcerting thing about it is how it's usually not prompted by loud noises (I honestly don't think I get tinnitus from loud movie theaters). But even then, it's not loud, it's not long-lasting- the effect of the tinnitus is for all intents and purposes like how it might be for a person with no hearing issues. Though what I'm all describing could be unremarkable and not indicative of much to get excited over, I imagine. But from other accounts I've read, I seem pretty mild.

I mean, I think I get tinnitus like what, once a week? Maybe twice occasionally? Could be maybe once or twice a month. And when I do, it's mild and lasts no more than a minute. But I've seriously lost track of how often it comes up, it's really quite rare and has been for awhile.

And when I was able to wear headphones for periods up until earlier this year, even when it would get irritating and I had to stop, I don't think I really got tinnitus even from that.

Also, I didn't mention this, but although I experience minimal issue/discomfort in my day to day life, I do fairly often experience apprehension, slight discomfort at quite a few noises and situations. But the thing is that I really don't know how much of this is psychological/some kind of heightened "pain" response not directly related to hyperacusis.

 

I know how you feel @Srebint as one Audiophile corresponding with another. People that are not into music like you and I, cannot understand how listening to it through HI-End audio whether that's through headphones or loud speakers can move us emotionally but it can. As I said I used a pair of Hi-End Beyer headphones. Back in the 1990's I wanted to aspire to a pair of Sennheiser Orpheus headphones Class A tube driven. At around $10,000 at the time couldn't afford it!

Now I enjoy my music just as much listening to it through my HI-End audio system and it moves me emotionally in much the same way as when I used to listen with headphones. The system sings pure "Synergy "as we Audiophiles call it.

I advise you again, please do not use headphones even at low volume if you want your tinnitus and hyperacusis to improve. This is my opinion but the choice is yours. If you haven't read my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View, please click on the link below. There is a piece in it titled Tinnitus and headphones.

Best of luck and I hope you get some help with your hyperacusis. I suggest seeing a Hearing Therapist.
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

 

That is the same I said, there can be a partial recovery. However, it is impossible to isolate the effects of "sound therapy" from the effect of just trying to go on with life, this is, the passage of time. Those studies show an improvement of LDLs that can happen as well without any treatment. It is easier to make LDLs go up from 50 dbs to 75 dbs than pushing LDLs from 85 dbs to a normal level of sound tolerance well over 100 dbs. Sound therapy does not achieve that.

 

That's strange. I dont think anyone with hyperacusis can stand a fork on a plate, or a slamming door

I used to have incredibly bad H. Basically even closing a door without producing any audible sound for anyone would make my hearing vibrate like crazy at the time. I could hear sounds produced a couple of floor above my appartment, and feel the vibrations of sound.

I did have some improvement, and then it worsened, so there is a big amount of luck involved. I mean, if at the current stage you run into someone working with a power saw, or into some really loud noise you cannot avoid, your hearing can worsen fast or the stuff you feel, the perceptions of sound can change in ways you cannot really even imagine now.

Try to be in nature, without earplugs in a place where you can exercise around nature. That's the best you can do to heal your ears.

 

Again, I assure you I've been avoiding headphones for months now. But do you think I should never touch them until it goes away? And that I really should potentially avoid them altogether even after I recover? Do you think it was a bad idea to wear them like I did later last year/earlier this year, even when I was able to handle them?

What sort of symptoms did you experience in the lead up to your hyperacusis? Why do you think your case was worse than mine? Did you experience anything like tinnitus after every time you wore them? I knew that wasn't good, but I really, really underestimated what that was indicating. And just for some perspective, how old are you now?

And please let me know if I've potentially been missing out by eschewing any kind of directed treatment for so long.

Well, slamming a door is obviously bothersome- as is a fork on a plate. But stuff like "closing a door without producing any audible sound", no, that's not an issue whatsoever. My hyperacusis is nothing like yours.

Out of genuine curiosity, when you mentioned this, I decided to test it. I slammed a couple of doors loudly- discomforting, but not much worse than what a typical person would experience. Then I lightly rubbed a fork's tip on a plate a couple of times- genuinely disconcerting. I ended up with a light throbbing in my areas, heightened sensitivity, and now I have a feeling of unease and discomfort, even in my chest, I don't recall having experienced during this time with hyperacusis, like since the early days. And there's still faint, non-tinnitus ringing in my ears, general ear discomfort and physical unease in my chest. This only came about by doing exacerbating noises in quick succession.

I'm never doing anything like this again, but it was helpful to get this perspective on where I stand- that to get to this kind of discomfort, I'd either have to be put in an extreme noise situation or go out of my way to induce it. I don't mean to sound like I was reckless for doing this, I take care to cover my ears or avoid noises I know can be exacerbating in my day to day life. For example, I go to the gym daily, and I usually use the bathroom there; the toilets are very loud, but I always, always completely, tighly cover my ears when they flush, so they're not an issue. The aversion to that noise hasn't changed in months though.

The specialist I last saw also recommended wearing musician earbuds when I go out. Those are pretty pricey though, but I'm open to them.

I remember very early on, like right after my hyperacusis developed, I tried wearing earplugs to bed a couple of nights, and my ears ended up worse. That's apparently a really bad idea.

 

The studies show that sound therapy + counselling restores LDLs more quickly and to a greater magnitude than the passage of time. They also show that sound therapy restores LDLs in a greater number of people than the passage of time.

So, no, your statement that "all those studies trying to show improvement using white noise etc are just showing that some people partially recover spontaneously over time" is not accurate.

There is something to sound therapy. It is far from a cure, but it is demonstrably better at restoring LDLs in a majority of people than the passage of time is.

 

Hi @Srebint

I realize that you haven't been using headphones for months and this is my advice to you. Never ever use any type of headphones again even at low volume. You cannot change what happened in the passed, so your second question I advise you not to worry about it.

I used to listen to my music through my headphones at high volume but didn't think at the time I was causing harm. I remember at night when it is very quiet, I could hear ringing. Little did I know that it was tinnitus. I used headphones for many years. One day took the headphones off my head and suddenly heard the loud intrusive ringing. What followed was a terrible experience of loud unrelenting tinnitus and hyperacusis. After 6 months I was seen at ENT and started TRT treatment that lasted 2 years and it helped a lot.

I keep my age private just as my real name. Michael Leigh is a pseudonym. However, I will tell you my age in PM and ask that you do not divulge it.

I cannot know if abstaining from treatment has hindered your chance of recovering from treatment if you were to start it now. I do believe, if you start treatment as wearing white noise generators with counselling, you stand a good chance of your symptoms improving. However, retuning to any form of headphone use I don't think would be a good idea.

Michael

 

Well again, what really did me in was the use of the Schiit audio equipment at high volume and high gain coupled with the headphones. In fact, the high gain I think was what really did it. The gain feature on that doubled the detail but also the loudness, and wasn't possible on the other two amplifiers I tried:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UB5GK4O/ref=pe_825000_114657650_TE_item
https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2/

I would have been best going with the Fulla. Like I said, when I tried out the Magni/Modi with the gain on (which is the feature that really set it apart from the Fulla), I was apprehensive and could tell this could cause issues and I might not be able to handle it. But against my better judgement, I went with it.

I didn't get that feeling with the other two amplifiers. I've never experienced anything like these kinds of issues all the time I've worn headphones. I never, ever used to experience tinnitus every time I listened to music (or really much at all, I think, despite usually listening at high volumes), as I did in the months leading up to the development of my hyperacusis. I feel I might not have developed this issue at all if I used the Magni/Modi without the gain feature, and it might have taken that kind of music to cause it. It just feels like it took something pretty specific to bring this out.

And I'm still kind of reeling from that test I did. I hope this didn't really do anything. But it's mostly just general physical discomfort, my ears aren't really hurting or in any kind of discomfort other than heightened, non-T "ringing" and sensitivity.

Since I first wrote this post, the heightened sensitivity I've gotten since I did that "test" is worse than I thought. A lot of it again could be psychological, but I went down into the kitchen, with my mom down there putting away groceries and on the phone with a family member- her loudly talking, the audio coming through the phone's speaker, the pantry door closing- haven't felt this uncomfortable with such basic sounds since probably the beginning.

I feel like kind of an idiot now for even trying that. I got my hopes up hearing that I might not have true hyperacusis since those noises in isolation aren't that big of a deal, and didn't expect them so briefly in succession to cause this. But hopefully this hasn't done anything, since I've never had it happen once before.

 

Try not to worry and get a referral to ENT for tests to be carried out. If your tests are fine then get a referral to see a Hearing Therapist, for treatment and management of tinnitus and hyperacusis. In the link I gave you to my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View and Hyperacusis, As I see it. They explain different treatments and coping methods for these conditions.

Hope this helps.
Michael

 

I will start

Do you mean for what I just did or in general? This is something that will probably last no more than the rest of the day if that. If not, I don't see any reason to go to another ENT since it's doubtful much will have changed in just 2 months.

But I will look into other treatment options suggested, of course.

 

If you are having any problems with tinnitus or hyperacusis then I advise you to be seen at ENT
Michael

 

There is no such thing as "sound therapy". It just consists of listening to sound and trying to rise the volume progressively. Which kind of "therapy" is that? It's just marketing.

 

Did you read my link? Did you read the studies? There is obviously more to it than that.

I'm not trying to pass it off as some kind of miracle treatment, it clearly has a lot of problems, but reducing it to the degree you've done here is disingenuous at best.

 

I already saw an ENT, I detailed my most recent visit in the OP. Didn't refer to them as an ENT though.

And the issue I got earlier has largely subsided, it will like I guessed be gone by morning if not earlier. It was the first time I've had anything approaching a generalized sense of hyperacusis in probably over a year now, I never experienced any direct pain or irritation but there was a pervasive sense of discomfort and apprehension with many noises.

And amazingly, absolutely no tinnitus. That's really a distant issue for me at this point.

I will again look into the specialists suggested so far. One other thing the ENT I saw did suggest was musician earplugs, to wear throughout the day I guess. I've never really felt a genuine need to though, but have these been documented as being of potential help?

And yeah, when I do recover, barring any long-term situations/noises that have been known to upset my hyperacusis, should I expect my noise sensitivity to be basically the same as it was before? But apparently, redeveloping it (and possibly worse than before) is a genuine risk. And I have no idea what the consequences could be down the road, as I age.

 

@Srebint

Please read my article in the link that I sent you titled: Hyperacusis As I see it. I will paste the link below. In it I explain about the use of earplugs. They shouldn't be over used. I do not agree with what your ENT doctor is advising you but it is your choice. I cannot know how well your recovery will be as everyone is different. As I said, if you are having problems with hyperacusis or any sensitivity to sound which will not go away, then I advise you to go back to ENT and possibly see a Hearing Therapist for treatment.

Michael
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

 

One last update on my situation from today, but while it has again largely subsided, I do think there has been a genuine increase in this non-tinnitus ringing- I honestly don't know the name of it. It's not exactly ringing, it's that kind of tingling sound you'll usually notice when things are very quiet. It got noticeable a few minutes ago. And I also think there is some very faint tinnitus now too in my right ear, it's barely perceivable and I don't know when I've had it like this.

Or is this "non-tinnitus ringing" really tinnitus? I've heard that for as long as I can remember in quiet situations, this was described as "normal" by the non-ENT who conducted my hearing test and essentially presents itself at birth. It's definitely gotten worse these past number of minutes though and there is a faint manifestation of the noticeable, yet rare tinnitus I've experienced. The latter is distinct from this and has popped in randomly on occasion for the past half year.

Maybe I don't have as good of an understanding of tinnitus as I thought. I have for many, many years always experienced this mild tinnitus that's only noticeable when there's minimal noise or when I make effort to pay attention to it. I don't think it's really changed much since I developed hyperacusis. What's really stood out is this intermittent, high-pitched yet hollow sounding noise I'd get every time I wore headphones in the lead up, would pop in often out of nowhere for some months after, and is now very rare. But it's been so long since I wore headphones, especially like how I did before the hyperacusis appeared, that it might have basically been both- an exacerbation of the persistent tinnitus and a greatly increased frequency in the echoey, short-term tinnitus.

The former is something I think I've always had though, since I was very young, but has been pretty noticeable the past 15 minutes or so.

Will look into resources posted tomorrow though, and yeah, never, ever doing something like that again.

Also, what privileges do I need to be able to PM someone, or even reply to a conversation started with me?

 

Yes, that is tinnitus. Very mild tinnitus like this is not uncommon. I don't agree with your ENT that everyone has it from birth, though.

 

I have tried sound therapy, so I am aware of what it is. For me, it is clearly a method that some doctors want to sell as a "treatment" without any scientific basis behind. Moreover, it is a method that works to a very limited extent with severe cases of hyperacusis.

 

It does have a basis in science. Jastreboff's model is based entirely off of already existing science, and the studies I posted were conducted using the scientific method.

Sound therapy and counselling are effective (to a degree) as treatments, whether you believe they are or not. Some of the problems with sound therapy include ineffectiveness in a subset of individuals and lack of long term follow up. But neither of those things would suggest that it is a scam that takes advantage of natural healing through the passage of time.