A systematic review on sound-based therapy for individuals with hyperacusis

Hyperacusis is marked by an abnormal sensitivity to everyday sounds, causing considerable distress and hindrance in daily life. It is frequently linked with other hearing disorders like tinnitus and may occur alongside neurological and psychiatric conditions such as autism, migraines, and depression. Recent research into hyperacusis treatment has explored various sound therapy methods, including counselling and the use of therapeutic sounds. Consequently, the current systematic review investigated whether sound-based therapy programs could alleviate the effects of hyperacusis. A total of 149 articles were retained for this study. After a thorough examination of the full text of the 14 articles that satisfied the inclusion criteria, nine quantitative studies were ultimately selected. These comprised one retrospective study, three studies comparing pre- and post-intervention outcomes, three randomized controlled trials, and two case studies. These nine studies collectively demonstrated that sound generator therapy significantly reduced the debilitating symptoms of hyperacusis, with all investigations reporting substantial symptomatic improvement post-intervention. Collectively, the nine studies demonstrated significant therapeutic benefits of sound generator interventions in reducing hyperacusis-related disability. However, the current evidence base would benefit from further randomized controlled trials to more comprehensively evaluate the clinical efficacy of sound-based treatments for this condition.