Phonophobia

What it means

An abnormally heightened sensitivity to loud sounds.

Hyperacusis refers to a general hypersensitivity to sound of any frequency, and phonophobia to an anxious sensitivity towards specific sound largely independent of its volume. Hyperacusis and phonophobia represent disturbances of central auditory processing without peripheral pathology, often combined with psychosomatic reactions. Phonophobia is generally used to refer to discomfort caused by loud sounds rather than 'fear' of sounds as the etymology of the word might suggest.

Rare diseases that can present with this5

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category