- slide 1 of 8
Misophonia is a disorder that causes the sufferer to have an extreme hate of certain sounds. The particularly despised sounds vary with patients, but the common component is that hearing the sounds invokes feelings of
- slide 1 of 8
Misophonia is a disorder that causes the sufferer to have an extreme hate of certain sounds. The particularly despised sounds vary with patients, but the common component is that hearing the sounds invokes feelings of anxiety, despair and rage. Common sounds about which misophonia sufferers complain are chewing, scratching, sniffling and tapping, among others.
Misophonia is thought to be a neurological condition where the auditory system in the brain processes sounds incorrectly. The auditory system processes normally harmless sounds as signs of danger and therefore invokes a "fight or flight" response in the sufferer, where the person gets an urge to escape the source of the sound that is nearly impossible to fight. In addition, the auditory system processes the offending sound as louder than it actually is, making it more noticeable to the sufferer. It is as if the ear drum is the radio and the auditory system is the volume control dial, with the volume stuck on the highest setting.
Why only certain sounds invoke a misophonia response is not completely understood. One theory is that the sufferer has noise sensitivities to certain tones only. Sounds that are at the same tone to which the person is sensitive, invoke a misophonia response. This theory is based on the fact that some misohphonia sufferers also have hyperacusis, which is a disorder where the auditory system amplifies sounds picked up by the ears.
The most commonly accepted treatment for misohponia is tinnitus retraining therapy. Dr. Jastreboff developed the tinnitus retraining therapy protocol to treat misophonia, utilizing in-the-ear broadband noise generators to retrain the auditory system to become less sensitive to sounds.
- slide 2 of 8
Sensory Processing Disorder
Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD, is a neurological condition where the brain misinterprets information taken in by the senses. The disorder is commonly seen in people with autism, but is also seen in those who are not autistic. Sensory processing disorder can affect one or more of the senses, including hearing, smell, vision, touch, balance, sense of space, sense of time and movement. People with sensory processing disorder can be hypersensitive or hyposensitive to stimuli.
Sensory processing disorder is treated with occupational therapy, which utilizes activities to help the neurological system integrate with the senses so that it can properly process information. The activities in occupational therapy are designed specifically for patients, based on their particular symptoms. For example, an occupational therapist may have a patient who is hypersensitive to the feeling of clothing touching her skin, touch various textured objects to accustom the brain to processing various types of tactical stimuli. Or a patient who has trouble with balance may sit on a swing during occupational therapy. Occupational therapy is carried out in a way that feels comfortable for the patient. Activies are altered when necessary, in order to ensure a positive experience that stays within the patient's comfort zone.
In the case of noise sensitivities, a form of occupational therapy called listening therapy is used. Listening therapy aims to integrate the auditory and vestibular systems together by exposing the patient to various sounds, usually through music therapy.
- slide 3 of 8
Similarities Between Misophonia and Sensory Processing Disorder
Misophonia only causes noise sensitivities, while sensory processing disorder can cause sensitivities in one or more senses. Since it is possible for sensory processing disorder to only affect the sense of hearing, though, is it possible that misophonia is indeed a sensory processing disorder or a subtype of sensory processing disorder? When asked about the possibility of a link between misophonia and sensory processing disorder, Dr. Schoen, assistant director of SPD Foundation Research and the clinical services advisor of the STAR Center, responded, "Individuals with sensory processing disorder typically have impairments in more than one sensory system. Clearly the behavioral manifestations of individuals with misophonia appear similar to those with sensory over-responsivity in the auditory domain. At the present time, the biological mechanisms and implicated structures for SPD and misophonia are not wel