Auditory hypersensitivity

Auditory hypersensitivity is a general term for heightened responses to some kinds of sounds, including responses of discomfort or distress. Most people find certain sounds annoying or uncomfortable, such as squeaky chairs or thumping music from cars, but at clinical levels auditory hypersensitivity can involve unusually negative reactions to sounds that others would consider ordinary or tolerable. The source states that it can restrict a person's ability to take part in everyday activities and that it is associated with poorer quality of life and with mental health problems. The Medicine Atlas records it as an umbrella description of a group of sound sensitivities rather than a single diagnosis, and offers no medical advice.