If you have inner ear hearing loss, you may find that some sounds seem much louder than they actually are. This is known as loudness recruitment.

People with loudness recruitment have a much smaller range of comfortable hearing. Quiet sounds, such as someone speaking softly, may be difficult to hear. But as the volume increases, sounds can suddenly become uncomfortably loud or even painful.

For example, you might struggle to hear someone talking across the room, but then find the clatter of dishes, traffic or a slamming door surprisingly loud. This can make busy cafés, restaurants and family gatherings particularly tiring, as your ears are trying to cope with a wide range of sounds at once.

What causes loudness recruitment?

Loudness recruitment is commonly associated with sensorineural hearing loss, which occurs when the delicate hair cells inside the inner ear (cochlea) become damaged.

These tiny hair cells normally help the brain detect changes in volume. When some of them are damaged, soft sounds may not be detected at all. However, once a sound becomes loud enough to stimulate the remaining healthy hair cells, it can seem to “jump” from barely audible to uncomfortably loud.

Can loudness recruitment be treated?

While the damage to the inner ear can’t usually be reversed, loudness recruitment can often be managed very effectively.

Modern hearing aids are designed to make quiet sounds easier to hear without simply making everything louder. Instead, they use the latest sound processing technology to keep louder sounds within a comfortable listening range.

At Resonate Health, we include ReSound Vivia™ 9 devices in our hearing aid subscription service. These hearing aids can compress sounds within specific frequency ranges that are uncomfortable for you. This means everyday sounds may be clearer and more balanced, helping you hear conversations while reducing discomfort from sudden loud noises.

If you’d like to learn more about how modern hearing aids work, our comprehensive guide to hearing aids covers all of the basics. You may also find our articles on noise exposure and hearing loss when listening to music helpful.

Browse our Hearing Health articles for more information about protecting and understanding your hearing.