Track your sound sensitivity

Hyperacusis or general sound sensitivity can be a sign of nervous system overload or an incoming migraine. Knowing your limits helps you manage your sensory environment effectively.

Why track this symptom?

  • Track sensitivity spikes in different environments (work vs. home).
  • Identify the threshold at which sound becomes painful or stressful.
  • Check if sound sensitivity correlates with fatigue or stress peaks.

How Trace Health helps

When the world feels too loud, Trace Health provides a quiet, efficient way to log your state. Build a history of your sensory health and use it to set healthy boundaries in your daily life.

Common causes

Sound sensitivity often accompanies migraines, appearing as part of the aura phase or during headaches. Hyperacusis can result from acoustic trauma, ear infections, or conditions like Ménière's disease affecting inner ear function. Neurological conditions including concussion, autism spectrum disorders, and anxiety disorders commonly involve sound sensitivity. Certain medications, particularly those affecting the central nervous system, can heighten auditory sensitivity.

When to see a doctor

Seek medical attention if sound sensitivity appears suddenly, causes actual pain rather than discomfort, or occurs with hearing loss or tinnitus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I log about sound sensitivity?

Record which sounds are problematic, severity of discomfort, associated symptoms like headache or anxiety, time of day, and your stress and sleep levels. Note if it occurs alongside other sensory sensitivities.

How does sound sensitivity tracking help my doctor?

Sound sensitivity can relate to migraine, hyperacusis, anxiety, or neurological conditions. Tracking when it occurs, which sounds trigger it, and what co-occurs helps your doctor direct the right specialist evaluation.

When should I seek help for sound sensitivity?

Seek help if sound sensitivity is worsening, causes pain, leads to significant avoidance behavior, or occurs with hearing changes. If it accompanies frequent headaches, it may be part of a migraine syndrome worth treating.

What's the most helpful way to log different types of sound sensitivity?

Note specific problematic sounds (sudden noises, continuous humming, high-pitched sounds) and rate your tolerance level. Track whether sensitivity is generalized or specific to certain frequencies. Include the environment context, as sensitivity often varies between quiet and already-noisy settings.

How can tracking sound sensitivity help identify if it's connected to my other symptoms?

Log sound sensitivity alongside headaches, anxiety levels, and sleep quality to identify clustering patterns. If sensitivity consistently precedes migraines or correlates with high stress days, this suggests central sensitization that may respond to specific treatments. Your doctor can use this pattern recognition to address underlying causes rather than just symptoms.

Your health data stays on your iPhone.

No account. Private. No personal information is ever requested. Your health data stays on your iPhone by default. A backup option to your private iCloud is available. Trace Health never collects or sells your health data.

What people say

Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 45+ ratings on the App Store.

  • “Ok so I try so hard to track symptoms but apple health doesn’t have a widget for that and it’s kind of a pain to track down every little thing… Now this app!!!! Everything is right there, there’s widgets, it’s fast and simple and syncs! I freaking love this app! I’m still playing with it so I haven’t seen if it has a “how are you feeling right now” feature but it is everything I have ever wanted the symptoms on health to be!” (grofica82, United States)
  • “This has given me a great tool to discuss my health issues with my doctor” (WVa Smitty, United States)

Read the complete guide: How to Track Sound Sensitivity: A Complete Guide →