As the father of two deaf sons and the author of a book on the history of cochlear implants, I thought I knew a bit about hearing problems. I was still shocked by an e-mail I received some months ago.

For most of us, the hum of a refrigerator, the clatter of plates or a nearby conversation are just background noise. But for some, these sounds are uncomfortable, distressing or even painful.

A recently published study examined the occurrence of hyperacusis in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Results showed a statistically higher prevalence of hyperacusis in ...