Conductive hearing loss refers to any disorder in the sound transmission system in the middle ear, which includes both bones and muscles. Sometimes surgery is required to rectify the problem. Auditory processing therapy can be used after an operation, as any surgery requires post-operative rehabilitation.

Sensorineural hearing loss refers to damage which has occurred inside the inner ear. Loud or prolonged noise flattens the fine, hair-like sensor cells (called "cilia") in the inner ear, which means they can't pick up sound vibrations anymore. This prevents the sound from reaching the auditory nerve. A diagnosis of nerve deafness does not necessarily mean that the nerve is damaged and it may be that the cilia have been flattened.

There are many contributing causes to hearing problems. Some of the more common ones include:

• Cochlear damage due to prolonged exposure to loud noise ("noise induced hearing loss" or "industrial deafness").
• Lack of high frequency sound to stimulate the ear.
• Lack of good muscle tone in the middle ear, caused by stress or poor diet.
• Poor central auditory processing (see Cocktail Party Syndrome)
• Psychological factors - inability to resolve personal issues and communicate.
• Otosclerosis - overgrowth of the cochlear bone which results in fusing the stapes to the cochlea.

Sound therapy was first developed by Dr Alfred Tomatis (1920 - 2001), a French Ear, Nose & Throat specialist, who in 1946 developed his own branch of research known as audio-psycho-phonology, which bridges medicine, psychology, music therapy, speech therapy, and special education. Some people still use the term "sound therapy" while others now call it "auditory processing therapy."

Auditory Processing Therapy Exercises Ear Muscles

Whether congenital or acquired, physical or emotional, hearing may improve through auditory processing therapy. The middle ear contains two tiny muscles - the tensor tympani and the stapedius - which play an active role in the functioning of the ear. Lack of tone and flexibility in these muscles means that the ear loses its ability to recognise certain frequencies of sound, so these sounds never reach the inner ear.

The alternating high and low frequencies of auditory processing therapy like the Listening Program cause the ear muscles to repeatedly tense and relax. This exercise restores muscle tone and improves the functioning of the whole ear mechanism.

The low frequency sounds are progressively removed and the high frequency sounds are augmented. These high frequencies stimulate the cilia. Where the cilia have been flattened by too much noise, the high frequency sound stimulates them to return to their upright position. This restores one's hearing in the high frequencies.

Early in his research, Dr Tomatis discovered that the results of hearing tests varied greatly depending on the subject's motivation to demonstrate a good or bad level of hearing. He discovered a voluntary, though unconscious, element to our ability to hear.

Hearing is sometimes closed down to some extent for psychological reasons. auditory processing therapy encourages resolution of psychological issues by reintroducing high frequency sound and re-creating the pre-birth experience of sound. When done in conjunction with psyschotherapy, auditory processing therapy is even more powerful. As the psychological issues are resolved, one can allow oneself to open to the full range of hearing.

Auditory processing therapy offers a great alternative for treating hearing loss as it:

• assists with hearing in a noisy room, whereas hearing aids often make this worse
• tunes up high frequency hearing, making speech comprehension easier
• is a natural approach, improving the body's own function rather than compensating with a device
• may eliminate or delay the need for hearing aids in mild cases of hearing loss