How You Hear
Hearing with Your Brain
A child is calling from across the street.
Someone is knocking at the door.
A car is honking its horn. In situations like these how do you know what these sounds are or which way to look? The world of sound is rich and complex. Humans have an amazing ability to sort through rapidly changing information and automatically make sense of what is happening. Think of your hearing as a system-your two ears and your brain-constantly taking in a wide variety of cues. Our hearing system can automatically, unconsciously and effortlessly identify sounds and locate where they are coming from. Actually it is accurate to think of your brain as the center of hearing and listening. To interpret sounds correctly, the information your brain receives must be as accurate and as detailed as possible.
Hearing with Two Ears - Makes Conversation Easier
When we are listening in challenging environments, locating where sound is coming from is what makes it work. We mentally locate sounds in specific positions and then focus on what's important.
Sounds reach one ear fractionally faster and louder than the other- and the brain registers these subtle differences. When hearing is normal, the ears are balanced and so is the sound picture.
Using Both Ears Keeps them "In Shape"
If you have a hearing loss in both ears but decide only to wear one instrument in the ear that needs it the most, the ear that is deprived of stimulation might get even lazier. This condition is known as "auditory deprivation", and the only way to combat it is by keeping both ears active.
Very often the hearing health care specialist will recommend two hearing instruments. This is known as a "binaural" fitting. The reason being, when sound is provided to both ears the brain functions more as nature intended.
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