The Listening
Therapy successfully treats:
Tinnitus
According to Prof. Tomatis one of the many
functions of the middle ear is the ability to select what one wants
to hear or not. Thanks to the middle ear we can decide when we want
to listen to only one instrument in the orchestra, in so doing -shut
off the rest. Similarly when in a noisy environment for any length
of time, we can shut off all the noise around us and concentrate
on a one to one conversation. Often with age, or hearing disorders,
people's ears have difficulties in " shutting out" various
sounds. Such people are in fact invaded by parasite external sounds.
Tomatis says that the middle ear not only cuts off external sounds
but also the inner sounds of the body. There is an astonishing number
of sounds in the body: Liquid movement, blood circulation, heart
beating, breathing, chewing, molecule movement..
Tomatis's hypothesis is that some Tinnitus appears
when the two muscles in the middle ear (hammer and stirrup) become
tired or damaged, therefore one starts to hear one's own inner sounds.
When this is the case, it is shown on a Listening Test graph or '
profile ' as a more or less important drop in the higher frequency
range. This drop is relatively common among people affected by noise
trauma such as those in the military, hunters, factory workers or
older opera singers. In the elderly, such a profile is generally
attributed to the normal ageing process but it is most unusual for
adults in their mid-thirties or forties who were never exposed to
loud noise or have no family history of hearing loss.
However, there is also a striking number of professionals
in high-pressure jobs who present this specific listening profile
- also called the ' Executive Ear'. It is no coincidence that Tinnitus
is often related to high blood pressure associated with stress. " Too
much is too much " also applies to listening which can be affected
by overwork and continuous pressure. Attention span starts to fluctuate,
one becomes fidgety and distracted during meetings, mood swings are
more drastic and decisions are made impulsively. The levels of energy
start to drop, but one is too busy to pay attention to it. Listening
becomes more and more selective, narrow, rigid and tiring. Some people
may even start to have a nervous break-down or suffer from other
depressive conditions.
Optimistically life has endless resources and, with
some help, recovery is possible. The Listening Therapy will re-train
the ear to re-charge itself with an improved use of the high frequencies,
releasing at the same time many inner tensions and giving a new and
necessary desire to open up.
Case Study: Ian's
Story
Case Study: Paul's
Story
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