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 Hearing Loss |
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Two ears are better than one Why do we have two ears? Much like having two eyes helps us to see all around us, having two ears helps us locate sound in time and space. Balanced or binaural hearing is vital to your ability to locate where a sound is coming from. The brain instinctively locates a sound's source by measuring the tiny differences in duration and intensity in the way each ear hears the sound. For example, when you're crossing a street, the sound of an approaching car reaches the closer ear a fraction of a second before the other ear, and at a higher intensity. These differences are translated by the brain, allowing you to recognize the sound's direction and distance from you. Two ears also help you to focus in on desired sounds and ignore sounds you're not interested in hearing. With two inputs, the brain can select a specific sound and concentrate on it. A common example is a cocktail party setting, where you may overhear your name and shift your attention to a conversation other than the one you're involved in. Hearing in stereo also gives a fuller quality to sound. For all these reasons, we've evolved with two ears. That's why, for those with a binaural hearing loss, two hearing aids are often recommended.
Information provided by www.Starkey.com. Click here to link to a binaural hearing demonstration |
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