Tomatis Method and the Treatment of Tinnitus
According to Dr.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.
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.