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<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTo understand how your brain is responsible for hearing, let\u2019s take a look at how auditory processing works<\/a>. The ear is made up of three parts \u2013 the outer, middle and inner ear. Sound waves enter the outer ear and are funneled through the middle ear to the inner ear, where vibrations stimulate tiny hair cells in the cochlea<\/a>. These hair cells transmit the electrical impulses generated as a result of this movement to the brain via the auditory nerve, where they are translated into sounds we can identify. The brain is able to discriminate relevant sounds from background noise, filtering out unimportant and distracting sounds so we can concentrate on what we are listening to. The brain also amplifies the volume of our own speech, boosting the sounds we make to enable us to hear our own voices clearly.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Think of it this way: the ears are a delivery system, but the brain is the true workhorse, responsible for turning a jumble of noise into coherent messaging.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Just as the brain is responsible for hearing, it also must take some of the blame when it comes to auditory processing disorders<\/a>. The ears may still deliver electrical signals as normal, but the brain can have trouble processing them into recognizable sounds. This often occurs as a result of aging, structural abnormalities or untreated hearing loss that causes auditory deprevation. Changes in auditory processing can make it difficult for patients with hearing loss to understand sounds, even when treating their impairment with amplification (hearing aids).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHearing Loss, Tinnitus & The Brain<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n