Uploaded May 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Hidden hearing loss or acquired central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is characterized by greater than normal difficulty understanding speech in a noisy environment, for example a loud restaurant… But all hearing tests come back normal. This condition is due to the brain having difficulty separating out relevant speech from other competing sounds whether random noise versus multiple speakers. There is nothing wrong with the ear itself and its ability to hear sounds. The problem is the brain. The analogous engineering concept is that the brain’s signal to noise processor is not working very well.
One way to improve if not resolve this hearing difficulty is through musical or double audiobook ear training. The double audiobook training will be described here (0:41).
Step 1. Start audiobook A which is the audiobook you would like to focus on. Have it turned up to a comfortable listening volume.
Step 2. Start audiobook B. This is the audiobook you want to ignore. Adjust the volume such that you are just starting to struggle to understand what audiobook A is stating.
Step 3. Listen to audiobook A while ignoring audiobook B for 30 minutes or longer. Do this twice a day.
Step 4. In about 1-2 weeks, you should be able to easily listen and understand audiobook A with minimal mental effort. When this happens, turn the volume of audiobook B up high enough that you begin to have trouble understanding audiobook B again. The volume of audiobook A is kept the same.
Step 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 through several cycles over the next few months. Once you reach a point where the volume of audiobook B is 50% or greater than audiobook A, your hidden hearing loss would be considered resolved.
To truly challenge yourself, you can repeat the same cycles, but add 3 or more audiobooks playing simultaneously!
Video created by Dr. Christopher Chang:
FauquierENT.net
Still haven’t subscribed to Fauquier ENT on YouTube? ►► bit.ly/35SazwA
#capd #hiddenhearingloss #auditoryprocessing
Hidden hearing loss or acquired central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is characterized by greater than normal difficulty understanding speech in a noisy environment, for example a loud restaurant… But all hearing tests come back normal. This condition is due to the brain having difficulty separating out relevant speech from other competing sounds whether random noise versus multiple speakers. There is nothing wrong with the ear itself and its ability to hear sounds. The problem is the brain. The analogous engineering concept is that the brain’s signal to noise processor is not working very well.
One way to improve if not resolve this hearing difficulty is through musical or double audiobook ear training. The double audiobook training will be described here (0:41).
Step 1. Start audiobook A which is the audiobook you would like to focus on. Have it turned up to a comfortable listening volume.
Step 2. Start audiobook B. This is the audiobook you want to ignore. Adjust the volume such that you are just starting to struggle to understand what audiobook A is stating.
Step 3. Listen to audiobook A while ignoring audiobook B for 30 minutes or longer. Do this twice a day.
Step 4. In about 1-2 weeks, you should be able to easily listen and understand audiobook A with minimal mental effort. When this happens, turn the volume of audiobook B up high enough that you begin to have trouble understanding audiobook B again. The volume of audiobook A is kept the same.
Step 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 through several cycles over the next few months. Once you reach a point where the volume of audiobook B is 50% or greater than audiobook A, your hidden hearing loss would be considered resolved.
To truly challenge yourself, you can repeat the same cycles, but add 3 or more audiobooks playing simultaneously!
Video created by Dr. Christopher Chang:
FauquierENT.net
Still haven’t subscribed to Fauquier ENT on YouTube? ►► bit.ly/35SazwA
#capd #hiddenhearingloss #auditoryprocessing
