How Humans Prefer Pitch And Music When Hearing

It is more or less easy to predict what kind of movies will please most of the public, and it is not complicated to do the same with books or video games. However, with music it seems that this does not happen so much: we all have musical pieces in mind that, although they do not look anything like what we usually prefer to hear, they catch us. That is why it is interesting that favourite songs, in all their variety, produce a similar effect on the brain of the listener. In fact, music can define, in a way, how we are and how we think as there are different ways human prefer pitch and music when hearing.

What happens in our brain when we listen to our favourite music?

Specifically, strong electrical connections are established between the auditory areas of the brain and the hippocampus, a part related to memory and emotionality. That means that the neuronal processes that a Beethoven fan experiences are very similar to those that occur in the head of an AC/DC fan when both are listening to what they like, no matter how different the vibrations reach the eardrums.

The finding would also help explain why completely different pieces of music can trigger very similar emotional states in different people and the role of music in remembering memories. In addition, it is further evidence of how closely related memories and emotions are when recovering them.

However, the fundamental findings on the study of “how humans prefer pitch and music when hearing” is that it shows how our brain is able to turn around any series of sound stimuli to awaken moods to some extent unpredictable, related to the listener's musical taste. In this sense, it has also been seen that we are able to make music something pleasant by identifying ourselves with what we hear by relating it to our memories and thus helping to give them a satisfactory meaning or use it to better regulate our emotions.

Of course, every moment has its potential "ideal music" and we probably would not get the same results if we force someone to listen to their favourite song longer than desired, for example, or at a time when they don't feel like listening to anything.

However, in most cases there seems to be the paradox that very complex and changing processes (the adaptation of the brain for the enjoyment of virtually any musical piece) result in a stereotypical and predictable activation pattern. It is a test of the brain's ability to reach the same results from different starting situations, and memory plays a fundamental role in this process.

Beyond the laboratory experiments, it is clear that the sensation of listening to music of our liking is unique and to some extent indescribable. However, if we lift the hood of our nervous system and observe what happens in it during this experience, we will realize that after such subjective sensations there is a network of neurons acting meaningfully.

Do you find yourself struggling to listen to lyrics/words or do you find it hard to listen to certain pitches over others? At Attune Hearing, our Audiologists can conduct a Full Diagnostic Hearing Test to determine exactly where your hearing difficulties lie. Call on 1300 736 702 or visit the website today to get back to listening to your favourite sounds again.

Can hearing loss cause headaches?

Headaches are a common occurrence for many people, however very few of us pay attention to a headache when we experience it. Headaches can be a sign of serious problems and conditions, but it can also be associated with stress, tension, lack of sleep and hearing loss. However, if the headache feels extreme, this is a very alarming symptom. The frequency and intensity of a headache may indicate cerebral aneurysm, cerebral haemorrhage or sensorineural hearing loss. If a headache attack occurs for the first time before the age of 5 years or older than 50 – it could be an early sign of a brain tumour. If increased pain occurs with coughing, a change in body position, then this is possibly the result of increased intracranial pressure.

If a severe headache is accompanied by impaired sensitivity and weakness in the arms and/or legs, smoothing of the nasolabial folds and other neurological symptoms - this indicates a violation of the blood circulation in the brain, that is, a stroke. In addition, headaches may also occur due to the frequent use of pain medications. If a person experiences sudden hearing loss, fainting that does not disappear within a few minutes, this may indicate a brain tumour, which in the worst-case presses on the auditory nerve. It is also one of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis or impending stroke, which leads to multiple forms of headaches.

Patients suffering from sensorineural hearing loss are more likely to suffer from tension-type headaches, the most common, which is caused by excess tension in areas of the head and neck, according to a study by the Department of Otolaryngology at the Taipei Hospital (Taiwan). Research conducted by the Swiss journal Audiology & Neuro-Otology analysed the presence of tension headaches in 4,683 patients with diagnosed hearing loss. The results of the study carried out showed that five per cent of those analysed suffered from tension headaches due to their hearing deficit or hearing loss.

The headaches, especially sudden, are among the first signs of hearing loss. Hearing loss does not only affect the elderly or those affected by noise. It can also appear due to certain diseases - such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension - that can accelerate the process of reducing the ability to listen, causing negative consequences for the health of the affected such as severe headaches for instance migraines.

In addition, tinnitus, ringing in the ears, affects about 15% of the population and can quickly become very restrictive in everyday life. Tinnitus is noise (in most cases subjective) that a person can hear, either temporarily or continuously. They can take the form of buzzing, squeaking, snoring or whistling. Tinnitus can cause migraines, headaches and symptoms are often accompanied by dizziness. Most of the time, tinnitus is due to excessive exposure to noise, hearing loss, head trauma or inflammation of the inner ear nerves.

Is your hearing loss giving you headaches? Come into one of our Attune clinics today and speak with one of our highly-qualified Audiologists for solutions. Book on 1300 736 702.