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Why Our Two Ears Process Sound Differently

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.

A man asked:

Is there any difference between how our left and right ears hear and process sounds? I understand the process is different on the left and right side. Can you explain this?

Having two properly-functioning ears greatly improves our listening enjoyment and gives us more balanced hearing, especially when listening to music, or in small group situations. This is because our brains process different information from each of our ears. If we only have one properly-functioning ear, our brains only give us part of the message.

Our brains consist of two halves or hemispheres. The left side of our brain is the logical or the technical side. It gives us discrete pieces of information. The right side of our brain is the aesthetic side. It gives us our appreciation of beauty and our ability to recognize images and patterns of sound.

God wired our brains so that the sounds our right ears hear go mainly to the left side of our brains. There our brains interpret what a person is saying. The sounds our left ears hear go mainly to the right side of our brains. There our brains interpret how the person speaking means it. The two sides of our brains have many interconnecting links so they rapidly “talk” back and forth to each other as they are processing this information.

To be sure, some of the sound impulses from each ear travel to that same side of our brains. However most of the signals cross over to the other side of our brains. This extra information helps us hear and understand better. Thus we need both our ears to completely understand all sounds, speech and music.

For example, take the words “I love you.” Three simple words with a myriad of shades of meanings. Our right ear (and our left brain) would hear and interpret the actual words and analyze the context. Our left ear (and our right brain) would determine how we understand this message–whether sincere, sarcastic or casual.

When listening to music, we “hear” the sounds of the individual instruments of the orchestra in our right ear and “listen” to the blended beauty of the music itself with our left ear.

Therefore, only having one ear detracts from our ability to hear, understand and appreciate sound.

If you are hard of hearing, this is another reason why you need to wear hearing aids in both ears.

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Free Visor Cards

Learn about and/or download your free Visor Cards for hard of hearing or deaf people here.

Ototoxic Drugs Exposed

Ototoxic Drugs Exposed 3-volume set You don’t have to let drugs damage your ears leaving you with hearing loss, tinnitus, hyperacusis, ear pain, dizziness, vertigo or other ear problems. This book set reveals how you can greatly reduce your chances of getting these conditions.

Buy This 3-volume Set Now

Take Control of Your Tinnitus—Here’s How

If your ears ring, buzz, chirp, hiss, click or roar, you know just how annoying tinnitus can be. You do not have to put up with this racket for the rest of your life. This book teaches you many things you can do to help bring your tinnitus under your control so it no longer bothers you.

Learn More/Buy The Book Now

Sounds Now Too Loud for You?

Hypersensitive to Sound front coverIf some (or all) normal sounds seem so loud they “blow the top of your head off”, or make you wince or jump, or cause you headaches or ear pain, or affect your balance, or result in fear or annoyance of sounds so you feel you have to avoid these sounds, this book is for you!

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Hearing Phantom Sounds?

Phantom Voices Ethereal Music & Other Spooky SoundsWhen hard of hearing people begin hearing phantom voices or music, they immediately worry they are going crazy. It never crosses their minds that they are sane and are just experiencing Musical Ear syndrome.

Click here to learn more about the strange phantom sounds of Musical Ear syndrome and what you can do about them.

or Buy The Book Now

Don’t Suffer with Meniere’s Disease

Say Good Bye to Meniere's Disease book front cover If you have experienced Meniere’s Disease, you know it is no laughing matter. The good news is that you can get rid of it painlessly and per-manently when you follow the protocols laid out in this book.

Learn More/Buy The Book Now

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Center for Hearing Loss Help

Neil G. Bauman, Ph.D.
1013 Ridgeway Drive, Lynden,
WA 98264-1057 USA
Email: neil@hearinglosshelp.com
Phone: 360-778-1266 (M-F 9:00 AM-5:00 PM PST)

© 2025 Center for Hearing Loss Help – Help for your hearing loss, tinnitus and other ear conditions

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life [which also includes perfect hearing] through Jesus Christ our Lord." [Romans 6:23]

"But know this, in the last days perilous times will come" [2 Timothy 3:1]. "For there will be famines, pestilences, and [severe] earthquakes in various places" [Matthew 24:7], "distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring"—tsunamis, hurricanes—Luke 21:25, but this is good news if you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, for "when these things begin to happen, lift up your heads [and rejoice] because your redemption draws near" [Luke 21:28].