Audio therapy

People who suffer from sudden hearing loss or hearing impairment face many challenges. They have to learn to live with these limitations, reorganise their daily lives, adapt the way they communicate and, as a rule, learn to use a new hearing aid.

Specialised audiotherapy is available to support those affected in these situations. Below, you can find out more about treatment options, the therapy process, cost coverage and much more.

What is audiotherapy?

Audiotherapy, also known as hearing therapy, is a form of therapy that focuses on managing hearing loss and restoring hearing ability in people with hearing impairments.

It can be used preventatively, alongside medical treatments, or as a complement to technical aids such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.

The aim of audiotherapy is, on the one hand, to help those affected cope with their new life situation - such as hearing loss or new hearing aids - through education, counselling and practical support, whilst at the same time improving hearing, comprehension and communication as far as possible.

This requires the active involvement of those affected, who can gradually improve their hearing ability through various exercises and hearing training. These include, for example, exercises

to recognise speech patterns, strategies for communicating in noisy environments, using technical hearing aids, coping strategies for tinnitus and many other areas.

Psychosocial support for those affected can also form part of audiotherapy.

Who offers audiotherapy?

Specialists in audiotherapy, known as audiotherapists, can be found in various fields such as medicine and hearing aid acoustics, self-help, psychology and audiology.

Audiotherapy is offered, for example, by ENT doctors or in rehabilitation clinics, by hearing aid acousticians, audiologists, speech therapists or freelance audiotherapists. The term “audiotherapy” is not a protected term and is not a direct professional title. The qualification is obtained through further training courses offered, for example, by the German Association for the Hard of Hearing (Deutscher Schwerhörigenbund e.V.) or the European Union for Hearing Care (Europäische Union für Hörakustik e.V.) for experienced hearing aid acousticians.

Audiotherapy can take place in both individual sessions and group sessions.

How does audiotherapy work?

Audiotherapy encompasses a range of different treatment methods and techniques, which are used depending on the target group and individual situation. In addition to diagnosis and assessment, counselling, education and psychosocial support, these include, amongst other things, hearing and communication training, noise coping, tinnitus management and coping therapy (TRT), as well as the use of technical hearing aids.

Diagnosis and assessment

The diagnosis and assessment of hearing problems is usually carried out by an ENT specialist. They can correctly classify the symptoms and determine the appropriate treatment. To support this, audiotherapists can carry out various tests to determine hearing ability or assess speech intelligibility.

Counselling, education and psychosocial support

It is particularly important that those affected are informed about hearing loss and its potential consequences, as well as topics such as hearing impairment and hearing difficulties. Comprehensive counselling highlights appropriate treatment options and can help them make informed decisions and receive the best possible support. It should also help them develop acceptance and a realistic self-image, and on this basis, devise individual coping strategies.

Together with the audiotherapist, prospects for personal and professional life are also explored, and coping strategies for managing the situation are developed.

Relatives of people with hearing loss can also be informed about these topics during an audiotherapy consultation and receive important advice on how to support those affected.

Hearing and communication training

Hearing and communication training comprise a wide range of exercises designed to help people with hearing loss improve their hearing on the one hand, and to facilitate interaction in everyday life on the other.

For example, patients receive training in auditory training and noise management. This includes exercises for distinguishing and perceiving sounds and noises, such as directional hearing or distinguishing between sounds, as well as speech comprehension in noisy environments, and exercises for desensitisation in cases of hyperacusis (noise sensitivity).

These hearing and speech exercises are designed to help improve the ability to understand spoken language in everyday situations.

In addition, hearing and communication training may include alternative communication methods such as lip-reading, sign language or the use of written communication tools.

Using technical hearing aids

Another important part of audiotherapy is training in the use of technical hearing aids. People who require a hearing aid or, for example, a cochlear implant due to hearing impairment or hearing loss learn more about the options and differences between hearing systems, as well as how to use them, as part of their audiotherapy. They also learn about and how to use other assistive devices and apps.

Tinnitus management

Tinnitus management is also one of the typical tasks of audiotherapy. In addition to various relaxation techniques to reduce stress and the perception of tinnitus, this includes what is known as Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT). This is a combination of audiological counselling and therapeutic training aimed at minimising the ringing in the ears associated with tinnitus.

Who can benefit from audiotherapy?

In principle, audiotherapy is beneficial for anyone with hearing loss.

However, the scope and specific treatment strategies must be defined on an individual basis, depending on the patient or target group, to take into account the specific needs and life situations of those affected - from older to younger people, from mild hearing problems to severe hearing loss, from chronic to sudden hearing loss, and from tinnitus patients to hearing aid users.

If you are unsure whether and how you might benefit from audiotherapy, it is best to consult your ENT specialist.

The Audiotherapy Process

The course of audiotherapy is tailored to the individual, i.e. based on the patient’s underlying hearing impairment, the hearing aid in use, etc.

However, as a rule, an initial consultation with the audiotherapist always takes place first. Following the anamnesis - that is, a detailed review of the patient’s medical history - a diagnosis is made. Based on this, treatment options and the content of the therapy are defined and discussed, and an individual treatment plan is drawn up, setting out the shared short- and long-term therapy goals.

This treatment plan forms the basis for the subsequent therapy sessions, the hearing and communication training, which can take place individually or as group therapy.

During audiotherapy, progress is regularly documented and assessed, and exercises are adapted accordingly. Ongoing support and regular follow-up appointments are designed to ensure the success of the therapy, with the aim of optimising hearing ability in the long term and continuing the therapy if necessary.

Costs of audiotherapy

Just like the therapy itself, the costs of audiotherapy vary from person to person. As a rule, the price for an hour of audiotherapy is around 40 euros. However, prices depend, among other things, on the audiotherapist, the duration of the therapy, the type of therapy (e.g. individual or group sessions) and the specific content.

The costs of audiotherapy are usually not covered by statutory health insurance, or only in isolated cases. One reason for this is that audiotherapy is not always recognised as necessary medical treatment, but is regarded as a complementary measure. You should therefore ideally enquire with your health insurance provider about possible subsidies before starting therapy.