[Auditory training with wide-band white noise: effects on the pain threshold and pure tone thresholds]

The auditory training with wide-band white noise is a methodology for the qualitative recovery of the hearing loss in people suffering from sensorineural hearing loss. It is based on the application of a wide-band white modified noise. In a prospective study, we have assessed the modifications of the total auditory threshold (UAt), the conversational auditory threshold (UAc), and the pain threshold (Ud) in a sample of 48 patients, who have followed a program of 15 auditory training with wide-band white noise sessions. The average improvements of the variables expressed in percentage are 0.78% for the UAt, 0.64% for the UAc, and 5.31% for the Ud. From our results, it can be deduced that the auditory training with wide-band white noise does not modify the pure tone thresholds, but it moves the pain threshold towards higher intensities, enlarging the dynamic auditory field.