1.3 study guide

Oval Window

Membrane between the middle and inner ear.

Tympanic Membrane

Separates the outer ear from the middle ear and directs sound to ossicles.

Auricle/Pinna

Cupped structure that directs sound waves into the ear canal.

Semicircular Canals

Filled with fluid and lined with cilia, helping with balance.

Ossicles

Three bones (malleus, incus, stapes) in the middle ear that transmit sound vibrations.

External Auditory Meatus

Tube that directs sound into the eardrum.

Auditory Tube (Eustachian Tube)

Maintains pressure and drains secretions from the ear.

Cochlea

Transforms vibrations into neural signals and connects to the cochlear nerve.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Permanent hearing loss caused by damage to hair cells in the cochlea or neural pathways.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Temporary hearing loss often caused by blockages or damage to the outer or middle ear.

Frequency

How rapidly sound waves vibrate each second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Amplitude

Amount of energy in the wave, measured in decibels (dB), determining loudness.

Rinne Test

A hearing test that uses a tuning fork to measure air(next to ear) and bone (below ear)conduction.

Audiograms

Tests that graph thresholds of hearing ability, indicating types of hearing loss.

Cochlear Implants

Devices for people with moderate to severe hearing loss, converting sound into electrical impulses. (transfer sounds into a digital code through a sound processor, and from there the digital coding is turned into electrical impulses that are transmitted to the cochlear nerve when the electrodes stimulate the nerve)

Pros of Cochlear Implants

Allows better hearing than a hearing aid and improves focus in noisy environments.

Cons of Cochlear Implants

May be ineffective in older patients and can diminish Deaf culture.

Speech in noise test

Play someone speaking and have the patient identify it, then blur the sound with other noises and detect how well they can hear. Can detect sensorineural hearing loss, but not the extent.