COMD 4700 - Basic Audiology Exam 2 Definitions

Ascending technique

A technique for estimation of pure tone hearing thresholds that begins at a level below a person's likely hearing threshold with presentation of stimulus sounds at progressively higher levels

Audiometric frequencies

The frequencies typically included in hearing testing including 250 H, 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, 4000 Hz, and 8000 Hz

Audiometric zero

A term used to describe 0 dB HL (hearing level) on an audiogram. The average hearing threshold for persons with entirely normal hearing sensitivity

Descending-ascending method

A procedure for estimating hearing threshold that involves repeating the process of decreasing sound levels in 10 dB steps until the patient doesn't hear the stimulus and then increasing the level in 5 dB level steps until the patient responds again

Distortional bone conduction

One of the three forms of bone conduction stimulation in which vibrations of the bones surrounding the cochlea are transmitted through cochlear fluids to hair cells

Inertial bone conduction

Bone conduction stimulation that is produced by the lag in movement between the vibrations of the bone surrounding the ear and the movement of the stapes in and out of the oval window

Osseotympanic bone conduction

One of the three mechanisms of bone conduction hearing. With [this], sound energy from vibrations of the skull produced in the external ear canal reaches the tympanic membrane and then activates the cochlea

Test-retest reliability

The agreement between results from one test to the next for the same patient under the same test conditions

Vibrotactile response

A sensation of feeling with the presentation of high intensity and low frequency bone conduction sounds.

Chief complaint

The patient's main reason for seeking services from a physician, an audiologist, a speech pathologist, or another health care provider

Differential diagnosis

The process of systematically reducing the number of explanations for the cause of a health problem like a hearing loss based on a review of the patient history and the analysis of findings for diagnostic tests

Early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI)

A term used to describe formal programs within the United States for newborn hearing screening, the diagnosis of infant hearing loss, and early intervention for infant hearing loss

Medical home

A patient centered model for health delivery involving a team led by a physician for comprehensive and continuous provision of health care

Standard of care

The level of health care and degree of prudence and caution required of a qualified individual

Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS)

Hearing screening of all babies in a defined area (e.g., state, province, country)

Air-bone gap (ABG)

The difference in decibels (dB) between air conduction and bone hearing thresholds of 10 dB or more. Air conduction thresholds are poorer than bone conduction thresholds at the same frequency in the same ear.

Bone-air gap

A statistically predictable test finding in which hearing thresholds with bone conduction stimulation are slightly greater (poorer) than hearing thresholds with air conduction stimulation

Configuration of hearing loss

The shape of an audiogram determined by how the degree of hearing loss changes as a function of the test frequency. Common ones are flat, rising, and sloping hearing losses

Degree of hearing loss

The extent or severity of a deficit in hearing thresholds. on an audiogram is often described with terms like mild, moderate, and severe

Flat (hearing loss configuration)

Hearing thresholds on an audiogram that are similar at different test frequencies

Pure tone audiometry

Measurement of hearing thresholds using pure tone signals

Pure tone average (PTA)

The average of hearing threshold levels in dB HL. This is usually at test frequencies of 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz. These frequencies are in the speech frequency region.

Rising (hearing loss configuration)

An audiogram configuration or shape with poorer hearing in the low frequencies improving to better hearing in the high frequency region. Often reflects a conductive hearing impairment when bone conduction hearing is normal.

Sloping (hearing loss configuration)

A term used in describing the configuration of a pure tone audiogram, that is, how hearing loss varies as a function of test frequency. shows progressively greater hearing loss for higher test frequencies. A common audiogram pattern, this is often associated with age related cochlear dysfunction.

Central masking

A change in hearing threshold in one ear associated with the presentation of masking noise to the opposite ear at a relatively low level that is not adequate to cross over to mask the test ear

Cross hearing

Stimulus sound presented to the test ear at a level exceeding the insulation provided by the head for air or bone conduction crosses over to and is detected in the non-test ear

Cross masking

Masking noise presented to the non-test ear is at a sufficiently high level to crossover to interfere with hearing in the test ear. Also called over-masking

Effective masking

The level of noise that is necessary to eliminate perception of or to mask any stimulus sound that reaches the non-test ear. Stimulus sound reaching the non-test ear at 20 dB HL is masked out with effective masking of at least 40 dB

Initial masking

The lowest level of noise presented to the non-test ear during masking. The level of [this] is equivalent to the hearing threshold in the non-test ear

Interaural attenuation (IA)

The isolation or attenuation produced by the head when sound is presented to one ear before it crosses over to the other (non-test ear). [this] is greater for insert earphones (at least 60 dB) than for supra-aural earphones (at least 40 dB). There is no [this] for bone conduction (0 dB).

Maximum masking

The highest intensity level of masking noise that can be presented to the non-test ear before the noise level exceeds inter-aural attention for the earphone and cross masking occurs and the test ear is affected by over-masking

Minimum masking

The lowest level of noise presented to the non-test ear that masks hearing and prevents detection of stimulus sound crossing over from the test to the non-test ear

Occlusion effect

Perception of increased loudness of a bone conducted tone stimulus when an ear is covered with an earphone or when the external auditory canal is occluded with an insert ear tip. [this] also occurs for patients with middle ear disorder and conductive hearing loss

Over-masking

When the level of masking noise presented to the non-test ear is sufficient to crossover to the test ear and interfere with detection of the stimulus sound

Transcranial hearing

Hearing sounds that travel across or around the head from one ear to the other. Mostly occurs via bone conduction from one ear to the cochlea on the other side

Under-masking

When the level of masking noise presented to the non-test ear is not adequate to prevent the test stimulus from being heard in the non-test ear