Lecture 1 - Introduction to Audiology

Covers Lectures 1

Hearing-impaired

An identification term preferred by government and some people with hearing loss, might be seen in more formal documents

Hard of hearing

An identification term where the person has different levels of hearing and ways of communicating (usually spoken language), probably still using spoken language but hard of hearing

Oral deaf

An identification term signifying severe-to-profound hearing loss, communicates with spoken language

Deafened

An identification term where the person has lived for some amount of time with typical acoustic hearing, then experienced severe hearing loss; postlingual deafness

deaf (lower case d)

Refers to the level of hearing loss. Usually severe

Deaf (upper case D)

Identifies a cultural group that has a shared sign language for communication

Cultural-linguistic model

A model which proports deafness as a societal construct and as a category of differentiation

Medical model

A model which strives to ‘fix’ people who are d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Social model

A model which states that society’s lack of access renders people disabled

Human rights model

A model which proports disability as a human rights issue

Economic model

A model which proports disability as a challenge to productivity

Charity model

A model which proports disability as victimhood

10%

This percentage of the general population is affected by hearing loss

Noise exposure

Largest compensated cause of occupational injury; prolonged exposure to intense sound with cause hearing loss

Aging

3rd most prevalent chronic condition in older adults

Air conduction

Sound travels outer ear —> middle ear —> inner ear (cochlea) —> auditory nerve —> brain

Bone conduction

Sound vibrates the skull —> inner ear —> auditory nerve —> brain

Conductive hearing loss

Type of hearing loss that is a disruption in outer/middle ear

Mixed hearing loss

Type of hearing loss that is a disruption in both conductive and sensorineural mechanisms

Sensorineural

Type of hearing loss that is a disruption in the cochlea and the auditory nerve

Interaural time difference (ITD)

The tiny difference in time when a sound wave arrives at each ear. If a sound is to your left, it hits your left ear a fraction of a millisecond before your right ear

Interaural level difference (ILD)

The difference in loudness (intensity) of a sound between the two ears. If a sound is to your right, it sounds louder in your right ear because your head blocks or weakens (attenuates) the sound wave heading to your left ear

Hearing aids

Devices that capture sound through a microphone, make it louder (amplify it), and send it through your ear canal

Bone-conducting device

Devices that turn sound into gentle vibrations. These vibrations travel through the skull bone straight to the inner ear, skipping the outer and middle ear

Cochlear implants

An external processor captures sound and sends it to an internal implant. Tiny electrodes inside the inner ear send electrical signals directly to the hearing nerve, bypassing damaged cells entirely

Assistive Listening Device

External tools designed to improve sound clarity and transmission in specific environments, helping people overcome hearing challenges

Pinna (auricle)

Collects and localizes sound to funnel it into the auditory canal