Hearing Problems & Testing on the go study guide

mm to m

divide by 1000

ms to s

divide by 1000

Cycle of sine wave

rest, compression, rest, rarefaction, rest

Intensity change when +10dB

10 times more intense

Inverse Square law

Intensity decreases 6 dB each time distance doubles

Resonant frequency

natural frequency which something vibrates at. Increase in mass means decrease in frequency, increase in stiffness means increase in frequency.

SNR

SNR = signal of interest - background noise

optimal signal-to-noise ratio

60 dB or higher

reverberation time

The time it takes for a sound to decay by 60 decibels after the source has stopped.

Function of outer ear

Collects and funnels sound

Function of middle ear

Amplifies and transfers vibration via ossicles

Function of inner ear

Converts mechanical energy to electrical signals

CANS role

Processes and interprets sound

What is otoscopy?

Visual inspection of ear canal and TM

Instrument used in Otoscopy 

Otoscope + speculum

What does tympanometry measure?

Middle ear function

Type A tymp

normal

Type As

Stiff (otosclerosis), and low admittance

Type Ad

Hypermobile, high admittance 

Type B + normal ECV

Otitis Media

Type B + high ECV

Preformation of TM

Type B + low ECV

Blocked ear canal (cerumen impaction)

Type C

Negative pressure (Eustachian tube dysfunction) 

How are DPOAEs generated?

Outer hair cells create distortion tone

Absent OAEs usually at

40 dB HL or above 

How does conductive hearing loss due to, for example, middle ear effusion impact OAE screening?

reduced or absent and likely hearing screening failures.

Two hearing pathways

air and bone conduction

What is an audiometer?

Machine to test hearing

What is threshold?

Softest sound detectable

Interaural attenuation for inserts

55–60 dB

When to mask AC?

When AC in test ear exceeds BC in non-test ear by IA

When to mask BC?

Any air-bone gap ≥ 10 dB

Unmasked BC tests which ear?

Better cochlea

O

unmasked air right ear

△

masked air right ear

[

masked bone right ear

<

unmasked bone right ear

X

unmasked air left ear

□

masked air left ear

]

masked bone left ear

>

unmasked bone left ear

Spondee

Two-syllable equal-stress word ("hotdog")

PTA formula

(500 + 1000 + 2000) / 3

ABR tests which system?

Auditory nerve + brainstem

ABR vs OAE – difference

ABR = neural, OAE = cochlear outer hair cells

1-3-6 rule

Screen by 1 month

Diagnose by 3 month

Intervene by 6 month

Visual Reinforcement Audiometry age

7–26 months

Conditioned Play Audiometry

27 - 59 months

Sensorineural hearing loss

AC is not in typical range, BC is not in typical range, Air-Bone Gap is less than 10 dB HL.

Conductive hearing loss

AC is not in typical range, BC is within typical range, Air-Bone Gap is greater than 10 dB HL.

Mixed hearing loss

Both AC & BC are not in typical range, Air-Bone Gap is greater than 10 dB HL.

Explain how and why speech (word) recognition testing is completed part of an audiological evaluation that assesses an individual's ability to understand speech. (adults)

It helps identify how clearly words are heard and processed, especially when there’s hearing loss. Results guide hearing aid fitting, cochlear implant candidacy, and help determine communication difficulties in real-world settings. Can help differentiate between sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

Explain how and why speech (word) recognition testing is completed part of an audiological evaluation that assesses an individual's ability to understand speech. (children)

Important for language development, academic success, and speech perception. Helps determine if a hearing loss affects speech understanding, not just detection. Used to monitor progress with amplification (hearing aids or cochlear implants).

What is the difference between screening and threshold searching?

Screening is a quick pass/fail test, whereas threshold searching is a detailed measurement to find the exact sound heard.

the pinna and inner are fully developed in utero

20 weeks

the malleus and incus are developed in utero

32 weeks

babies startle

0-28 days

infants start to look toward the source of sound

2-4 months

infants respond to their name

5-6 months

infants dance to music

10 months

infants attend to books and begin to turn pages

1 year

infants “sing” songs

1 year