Audiology and Aural Rehabilitation Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards related to audiology and aural rehabilitation.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Affects the outer and/or middle ear.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Affects the inner ear (cochlea or auditory pathway).

Word Recognition Score

Uses monosyllabic words at a comfortable level (40 dB above SRT or PTA).

Congruence with Self

Clinicians act as themselves and don’t put on an air of professionalism.

Amplification

The number one AR tool for those with hearing loss.

Speech Reception Threshold (SRT)

Goal is to find the threshold for the intensity that words can be repeated back correctly; uses spondaic words (2 syllables with equal stress on both syllables).

Unconditional Positive Regard

Assume patients know best and have the inner resources to overcome their communication difficulties.

Factors of Hearing-Related Disability

Hearing impairment, psychological issues, frequent communication partner, occupation/lifestyle.

Education and Counseling

Most vital AR tool to help patients accept/understand their difficulties and advocate for themselves.

Presbycusis

Sensorineural hearing loss due to old age.

Tympanometry

Evaluates the outer ear and middle ear.

Empathetic Understanding

Listen to the patient’s concerns/feelings, reflect them back, and help them identify solutions.

AR Toolchest

Education/counseling, amplification, speech reading, communication strategies, assistive listening devices, cochlear implants.

Conductive Hearing Loss Difference

Temporary/medically treatable.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss Difference

Permanent.

Active Ear Infection

Causes conductive hearing loss.

Type of Hearing Loss Determination

Requires air conduction thresholds and bone conduction thresholds.

Kris English's Counseling Principles

Do not dominate talk time, match an emotional comment with an emotional response, surrender the role of expert, surrender conversational control to the patient.

Unilateral Hearing Loss Difficulty

Difficulty with faint or distant speech, difficulty localizing sound, and difficulty in background noise.

Assistive Listening Device

Recommended for a child with hearing aids struggling to hear their teacher in a noisy classroom.

Mixed Hearing Loss

Noise induced hearing loss (sensorineural) + Type B tympanogram (conductive).

Audiological Evaluation Tests

Tympanometry, acoustic reflex thresholds, air conduction thresholds, bone conduction thresholds, speech recognition threshold, word recognition score.

Behavioral Approach

Focuses on changing behaviors with the idea that emotional changes will follow.

Moderately Severe Hearing Loss

Cannot understand speech at a normal conversational level, must be a shout to be understood.

Cochlear Implants

Recommended for patient who receives no benefit from hearing aids but does not want to learn sign language.