audiogram interpretation - exam 2

Question 1

clinical threshold procedure

Answer 1

yes –> decrease by 10dB
no –> increase by 5dB

repeat until response to 2/3 ascending presentation

Question 2

description of HL

Answer 2

degree: how much HL

configuration: what is the shape of the HL

type: what type / where is the HL

symmetry: what is the difference between ears

stability: what is the time course of the hearing loss

Question 3

degree

Answer 3

various ways of defining

most common is thresholds, specifically AC thresholds because sound is typically heard through the air

Question 4

normal hearing

Answer 4

-10 - 25

Question 5

mild hearing loss

Answer 5

26-40

Question 6

moderate hearing loss

Answer 6

41-55

Question 7

moderately severe hearing loss

Answer 7

56-70

Question 8

severe hearing loss

Answer 8

71-90

Question 9

profound hearing loss

Answer 9

> 91

Question 10

pure tone average

Answer 10

provides rough estimate about degree of HL

useful for predicting thresholds for speech audiometry

3 freq: 500, 1000, 2000
4 freq: 500, 1000, 2000, 4000

Question 11

why use 4 freq PTA

Answer 11

for a sloping hearing loss in the high freqs

3 freq PTA wouldn’t show that

Question 12

configuration of hearing loss

Answer 12

combined w/ degree of hearing loss to describe how the hearing loss changes across freq

Question 13

configuration types

Answer 13

flat

sloping - most common

precipitously sloping - very steep slope usually between 1-4kHz, relatively flat before that

rising

cookie bite

reverse cookie bite

notch - normal everywhere, pointed notch (usually around 3-4kHz)

Question 14

normal hearing type

Answer 14

AC & BC withing -10-25 dB across all freqs

Question 15

conductive hearing loss

Answer 15

BC normal hearing
AC worse

ABG >= 10

issue in the MIDDLE EAR

Question 16

sensorineural hearing loss

Answer 16

AC & BC both outside normal range (>25)

ABG< 10

issue in INNEREAR

Question 17

mixed hearing loss

Answer 17

AC & BC both outside the normal range (>25)

AC worse than BC

ABG >= 10

issue in MIDDLE EAR & INNER EAR

Question 18

bilateral symetry

Answer 18

hearing loss is similar between ears

<= 15dB

Question 19

unilateral symmetry

Answer 19

hearing loss is only in one ear

other ear has normal hearing

Question 20

asymmetrical

Answer 20

degree &/or configuration are different between ears at 3 freqs in a row

(>15 dB)

Question 21

stability

Answer 21

change over time (between audiograms)

requires having more than one audiogram

Question 22

stable

Answer 22

no significant change over time

(<= 10)

Question 23

progressive

Answer 23

hearing loss becomes worse over time

(>10 change)

common

Question 24

sudden

Answer 24

more than 30dB change at at least 3 freqs in less than 72 hours

don’t really know the cause

Question 25

fluctuating

Answer 25

hearing loss changes over time

sometimes improves, sometimes worsens

very rare

Question 26

can BC thresholds be higher (worse) than AC thresholds?

Answer 26

in an ideal world: no, AC won’t work if inner ear doesn’t work
BC = inner ear doesn’t work

in practice: yes, because it is a behavioral test