Audiology

Question 1

what is pure tone audiology (PTA)

Answer 1

a hearing test which gives the hearing threshold and what type of hearing loss

Question 2

what is the first hearing test to be carried out

Answer 2

pure tone audiology

Question 3

what ranges to audiograms test in

Answer 3

150-8000 decibels

Question 4

what is the level of normal hearing

Answer 4

hearing all tones up to 20 decibels and quieter

Question 5

how are left and right represented on an audiogram

Answer 5

X- Left
O - right

(right can never be wrong)

Question 6

what do brackets mean in an audiogram

Answer 6

that when testing the good ear was masked to prevent it hearing the sound

Question 7

what is masking

Answer 7

sound to distract the good ear while the bad ear is being tested

Question 8

what can happen if the good ear is not masked

Answer 8

inaccurate measure of hearing threshold for the bad ear

incorrect diagnosis

inappropriate intervention

difficulty in later interpreting results

Question 9

what do triangles on an audiogram represent

Answer 9

bone conduction

Question 10

what does it mean when the brackets and/or triangles sit right on top of the X or O (air and bone hearing the same)

Answer 10

sensorineural hearing loss

Question 11

what audiogram results are seen in conductive hearing loss

Answer 11

the bone conduction is much better the air conduction

therefor triangles and/or brackets are in a line far above the X and Os

Question 12

what is sensorineural nearing loss

Answer 12

a result of damage to the hair cells in the cochlea or the hearing nerve

usually occurs as part of the ageing process

Question 13

what can cause sensorineural hearing loss

Answer 13

• ageing
• regular and prolonged exposure to sound
• ototoxic drugs
• infectious diseases - rubella
• complications at birth
• benign tumours on auditory nerve (schwannoma)
• genetic predisposition

Question 14

what is conductive hearing loss

Answer 14

hearing loss caused by a blockage to the sound stopping it from reaching the inner ear

Question 15

what are some causes of conductive hearing loss

Answer 15

sound cant pass through the ear:

ear infections
middle ear fluid (glue ear)
perforated ear drums

Question 16

treatment for conductive hearing loss

Answer 16

possible to have surgical intervention

Question 17

what does mixed hearing loss look like on an audiogram

Answer 17

at parts there is a significant gap between air and bone but bone are not all within normal limits

Question 18

what is mixed hearing loss

Answer 18

a combination of sensorineural and conductive - damage to both the outer or middle and inner ear

Question 19

causes of mixed hearing loss

Answer 19

genetic factors 
birth defects 
diseases 
infections 
tumours 
masses 
head injuries
otosclerosis (which has spread to inner ear)

Question 20

what is typanometry

Answer 20

a test used to asses the condition of the MIDDLE ear by creating vibrations of pressure within the ear

Question 21

what does tympanometry allow

Answer 21

distinction between sensorineural and conductive hearing loss to be made

helpful in diagnosing:
otitis media and tympanic membrane perforation

Question 22

what does otitis media with effusion look like on a tymphogram

Answer 22

presence of fluid in the middle ear reduced the mobility of the tympanic membrane causing a flat line

Question 23

what does tympanic membrane perforation look like on a tymphogram

Answer 23

shows are large ear canal volume as air escaped through the perforation

(v high peak - off the scale)

Question 24

what does ossification of the ossicular bones look like on tympanogram

Answer 24

v small curve (does not go very high) positioned more to the right (+ side)

Question 25

what causes a tympogram graph to be pushed to the left (into the -ve)

Answer 25

The drum is moving but is being restricted inwardly leading to the ear drum being pushed outwards

can cause this by pinching nostrils and exhaling with mouth closed as it puts a negative pressure into the middle ear from Eustachian tube