Audiometric Interpretation

Question 1

The process by which sound travels to the inner ear and brain by way of the outer ear to middle ear

Answer 1

Air Conduction

Question 2

To denote the difference in hearing sensitivity between bone conduction and air conduction thresholds

Answer 2

Air Bone Gap

Question 3

The process by which sound travels to the inner ear and brain by way of the mastoid process, bypassing the outer and middle ear

Answer 3

Bone Conduction

Question 4

Retrocochlear

Answer 4

Everything after the cochlea,that is, auditory nerve and brain

Question 5

The 3 descriptors that characterize hearing loss

Answer 5

Type of HL - Conductive, Sensorineural and Mixed
Degree of HL- Mild, moderate, severe, profound
Configuration of HL- Flat, sloping, cookie-bite, rising, reverse slope, noise notch, etc

Question 6

When sound is not transmitted efficiently through the ear canal, ear drum and ossicles of the middle ear

Answer 6

Conductive loss ( HL occurring in outer or middle ear)

Question 7

What are some causes for a conductive hearing loss?

Answer 7

Middle ear infection
Perforated TM
Impacted Cerumen
Benign tumors
Absence or malformation of outer ear or ear canal or middle ear
(Conductive losses can often be medically or surgically treated)

Question 8

Are bone conduction thresholds better or worse than AC thresholds?

Answer 8

Significantly better than AC thresholds and within normal range on the Audiogram when a CL is present

Question 9

Characteristics of air bone gap

Answer 9

Always presents with better hearing by bone conduction than air conduction
ABG indicates a blockage or impairment to the conductive portion of the hearing mechanism
15dB or more at all frequencies

Question 10

Occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain (retrocochlear)

Answer 10

Sensorineural HL

Question 11

What can cause a Sensorineural HL?

Answer 11

Disease, Birth injury, drugs that are toxic to the auditory system, Genetic Syndromes, noise exposure, viruses, head trauma, aging, and tumors

Cannot be medically or surgically corrected and is a permanent loss

Question 12

What are some characteristics of a Sensorineural HL on an Audiogram

Answer 12

When AC thresholds and BC thresholds are at the same (right on top of each other not he Audiogram)

Question 13

When there is damage to the outer or middle ear and the inner ear or auditory nerves.

Answer 13

Mixed HL

Question 14

What characteristics portray a Mixed HL on an Audiogram

Answer 14

A separation between the AC threshold and BC threshold in addition to abnormal BC thresholds (worse than 20dB on the Audiogram)

Question 15

Refers to the severity of the HL

Answer 15

Degree of HL

Question 16

Name 5 main degrees of HL

Answer 16

Normal, Mild, moderate, severe, and profound

Question 17

The configuration or shape of the HL refers to

Answer 17

• the extent of HL at each frequency

- the overall picture of the hearing that is created (ex. A HL that only effects the HF’s)

Question 18

A HL that generally varies within 10-15dB at all frequencies

Answer 18

Flat Loss

Question 19

A HL that shows a gradual reduction from lower to higher frequencies

Answer 19

Gently Sloping

Question 20

A HL showing a greater HL in the low frequencies and better hearing in the highs

Answer 20

Rising or Reverse Slope

Question 21

A HL that shows Severe to Profound Loss in the low frequencies and no response in the mid or high frequencies

Answer 21

Corner Audiogram

Question 22

A HL that shows better hearing in the low frequency range to a severe drop in the highs

Answer 22

Ski- Slope, HF or precipitous loss

Question 23

indicates a HL due to noise exposure and is seen with a Noise induced notch which shows a sensorineural HL with a maximum loss typically between 3k and 6k Hz

Answer 23

Noise- Notch/V Notch

Question 24

Degree of HL

Answer 24

0-20- Normal
21-40- Mild
41-70- Moderate
71-90- Severe
91+ -Profound

Question 25

How to find the PTA - 3 Frequencies and 2 Frequencies

Answer 25

Add thresholds at 500, 1k and 2k and divide by 3

If the increase in loss between 500-1k and 2k is 15-20dB or more

Select the two frequencies that show the least loss, add those and divide by 2

Question 26

In a sensorineural HL air conduction threshold are

Answer 26

The same as bone conduction threshold

Question 27

An air-bone gap means the

Answer 27

Air conduction thresholds are worse than bone conduction threshold

Question 28

A sensorineural component is the difference between

Answer 28

BC thresholds and the range of normal hearing

Question 29

A pure conductive loss shows

Answer 29

All bone conduction thresholds within the normal limits

Question 30

In a purely conductive loss

Answer 30

Sound is reduced before its arrival at the inner ear

Question 31

A mixed loss exhibits

Answer 31

A sensorineural component and a conductive component

Question 32

An Audiogram with les loss at the high and low frequencies than the middle frequency region is classified as a

Answer 32

Trough-shaped curve

Question 33

Pure tone average estimates

Answer 33

SRT