Hearing Loss

Question 1

What are the two types of Hearing Loss?

Answer 1

• Conductive
• Sensorineural

Question 2

What is Conductive Hearing Loss?

Answer 2

• This is a problem with sound from the environment making it to the inner ear
• The sound is not reaching the sensory system

Question 3

What is Sensorineural Hearing Loss?

Answer 3

• This is a problem with the sensory system
• Vestibulocochlear nerve

Question 4

What are the three sections of the ear?

Answer 4

• Outer Ear
• Middle Ear
• Inner Ear

Question 5

How does Hearing Loss Present?

Answer 5

• Can be sudden (over less than 72 hours - requires assessment to establish cause)
• Can be gradual and insidious

Question 6

What are the symptoms of Hearing Loss?

Answer 6

• Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
• Vertigo ( sensation that the room is spinning)
• Pain (indicates infection)
• Discharge (outer/ middle ear infection)
• Neurological symptoms

Question 7

What are people with hearing loss more likely to develop?

Answer 7

• Dementia

Question 8

What are Weber’s and Rhinne’s Test?

Answer 8

• These are hearing tests which can help you determine between sensorineural and conductive hearing loss

Question 9

What do you do in the Weber’s test?

Answer 9

• Strike the tuning fork to make it vibrate on your hand or knee
• Place it in the centre of the patient’s forehead
• Ask the patient if they can hear the sound
• Ask the patient which ear is it loudest in

Question 10

What is a normal Weber’s Result?

Answer 10

• The sound from the tuning fork will be equally loud in both ears

Question 11

What is the result of the Weber’s test in sensorineural hearing loss?

Answer 11

• The sound will be louder in the normal ear (unaffected ear)

Question 12

What is the result of the Weber’s test in conductive hearing loss?

Answer 12

• The sound will be louder in the affected ear
• This is due to the affected ear not having the background noise of the environment to drown the sound out

Question 13

What do you do in Rhinne’s Test?

Answer 13

• Strike the tuning fork to make it vibrate/ hum
• Place the flat end on the mastoid process
• Ask the patient to ask when they can no longer hear the humming sound
• Place the tuning fork directly outside the ear around 1cm away
  -Ask the patient to ask when they can no longer hear the humming sound
• Repeat the process on the other side

Question 14

What is a normal Rhinne’s Test?

Answer 14

• The air conduction is louder than bone conduction

Question 15

What is an abnormal Rhinne’s test?

Answer 15

• When bone conduction is louder than air conduction
• This indicative a conductive hearing loss error

Question 16

What are the causes of Sensorineural Hearing Loss?

Answer 16

• Sudden Sensorineural hearing loss (over less than 72hours)
• Presbycusis (age-related)
• Noise exposure
• Meniere disease
• Labyrinthitis
• Acoustic Neuroma
• Neurological Conditions (Stroke, MS and brain tumours)
• Infections (Meningitis)
• Medications

Question 17

What medications cause sensorineural hearing loss?

Answer 17

• Loop diuretics (Furosemide)
• Aminoglycoside Antibiotics (gentamicin)
• Chemotherapy drugs (cisplatin)

Question 18

What are the causes of conductive hearing loss?

Answer 18

• Ear wax
• Infection
• Fluid in the middle ear
• Eustachian tube dysfunction
• Perforated Tympanic Membrane
• Otosclerosis
• Cholesteatoma
• Exostoses
• Tumours