Professional Practice

Question 1

What are the 9 non audio metric advisable conditions?

Answer 1

Obstructions
Abnormalities
Otalgia - persistent pain
Tinnitus - unilateral, pulsative
Hyperacusis
Vertigo - unresolved or recurring
Auditory processing disorder
Facial numbness
Implant devices

Question 2

What are the 6 audiometric advisable conditions? Explain them.

Answer 2

UNEXPLAINED conductive loss - 20dB or more between air-bone gap at 2 or more frequencies (500 - 4k only)

UNILATERAL or ASYMMETRICAL loss
Difference in air or bone thresholds at 2 or more ADJACENT frequencies 500-8k! Air v air OR bone v bone - cannot mix ie air v bone
Unilateral 15dB or more
Asymmetrical 20dB out more

SUDDEN loss - URGENT
HL that occurred or deteriorated over a 3 day period in the last 30 days

RAPID loss - URGENT
Rapid onset or rapid deterioration within last 4-90 days.

DETERIORATION in hearing by comparison with an audio gram done in last 24 months.
Difference of 15dB or more air or bone at any 2 or more frequencies (500-4k)

FLUCTUATING loss not associated with respiratory, flu etc
Significant variation 10-15dB within relatively short period of time.

Question 3

What are the 3 advisable conditions that require an urgent referral?

Answer 3

Facial numbness
SUDDEN loss occurred or deteriorated over a 3 day period of less in last 30 days.
RAPID loss - rapid onset of deterioration within last 4-90 days.

Question 4

Difference between BSA and BSHAA?

Answer 4

BSA tells us how to do things ie ear examinations, PTA, ULL, tuning fork etc

BSHAA tells us what to do with results plus deal with complaints ie referral guidelines, guidance on professional practice, guidance on record keeping

Question 5

What is cognitive ability?

Answer 5

Mental capability that involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex things, learn quickly and from experience

Question 6

What are the 3 key areas of cognitive ability?

Answer 6

ATTENTION sustained, selective, divided
MEMORY long-term working logic and reasoning
PROCESSING auditory visual speed

Question 7

What is dementia?

Answer 7

It is the general term for loss of memory, language, problem solving and other thinking abilities that are SEVERE enough to INTERFERE with daily life.

Question 8

What are the types of dementia?

Answer 8

Alzheimer’s 60-80%
Vascular dementia. 15%
Frontotemporal 10%
Lewes body (Parkinson’s) 10%
Mixed

Question 9

What are the primary causes of dementia?

Answer 9

Age
Series of small strokes
Slow virus
Deficiency of neurotransmitters
AMYLOIDOSIS (misfolded proteins)

Question 10

Secondary causes of dementia?

Answer 10

Thyroid
B12 deficiency
Alcohol
Trauma
Tumour

Question 11

What is Alzheimer’s, its characteristics and causes?

Answer 11

Most common form of dementia.
It is irreversible and progressive.
Slowly destroys memory and thinking.

Caused by Amyloid plaques and tau(tangles)

Question 12

Describe the 3 different stages of Alzheimer’s.

Answer 12

Earliest: starts 20 years before diagnosis add affects learning, memory, planning and thinking.

Mild to moderate: lasts 2-10 years affecting speech understanding, lose spatial awareness, difficulty in organising add expressing self.

Severe: 1-5 years brain shrinks due to cell damage, can’t communicate, fails to recognise family.