Hearing Aid Dispenser's Written Exam (Pulled from
Dispenser's Book) Questions And Answers Solved 100%
Correct!!
Why do we perform audiometric tests?
to determine the different characteristics of a hearing loss if one presents
A hearing loss is characterized by what three descriptors?
1. Type of hearing loss (conductive, sensorineural, mixed)
2. Degree of hearing loss (mild, moderate, etc)
3. Configuration of hearing loss or what the hearing loss looks like (ex: flat, rising,
sloping, etc)
Conductive hearing loss
a loss that occurs when sound is NOT transmitted efficiently through the ear canal,
eardrum and ossicles of the middle ear.
What can cause a conductive hearing loss?
- middle or outer ear infection
- perforated tympanic membrane
- cerumen impaction
- benign tumors
- absence/malformation of the outer ear, ear canal, or middle ear
Can conductive hearing losses be medically treated?
Yes (and surgically)
Sensorineural hearing loss
occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or to the nerve pathways from
the inner ear to the brain (retrocochlear) permanent loss
What can cause a sensorineural hearing loss?
- disease
- birth injury
- ototoxic drugs
- genetic syndromes
- noise exposure
- viruses
- head trauma
- aging
- tumors
Can sensorineural hearing loss be medically or surgically corrected?
No
Mixed hearing loss
occurs when there is damage to the outer and inner ear (cochlea) or auditory nerve
air-bone gap with abnormal air and bone conduction thresholds
Degree of hearing loss
Normal: -10-25
Mild: 26-40
Moderate: 41-55
Moderately-severe: 56-70
, Severe: 71-90
Profound: 91 +
pediatric normal: -10-15, slight: 16-25
The configuration (or shape) of the hearing loss refers to what?
1. extent of hearing loss at each frequency
2. overall picture of hearing that is created
What are some configurations of hearing loss?
- flat: generally varies within 10-15 dB at all frequencies
- gently sloping: a gradual reduction from lower to higher frequencies
- rising or reverse slope: greater hearing loss in the low frequencies, better hearing in
the high frequencies
- precipitous slope: (ski slope or high frequency) better hearing in the low frequency
range to a severe drop in the high frequency range
Noise-notch hearing loss
- common with people that have had a history of noise exposure
- noise notch between 3000 and 6000 Hz
Unilateral hearing loss
loss of hearing in one ear only
Bilateral hearing loss
loss of hearing in both ears
Fluctuating hearing loss
hearing loss that is always changing over time
Stable hearing loss
no change in hearing over time
Sudden hearing loss
loss of hearing that occurs quickly
Progressive hearing loss
loss of hearing that presents slowly over time
Symmetrical hearing loss
the characteristics of degree and configuration of the loss are the same in both ears
<10 dB
Asymmetrical hearing loss
the characteristics of degree and configuration of the loss are different between ears
>10 dB
The audiogram typically consists of what information?
- patient name
- age
- sex
- date of exam
- equipment used
- test reliability
- comments
- hearing test information
Threshold
the safest level that someone can hear 50% of the time
Why use colors for the audiogram?
Dispenser's Book) Questions And Answers Solved 100%
Correct!!
Why do we perform audiometric tests?
to determine the different characteristics of a hearing loss if one presents
A hearing loss is characterized by what three descriptors?
1. Type of hearing loss (conductive, sensorineural, mixed)
2. Degree of hearing loss (mild, moderate, etc)
3. Configuration of hearing loss or what the hearing loss looks like (ex: flat, rising,
sloping, etc)
Conductive hearing loss
a loss that occurs when sound is NOT transmitted efficiently through the ear canal,
eardrum and ossicles of the middle ear.
What can cause a conductive hearing loss?
- middle or outer ear infection
- perforated tympanic membrane
- cerumen impaction
- benign tumors
- absence/malformation of the outer ear, ear canal, or middle ear
Can conductive hearing losses be medically treated?
Yes (and surgically)
Sensorineural hearing loss
occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or to the nerve pathways from
the inner ear to the brain (retrocochlear) permanent loss
What can cause a sensorineural hearing loss?
- disease
- birth injury
- ototoxic drugs
- genetic syndromes
- noise exposure
- viruses
- head trauma
- aging
- tumors
Can sensorineural hearing loss be medically or surgically corrected?
No
Mixed hearing loss
occurs when there is damage to the outer and inner ear (cochlea) or auditory nerve
air-bone gap with abnormal air and bone conduction thresholds
Degree of hearing loss
Normal: -10-25
Mild: 26-40
Moderate: 41-55
Moderately-severe: 56-70
, Severe: 71-90
Profound: 91 +
pediatric normal: -10-15, slight: 16-25
The configuration (or shape) of the hearing loss refers to what?
1. extent of hearing loss at each frequency
2. overall picture of hearing that is created
What are some configurations of hearing loss?
- flat: generally varies within 10-15 dB at all frequencies
- gently sloping: a gradual reduction from lower to higher frequencies
- rising or reverse slope: greater hearing loss in the low frequencies, better hearing in
the high frequencies
- precipitous slope: (ski slope or high frequency) better hearing in the low frequency
range to a severe drop in the high frequency range
Noise-notch hearing loss
- common with people that have had a history of noise exposure
- noise notch between 3000 and 6000 Hz
Unilateral hearing loss
loss of hearing in one ear only
Bilateral hearing loss
loss of hearing in both ears
Fluctuating hearing loss
hearing loss that is always changing over time
Stable hearing loss
no change in hearing over time
Sudden hearing loss
loss of hearing that occurs quickly
Progressive hearing loss
loss of hearing that presents slowly over time
Symmetrical hearing loss
the characteristics of degree and configuration of the loss are the same in both ears
<10 dB
Asymmetrical hearing loss
the characteristics of degree and configuration of the loss are different between ears
>10 dB
The audiogram typically consists of what information?
- patient name
- age
- sex
- date of exam
- equipment used
- test reliability
- comments
- hearing test information
Threshold
the safest level that someone can hear 50% of the time
Why use colors for the audiogram?
