Types of Hearing Loss & Assessment Flashcards

Which of the following best describes a mixed hearing loss?

Answer: A combination of both conductive and sensorineural components in the same ear

Mixed hearing loss exists when both an air-bone gap (conductive component) and elevated bone conduction thresholds (sensorineural component) are present in the same ear.

During pure-tone audiometry, the interaural attenuation for supra-aural earphones is approximately:

Answer: 40–50 dB

Interaural attenuation for supra-aural earphones is approximately 40–50 dB, meaning sound can cross to the non-test ear at levels 40–50 dB lower than presented.

A patient with a conductive hearing loss would most likely demonstrate:

Answer: Better hearing in noisy environments (paracusis willisii)

Paracusis willisii is the paradoxical phenomenon where some people with conductive hearing loss hear better in noisy environments because speakers raise their voices.

Which acoustic reflex decay finding suggests a retrocochlear lesion?

Answer: Reflex decay of 50% or more within 10 seconds at 500 Hz or 1000 Hz

Abnormal acoustic reflex decay (≥50% amplitude reduction within 10 seconds) at 500 or 1000 Hz is a classic sign of retrocochlear (eighth nerve) pathology.

For newborn hearing screening, which test is most commonly used in the hospital nursery setting?

Answer: Distortion product OAEs or automated ABR

Universal newborn hearing screening programs use DPOAE or automated ABR because they are objective, fast, and do not require behavioral responses from the infant.

The 'cookie-bite' audiogram configuration, with greatest loss in the mid-frequencies, is most often associated with:

Answer: Hereditary or genetic sensorineural hearing loss

A mid-frequency dip (cookie-bite pattern) on the audiogram is frequently associated with hereditary/genetic etiologies of sensorineural hearing loss.

Unmasked bone conduction thresholds that appear better than the true threshold of either ear are referred to as:

Answer: Crossover responses

Crossover responses (also called shadow thresholds in air conduction) occur when the non-test ear responds to the bone-conducted signal, giving falsely good thresholds.