IHS Hearing Loss Assessment 4

Question 1

When assessing a patient for hearing loss, which case history question is most directly relevant to identifying occupational noise exposure?

Accepted Answer

Have you ever worked in environments requiring hearing protection?

Answer

Asking about occupational noise exposure directly identifies one of the most preventable causes of acquired sensorineural hearing loss.

Question 2

A patient's Most Comfortable Loudness (MCL) level is notably close to their Uncomfortable Loudness Level (UCL), indicating a narrow dynamic range. This finding suggests:

Accepted Answer

Recruitment, often associated with cochlear hearing loss

Answer

Recruitment is the abnormally rapid growth of loudness in damaged cochleae, narrowing the range between threshold and discomfort, and is characteristic of cochlear (sensorineural) hearing loss.

Question 3

What is the interaural attenuation (IA) for supra-aural earphones at most frequencies?

Accepted Answer

40 dB

Answer

Interaural attenuation for supra-aural earphones is approximately 40 dB, meaning the non-test ear may be stimulated when the presented signal exceeds the test ear threshold by 40 dB.

Question 4

A Stenger test is used to identify:

Accepted Answer

Unilateral functional (non-organic) hearing loss

Answer

The Stenger test exploits the physiological principle that only the louder of two simultaneous tones presented to both ears is perceived, revealing feigned unilateral hearing loss.

Question 5

What is the reference standard level for 0 dB Hearing Level (HL) based on?

Accepted Answer

The average threshold of young adults with normal hearing

Answer

0 dB HL is defined by audiometric standards (ANSI/ISO) as the average minimum audible sound level for a population of young, otologically normal adults.

IHS - International Hearing Society Practice Test

IHS - International Hearing Society Practice Test

IHS Hearing Loss Assessment 4