Glossary of Ear and Hearing Loss Terms

The first, and largest, of the three tiny middle ear bones. It is the bone touching the eardrum. Technically called the Malleus.

A term used to describe people with hearing loss. Their losses can range from slight to profound. Hard of hearing people understand some speech with or without hearing aids.

A cochlear implant sound processor model from Advanced Bionics. It is a BTE style. It works together with the HiRes 90K implant and with the earlier CII Bionic Ear implant, and can use high resolution sound processing strategies such as the Fidelity 120. The Harmony processor includes a built-in telecoil.

See Hearing Assistive Technology.

This is the term used to describe the sense of relief and improvement some people experience just because someone is doing something for their condition.

This refers to the amount of sound that is blocked by a person’s head before it can reach the opposite ear. This reduction in sound is an issue for people who only have hearing in one ear, or for people who choose to wear a hearing aid in only one ear.

A device that amplifies sound and directs it into the ear canal. A hearing aid usually consists of a microphone, amplifier and receiver. Hearing aids come in 4 basic styles: In the Ear (ITE), behind the ear (BTE), body aid and eyeglass hearing aid. Body aids are seldom used except for profound losses. Eyeglass hearing aids had their heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. They are not used today.

Refers to devices that won’t cause interference to hearing aids such as cell phones. Cell phones that are compatible with digital hearing aids have a rating of M3/M4 for microphone use, and a rating of T3/T4 for t-coil use.

A person who sells and fits hearing aids, arranges for repairs, and sometimes counsels in their use.

Same as Hearing Aid Dealer. It just sounds more professional.

The process of selecting an appropriate hearing aid. The audiologist will evaluate different types of hearing aids to determine which is best suited to a particular hearing loss.

A period of time (usually 30 days) during which a person may try hearing aids that were custom made for them. If unsatisfied for any reason, the person should be able to return them for a refund (minus an agreed upon trial fee. Often this fees is 10% of the selling price.) Not all audiologists charge a trial fee.

See Complete Audiological Evaluation.

A relatively new term that encompasses both assistive listening devices (ALDs) and alerting devices for hard of hearing people.

A service dog that has completed a training course to alert its hard of hearing owner to a variety of sounds in different environments including such things doorbells, smoke alarms, wake-up alarms, baby cries, etc. Sometimes called “Hearing Ear Dogs” since all dogs can hear and thus are technically “hearing dogs”.

See Hearing Dog.

See Complete Audiological Evaluation.

Describes people with any degree of hearing loss. This term is disliked by both deaf and hard of hearing people and is no longer politically correct. The preferred terms are “people with hearing loss,” “hard of hearing people” or “Deaf people”.

A hearing test (usually used in testing people with cochlear implants) in which sentences are spoken against a background of white noise.

A person who sells hearing aids and is licensed by the state to do so. They are required to pass a test for licensure to guarantee a minimal level of competence. A fancier name for Hearing Aid Dealer.

The decibel level of sound as it relates to normal hearing.

The loss of hearing ability characterized by decreased sensitivity to sound in comparison to normal hearing. Hearing loss may be conductive, sensorineural, or mixed. Hearing loss ranges from slight to profound. Typically the classes of hearing loss are based on the average hearing loss at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz and 2000 Hz. Here is one commonly used classification.

• Normal hearing: -10 to 15 dB
• Slight loss: 16 to 25 dB
• Mild loss: 26 to 40 dB
• Moderate loss: 41 to 55 dB
• Moderately severe loss: 56 to 70 dB
• Severe loss: 71 to 90 dB
• Profound loss: 91 to 120 dB

Ways to successfully deal with your hearing loss. There are 5 basic areas you need to cover in order to successfully cope with your hearing loss. They are:

• Psychologically and emotionally adjust to your hearing loss. This includes working through the grieving process for your hearing loss.
• Wear properly fitted hearing aids if they will help you.
• Use assistive listening devices (ALDs) to supplement your hearing aids in difficult listening situations.
• Learn to speechread.
• Practice the myriads of little (and free) coping skills such as getting close to the speaker, having light on the speaker’s face, telling the person you are talking to what they need to do so you can effectively communicate with them, cutting out background noise, etc.

Simple testing of the ability to hear selected frequencies at sound levels within normal hearing limits. Screenings are used to identify people with significant hearing loss and to refer them for more detailed testing.

The quietest level a person can hear and understand speech at least 50% of the time under ideal conditions.