Glossary of Ear and Hearing Loss Terms

A hearing loss ranging between 56 and 70 decibels (dB).

Referring to just one ear, as opposed to binaural—both ears.

Using one hearing aid instead of two.

The volume at which sounds are most comfortable for a hearing aid user.

Hearing aids that have the ability to store different listening programs for access by the user. Many digital hearing aids have 3 or 4 memories.

Hearing phantom sounds that may resemble voices and music but are too vague to understand such as hearing a radio playing from another room. At other times, MES manifests itself as perfectly clear, yet phantom, music or singing, often repeated endlessly. For a more in-depth understanding of Musical Ear Syndrome, read this article.

A small incision made in the eardrum by a physician to equalize air pressure and/or to drain infection or fluid from the middle ear.

The setting where the child typically spends most of his time. For example, a child at age 24 months would likely spend time at home or in a childcare setting. These settings are the child’s “natural environment.”

Language acquired primarily though the accessible sensory channels.

A loop of wire worn like a necklace that creates a magnetic field that can transmit sound when plugged into a portable radio or personal ALD such as an FM or Infrared receiver or other personal listening device.

Damage to the hair cells (nerve endings of the auditory nerve) in the inner ear.

The old (and very misleading) term for sensorineural hearing loss. In actual fact, there is very little true nerve deafness. (See Sensorineural Hearing Loss.)

A medical doctor whose specialty is problems of the peripheral and central nervous systems, and their connection to the senses.

An otologist who specializes in the nervous system related to the auditory (hearing)  and vestibular (balance) systems.

A program in place in many hospitals that allows a child’s hearing to be evaluated immediately after the baby is born.

see Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.

Physically, the production of random, erratic sound waves. Psychologically, any unwanted sound.

Permanent hearing loss caused by exposing your ears to loud noise. It may occur from a single sharp loud sound (e.g. gunshot) or from continued exposure to louder noise over time (days, months, years). Often your audiogram will initially show a “Noise Notch” around 4,000 Hz.

The amount of attenuation possible from a particular type of hearing protection device. Typically, ear protectors have ratings from abut 25 to 32 dB or so.

Hearing aids that amplify soft sounds by a different amount than loud sounds in order to keep the volume comfortable to the wearer. Digital hearing aids are almost always programmed to be non-linear.

Hearing ranging between -10 decibels (dB) and 15 dB.

A person who writes notes for a hard of hearing or deaf person in various settings such as the classroom, meetings, or at the office.

[nocks-ah-KOO-sis] Noise-induced ear pain. Caused by activation of Type II afferent auditory nerve fibers in the inner ear transmitting from the outer hair cells to the brain via this non-canonical pathway . These Type II neurons transmit pain signals. Also referred to as auditory nociception. More generally, ear pain is known as pain hyperacusis.

See Noise Reduction Rating.

Involuntary, rapid, rhythmic, back-and-forth movement of the eyes that may accompany vertigo. This is typically caused by damage to the vestibular system, or to the central nervous system.