Glossary of Ear and Hearing Loss Terms

The main drug reference book used by doctors, pharmacists and hospitals in the USA.

A form of signing that uses American Sign Language signs for the most part, but signed in English word order. People that are hard of hearing, if they sign, generally use PSE to supplement their oral communication. (See also Signed English.)

In contrast to white noise, pink noise has more energy in the lower frequencies. Since pink noise has relatively more bass than white noise, it sounds more natural to the human ear—more like the roar of a waterfall than like the higher-pitched hissing sound of white noise. As a result, it is sometimes used to replace the white noise used in tinnitus maskers and in Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. More technically, pink noise is filtered to give equal power per octave or equal power per 1/3 octave. Since the number of Hz in each successive octave increases by two, this means the power of pink noise per Hz of bandwidth decreases by a factor of two or 3 dB per octave.

(PIN-uh) The external or outer ear (auricle).

The subjective impression of frequency.

A “medicine” (sometimes called a “sugar pill”) that—unknown to the patient—has no active medicinal ingredients. It is used in drug studies to compare the efficacy of a new drug to no treatment at all without the patient being aware of which “treatment” they are receiving.

The body worn sound processor portion of a cochlear implant made by Advanced Bionics. It is basically equivalent to the Harmony BTE cochlear implant sound processor.

See Conditioned Audiometry.

After acquiring language.

Deafness (hearing loss) that occurs after language has been acquired.

A test that measures how you maintain your balance when one or more of your senses is blocked.

The interaction between two drugs such that the pharmacologic response is greater than the sum of the individual responses to each drug. For example, taking two ototoxic drugs at the same time may cause a much more severe side effects to your ears than would be the case if you had taken the same drugs, but at different times. A synergistic effect.

Before acquiring language.

A person who is either born deaf or who lost his hearing early in childhood, before acquiring language.

(prez-bee-KOO-sis) Gradual hearing loss, especially in the high frequencies, due to aging.

A small tube that is surgically inserted in the eardrum to equalize the pressure between the middle earand the ear canal and to permit drainage. PE tubes are used when anEustachian tube is not working properly or is clogged up—typically from a middle ear infection. Also called a tympanostomy tube, myringotomy tube or a grommet.

A hearing loss ranging between 91 and 120 decibels (dB). This is essentially a total hearing loss.

Although digital hearing aids are sometimes referred to as being programmable—and they are—the term programmable hearing aid is generally used to denote a hybrid hearing aid that has digital components that allows it to be programmed, but its underlying amplifier is analog. Sometimes called Digitally-Programmable Analog Hearing Aids.

(proh-pree-oh-SEP-tiv) One of the three separate balance systems in your body. It consists of nerve sensors in the muscles, tendons and joints, especially in your legs, ankles and feet, that help you to keep your balance. The other two systems are your visual system (eyes) and your vestibular system in your inner ears. When you vestibular system is damaged, your proprioceptive system works with your visual system to give you some semblance of balance.

See Platinum Sound Processor.

See Pure Tone Average.

A single frequency used by audiologists to evaluate hearing sensitivity.

Measurement of hearing thresholds to pure tones presented through earphones or ear inserts.

An audiogram based on listening to pure tones (the normal situation) as opposed to listening to speech.

An hearing testing instrument for generating pure tone sounds at different frequencies.