ABSTRACT
The excessive, indiscriminate use of masking during measurements of pure-tone bone-conduction thresholds can reduce or eliminate air-bone gaps. This may result in an abnormal, audiometrically induced bone-conduction threshold shift and suggest to the otologist the need for auditory brainstem response testing and/or magnetic resonance imaging. A case is presented in which the inappropriate use of the masking plateau method resulted in a reduction of the air-bone gap in an ear with a mild conductive hearing loss. The audiometric Weber test should be used in these cases, and nonmasked bone thresholds should be used to determine the actual level of the cochlear reserve.
Subject(s)
Audiometry, Pure-Tone/methods , Hearing Loss/diagnosis , Acoustic Impedance Tests , Adult , Female , Hearing Loss, Conductive/diagnosis , Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural/diagnosis , Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/diagnosis , Humans , Otosclerosis/diagnosis , Perceptual MaskingABSTRACT
The severity of deafness can obscure the presence of other disabilities that may accompany genetic anomalies, such as occur in Alport and Usher syndromes. Recent advances in genetics have heightened attention to various disabilities and dysfunctions that may coexist with deafness. Failure to recognize these additional disabilities when they occur can misguide educational planning; may open the afflicted deaf person to failure to identify, diagnose, and manage potentially serious health conditions; and in some instances may even lead to loss of life. Of the many genetic conditions that have been identified, a few examples are cited to illustrate the need to inform parents, educators, and other caregivers about the importance of obtaining genetic information.
Subject(s)
Deafness/genetics , Deafness/rehabilitation , Disabled Children , Education, Special , Child , Cross-Sectional Studies , Deafness/epidemiology , Disabled Children/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Interdisciplinary Communication , Mass Screening , Patient Care Team , SyndromeABSTRACT
This article provides an overview of four auditory disorders relevant generally to adults and especially to veterans. The disorders are noise-induced hearing loss, idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, otosclerosis, and Méniàre's disease. Sensorineural hearing loss characterizes each, but additional aspects vary with each of the four conditions. This article describes the conditions, discusses their diagnoses and treatments, and outlines current and suggested rehabilitation. The emphasis is on recent advances, some of which await confirmation prior to possible acceptance as standard practice.