Acoustic Reflex

Reflexive tightening of the middle ear muscles in reaction to loud sounds.

Algorithm

A mathematical formula used to determine the recommended settings for all hearing instrument controls.

Analog Circuit

An electronic circuit that preserves the form of the signal as it passes through the amplifier.

APHAB

Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Instrument Benefit. Self-test used to evaluate the benefit derived from amplification.

ASHA

American Speech-Language Hearing Association. Professional organization of audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Formerly American Speech and Hearing Association.

Attenuation

Lowering volume.

Audiogram

Graphic representation of hearing threshold sensitivity, developed as a result of pure tone tests. The audiogram is a grid with frequency in Hertz on the horizontal axis and the hearing level (HL) measured in decibels (dB) on the vertical axis.

Healthcare professional specializing in assessing, treating and preventing hearing and communication disorders.

Audiometer

Instrument used to measure hearing sensitivity by presenting single-frequency tones in graduated volumes.

Aural Atresia

No opening to the ear canal.

Auricle

External or outer ear. Also known as pinna.

BelFit™

Silicone ring added to the hearing instrument shell to eliminate hearing instrument feedback caused by loose fit.

Bone Conduction

Transmission of sound to the cochlea using an oscellator/vibrator placed on the mastoid bone behind the ear.

BTE

Behind-the-ear hearing instrument. The hearing instrument is worn behind the ear and connects to the ear canal using a custom-fitted earpiece.

CAPD

Central auditory processing disorder. The impaired ability to encode and use acoustic information in the brain.

CCC-A

Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology. Certification awarded by ASHA.

Cerumen

Ear secretion, also called earwax.

CFY

Clinical Fellowship Year - nine-month internship required for ASHA certification.

Cholesteatoma

Fatty tumor like mass in the middle ear.

CIC

Completely in canal hearing instrument.

Circuit

Electronics of the hearing instrument, including microphone, amplifier, speaker and the necessary controls for volume and frequency modification.

Circumaural earphones

Earphones that cover the outer ear with a cup.

Cochlea

The sensory organ of hearing. The cochlea and vestibular organs make up the inner ear.

Compression

A change in the amount of gain a hearing instrument circuit provides. Usually compression means reducing the gain, but in some WDRC circuits, it may mean increasing the gain. Compression occurs in all non-linear circuits.

Concha

Bowl of the outer ear, surrounding the opening to ear canal. Part of the pinna.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Hearing loss caused by disease or damage to the outer and/or middle ear. Some of the factors that can damage the outer or middle ear are growths or tumors in the ear canal, ear wax build-up, punctured ear drums, recurring ear infections, frequent colds, otosclerosis, or skull fracture.

Contralateral Acoustic Reflex

The reflex response when stimulus is presented to the opposite ear from where the response is measured.

Cotton Dam

See Otoblock

Decibel (dB)

A measurement of sound intensity (loudness). Decibels are shown on the audiogram as dB HL, meaning "decibels of hearing level", and shown on hearing instrument specifications as dB SPL, meaning "decibels of sound pressure level".

Digital Circuit

An electronic circuit that changes the form of the signal into binary code (1s and 0s) before it passes through the Digital Signal Processor (amplifier).

Digitally Programmable Circuit

An electronic circuit that preserves the form of the signal as it passes through the amplifier, but uses a computer interface to set all the controls.

Dynamic Range

The range (in decibels) of threshold to LDL.

Ear Canal

Canal extending from the outer ear to the tympanum (ear drum). Also known as external auditory meatus.

Ear Canal Volume

Volume of air in the ear canal, measured in cubic centimeters.

Ear Impression

Casting made of the pinna and ear canal used to create a hearing instrument shell or earmold (BTE models).

Ear Wax

Common name for cerumen, a waxy secretion of the ear canal.

Eardrum

Common name for the tympanic membrane, a thin membrane at the end of the ear canal. Sound vibrations move the eardrum, which in turn vibrates the bones of the middle ear.

Earhook

Connects the BTE instrument to the earmold or earpiece and hooks over the ear.

Effective Gain

Difference in hearing sensitivity thresholds with and without amplification; measured in decibels HL. More commonly called functional gain.

ENT

Otolaryngologist. Medical specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the ear, nose, and throat.

External Auditory Meatus

Canal extending from the outer ear to the tympanum (ear drum). Also known as the ear canal.

Functional Gain

Difference in hearing sensitivity thresholds with and without amplification; measured in dBHL. Also called effective gain.

Ridge running around the inside of the outer ear.

HTL

Hearing threshold level.

Impress™

Beltone brand silicone-based impression material that is hand-mixed and dispensed through a syringe.

Inner Ear

The part of the ear containing the sensory organ of hearing - the cochlear, and the balance center - the semi-circular canals.

Input Compression

A type of compression that reduces gain based on the input signal at the microphone.

Insert earphones

Earphones with probes that fit into the ear canal rather than cups.

Interaural attenuation

Loss of sound energy as a signal is transmitted by bone conduction from one side of the head to the other

Ipsilateral Acoustic Reflex

The reflex response when the stimulus is presented to the same ear where the response is measured.

ITE

In The Ear. Hearing instrument that fits within the outer ear.

LDL

Loudness discomfort level. Highest volume level acceptable to patient. Exceeding this level causes discomfort. Under headphones, the results are expressed in dB HL (hearing level), with probe microphone, in dB SPL (sound pressure level).

Linear Circuit

A hearing instrument circuit that provides the same amount of gain, regardless of input levels of sound.

Loudness Growth

A measurement showing an individual’s judgment of how loud a range of sounds are, from threshold (the softest audible sound) to loudness discomfort (LDL).

LS&D

Loss, Stolen & Damage coverage. Beltone coverage that provides for a one-time replacement of a lost, stolen, or damaged hearing instrument at a cost of $200 to the patient.

Masking

The use of noise presented to one ear while testing the sensitivity of the other. This reduces or eliminates the transfer of sound from the test ear to the non-test ear.

MCL

Most comfortable loudness; level at which sound is most comfortable, expressed in dB HL (hearing level).

Middle Ear

The part of the ear containing the eardrum, ossicles, middle ear space, and eustachian tube.

Most Comfortable Level (MCL)

An individual’s judgment of the most comfortable loudness level they like to listen to.

Myringotomy

Surgical procedure, making an opening in the eardrum to equalize pressure.

NBC-HIS

National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences. An arm of the International Hearing Society.

NOAH

Hearing industry standard software application used to fit and program hearing devices; Beltone’s SelectaFit interfaces with NOAH.

Non-linear Circuit

A hearing instrument circuit that provides different amounts of gain, depending on the input or output levels of sound. Non-linear circuits use compression.

NU-6

Northwestern University Auditory Test Number 6. Phonetically-balanced word list of single-syllable words used for discrimination tests.

OAE

See: Otoacoustic Emission

Ossicles

The three bones in the middle ear - malleus, incus, stapes. The smallest bones in the body.

Otitis Externa

Inflammation of the outer ear.

Otitis Media

Inflammation of the middle ear.

Otoacoustic Emission

Low-level sound emitted by the cochlea. May be evoked by auditory stimulus (sound) or occur spontaneously.

Otoblock

Cotton ball, secured by string, used to protect the eardrum from impression material during the earmold impression taking process.

Otolaryngologist

Medical specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the ear, nose, and throat. Also known as ENT or ear, nose and throat specialist.

Otoscope

An instrument used for visual examination of the outer ear and ear canal. The video otoscope uses a small camera to capture and transmit an image to a video monitor. This allows the patient or third party to view inside their own ear.

Otoscopy

Visual inspection of the ear.

Outer Ear

The part of the ear containing the pinna and ear canal

Output Compression

A type of compression that reduces gain based on the output signal at the receiver.

Pinna

External or outer ear. Also known as auricle.

Probe microphone

Small microphone used for real ear testing of hearing instruments.

Pure Tone

Sound wave with a single frequency of vibration.

Pure Tone - Air Conduction Threshold

The softest level at which a patient responds to a single frequency tone presented through earphones.

Pure Tone - Bone Conduction Threshold

The softest level at which a patient responds to a single frequency tone presented through an oscillator placed on the mastoid bone behind the ear.

Real Ear

Computerized testing equipment which measures sound pressure level at the eardrum. Real ear data shows the frequency response curve of the ear canal, with or without the hearing instrument in place.

SADL

Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life. Self-test used to evaluate the benefit derived from amplification.

SAT

Speech Awareness Threshold. Lowest level where speech is audible.

Screening Audiometry

A screening process using pass/fail criteria, to determine whether an individual requires additional audiometric testing.

SelectaFit

Beltone’s proprietary fitting software. It interfaces with NOAH and with Beltone hearing instruments for configuration or adjustments of volume and frequency controls. Also aids in selecting an appropriate instrument for a patient based on their audiogram and other criteria.

Sensorineural loss

Hearing loss caused by damaged hair cells in the cochlea. Some of the factors that can cause hair cell damage or deterioration are noise exposure, viral infection, and aging. This type of loss may be helped by amplification.

Serous Otitis Media

A common cause of conductive loss due to an accumulation of fluid within the middle ear that impairs sound conduction. It may arise as the result of a cold, allergies, or other conditions. Chronic cases should be referred to a physician.

Shell

The exterior casing of the hearing instrument, cast from a mold made using the patient’s ear impression.

Signal-to-noise Ratio (S/N)

The difference in the decibel levels of a signal compared to the decibel levels of the surrounding noise.

Sound Field Aided Testing

Presenting sound stimuli through a loud speaker with the patient wearing his hearing instruments. Used to determine improvement in thresholds and/or speech test scores over the unaided condition.

Speech Battery

A series of tests including SRT, word discrimination, LDL and MCL; used to quantify hearing ability for speech stimuli.

Speech Reception Threshold (SRT)

Abbreviated as SRT, the lowest volume level at which 50% of spondaic (two syllable) words can be repeated. (Also called spondee threshold.)

Spondee

Two-syllable word spoken with equal emphasis on each syllable. Spondaic words are used to test speech reception thresholds.

Sweet Oil

Preferred over mineral oil. Pharmaceutical-grade extra virgin olive oil, used to lubricate the ear canal before impression taking. Used rather than mineral oil because it presents less possibility of irritation.

Threshold

The softest level at which a person can respond to a particular sound.

Tympanogram

A graphic representation of eardrum mobility.

Tympanometer

An instrument that measures the flexibility or compliance of the eardrum. It also tests reflexes - the ear’s ability to react and to recover from loud, short-duration sounds.

Tympanometry

Procedure used in the assessment of tympanum and middle ear function by measuring the eardrum's reaction to pressure variances.

Tympanum

The eardrum or tympanic membrane.

Video Otoscopy

A visual inspection of the ear using a camera mounted in a tiny probe.

Wide Dynamic Range Compression (WDRC)

A type of compression that provides different amounts of gain depending on the input signal.