Glossary
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a
Growth of tissue on the eighth cranial nerve.
acoustic trauma
Term referring to noise induced hearing loss.
acquired hearing loss
Hearing loss that was not present at birth but developed later, either during childhood or adulthood. See also congenital hearing loss.
acute
A pain or illness which quickly becomes severe. See also chronic.
adenoids
Soft mass of flesh between the back of the nose and the throat.
adenoidectomy
Removal of the adenoids.
adverse effect
Harmful effect (for example, of a drug).
air conduction
The transmission of sound through the air to the ear.
amplify (noun: amplification)
Make something louder.
analgesic
A type of drug which stops you from feeling pain.
analogue hearing aids
Hearing aids using traditional sound amplification technology.
anvil
Common name for the middle bone in the ossicular chain. Also called the incus.
arterial disease
Disease of the arteries (thick tubes which carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body.
assistive devices
Equipment that can help you in your daily life. For example, amplified telephones, loop systems, flashing or vibrating doorbells or baby monitors.
atresia (or aural atresia)
Missing or incomplete ear canal.
attic
Upper part of the middle ear space.
audible
Able to be heard
audiogram
Chart showing results of a hearing test.
audiology
The study, professional assessment and management, of hearing disorders.
audiologist
Person who identifies and assesses hearing and/or balance disorders, recommending and providing appropriate rehabilitation and management.
audiometer
Machine used to measure a patient's hearing.
audiometric test
A test of hearing.
auditory brainstem response (ABR) test
A test for hearing and brain (neurological) functioning. The ABR test involves attaching electrodes to the head to record electrical activity from the auditory nerve and other parts of the brain.
auditory cortex
The part of the brain that is concerned with hearing.
auditory nerve
Nerve along which the sensory cells (the hair cells) of the inner ear transmit information to the brain.
auditory processing disorder (APD)
Condition where your ears are working well, but you cannot understand the sounds you hear.
auricle
The outer ear, the external part of the ear. Also known as the pinna.
autosome
Any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome. Humans have 22 pairs of autosomes.
b
barotrauma
Injury to the ear caused by exposure to sudden pressure changes, for example in flying or diving.
behind-the-ear hearing aid
Hearing aid worn behind the ear.
BICROS hearing aid
CROS stands for Contralateral Routing of Signals. As with the CROS hearing aid, a microphone on the worse side feeds an amplified signal to the better ear. In the BICROS system, the better ear also gets an amplified signal from a separate microphone.
bilateral
Relating to both sides, for example both sides of the head.
bilateral hearing loss
Hearing loss in both ears.
bilateral implants
Where you have a cochlear implant in each ear.
blast injury
Damage to the ear or hearing caused by a nearby explosion or by firearms or fireworks.
blood vessels
Tubes that carry blood around the body.
body-worn hearing aid
Rectangular hearing aid you can carry in your pocket, with a cord connecting the aid to the ear.
bone-anchored hearing aid
Bone conduction hearing aid which is screwed into the skull behind the ear.
bone conduction
The transmission of sound to the cochlear through the vibrating bones of the skull.
bout
Brief period, outbreak or attack.
BSL (British Sign Language)
A visual language with its own grammar, syntax and structure, used by approximately 50,000 people in the UK.
BTE hearing aid
See Behind-the-ear hearing aid.
C
cardiac
Relating to the heart
cardiovascular
Relating to the heart and blood vessels
CAT scan (computerised axial tomography)
Pictures of structures within the body created by a computer that takes the data from multiple X-ray images and turns them in pictures on a screen. Can reveal some soft-tissue and other structures that cannot be seen in conventional X-rays.
central nervous system
The collective name for the brain and spinal cord. See also peripheral nervous system.
cerumen
earwax.
cholesteatoma
Progressive, abnormal growth of skin in the middle ear.
chorda tympani nerve
Situated just under the eardrum, this nerve is concerned with the sensation of taste.
chromosome
Threadlike "package" of genes and other DNA in the nucleus of a cell. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, 46 in all: 44 autosomes and two sex chromosomes. Each parent contributes one chromosome to each pair, so children get half of their chromosomes from their mother and half from their father.
chronic
Pain or illness that continues for a long time. See also acute
clinical psychologist
Clinical psychologists mainly deal with assessing, treating and/or researching psychological distress and wellbeing and physical illness. They apply methods and findings of psychology and psychological theories to patients and clients in health care settings to enable them to make positive changes in their lives.
coagulation
Clotting (of blood).
cochlea
The snail-shell shaped organ of the inner ear.
cochlear implant
A device in which electrodes stimulate the auditory nerve directly. Used to restore hearing to profoundly deaf patients.
cochlear otosclerosis
When the spongy growth from otosclerosis spreads from the ossicular chain into the cochlea.
conductive deafness
Deafness in the outer or middle ear that is caused by the sound being blocked in some way.
congenital hearing loss
Hearing loss that is thought to have been present at birth, or associated with the birth process, or to have developed in the first few days of life. See also acquired hearing loss.
conjugate vaccine
Vaccines made by linking a tiny fragment from the bacteria's sugar coat (polysaccharide) to a protein. Our immune systems respond much more strongly to proteins than to sugars, so conjugate vaccines trigger a long-lasting immune response.
consultant
Doctor with special training and knowledge in a particular area of medicine.
CROS hearing aid
Stands for Contralateral Routing of Signals. Suitable for single-sided (unilateral) deafness. A microphone is placed on the side of the worse ear, and the signal from it is fed to the better ear. This allows users to hear sounds on the impaired side without turning the head. See also BICROS hearing aid.
cued speech
A system of hand shapes and placements to aid understanding of spoken language.
cumulative
Increasing each time. For example, going to noisy events on a regular basis has a cumulative effect on your hearing.
cyst
A round growth, just under the skin or deeper in the body, which usually contains liquid or semi-solid material.
d
dBA
dBA is a decibel scale which is modified to take into account the sensitivity of human ears to different pitches of sound. It is commonly used when measuring noise levels. the performance characteristics of professional and consumer audio products also normally use dBA, even when the scale is marked as dB. See also decibel.
deaf (adjective)
Partially or completely lacking in the sense of hearing.
deaf (noun)
A general term used to include the whole range of people with a hearing loss.
deafblindness (or deaf-blindness)
Also known as dual sensory loss. Combination of visual and hearing impairments. Many of the UK's 23,000 deafblind people have some remaining hearing and vision. Some, though, have nearly complete loss of both senses.
deafened
Term used to describe people who were born hearing and became severely or profoundly deaf after learning to speak. See also postlingual deafness.
deafness (noun)
The lack or loss of the ability to hear.
decibel (dB)
Unit of sound measurement based on a logarithmic scale. See also dBA.
degeneration
The process by which something gets worse, a progressive deterioration.
desensitisation
A process which allows someone to experience something (emotion or pain) less strongly than before.
developmental delay
When a child has not got a skill or ability by the age that a statistically average child would have. Developmental delays, especially if they involve a language delay which may be secondary to a hearing loss, should be identified as early as possible.
diagnostic tests
Tests which aim to identify disease or problem from its signs and symptoms.
digital hearing aids
Hearing aids utilising digital sound processing systems, which enable accurate control over the way the sound is reproduced.
diuretics
Substances which cause an increase in the production of urine.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
The chemical inside the nucleus of a cell that carries the genetic instructions for making living organisms.
dominant gene
A gene that almost always results in a specific physical characteristic, for example, a disease, even though the patient's genome possesses only one copy. With a dominant gene, the chance of passing on the gene (and therefore the disease) to children is 50-50 in each pregnancy.
dual sensory loss (or dual sensory impairment)
Loss of (or problems with) two senses. Often used when people have problems with their sight and their hearing. See also deafblindness.
dynamic range of hearing
In the context of hearing, the term may be used in two senses. Qualitatively, it covers the perceptual range from just audible to painfully loud. Quantitatively, the dynamic range of the ear conventionally refers to the decibel interval between the threshold of hearing and the threshold of pain.
e
ear canal
Tube running from the pinna to the eardrum. See also external auditory canal.
eardrum
A thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. Its function is to transmit sound from the air to the ossicles inside the middle ear. The malleus bone connects the eardrum to the other ossicles.
ear irrigation
Method of removing earwax, using water.
ear mould
Part of a hearing aid which is moulded to the shape of the patient's ear, and which is used to keep a hearing aid or its earpiece in place.
elasticity
The ability to stretch
endolymph
Fluid found in part of the cochlea.
ENT
Abbreviation of ear, nose & throat.
eustachian tube
Tube connecting the ear with the nose and the back of the throat.
external Auditory Canal
The canal leading from the pinna to the eardrum. See also ear canal.
f
fenestration
Name given to a once common operation for otosclerosis. Now superseded by stapedectomy.
fingerspelling
System of hand shapes used to form letters.
furuncle
A boil.
g
gene
The basic unit of inheritance, a piece of DNA.
general anaesthetic
A drug which is used to make you unconscious when you have an operation so that you do not feel any pain
genetic counselling
Information and support for families, for example those affected by inherited deafness.
genetic mutation
A permanent change in DNA.
genetic predisposition
This means you may be more likely to develop a particular disease or condition because of your genetic make-up.
genetics
The study of genes
gentamicin
An antibiotic.
glue ear
Common name for persistent inflammation of the middle ear. Medical names include otitis media with effusion (OME) and secretory otitis media.
GP (general practitioner)
A doctor who provides general medical treatment for people who live in a particular area. Also known as a 'family doctor'.
grommet
A tube inserted into the eardrum to maintain an opening. Commonly used to treat glue ear.
h
hair cell
Cells in the cochlea which convert incoming sound vibrations into electrical impulses. So called because of tiny hair-like cilia at the tip.
hammer
Common name for the first bone in the ossicular chain (the malleus).
hard of hearing
Term to describe people with a mild to severe hearing loss. Often used for people who have lost their hearing gradually.
hearing therapist
Someone who helps patients to manage their hearing loss and improve their communication skills by helping them with their hearing aids, counselling them and/or their family, and giving advice about assistive devices, lipreading and tinnitus management. Many NHS Trusts now employ hearing therapists to work in the Audiology or ENT departments of hospitals.
hereditary deafness
When the deafness has been passed from parent to child, through their genes.
high frequency hearing loss
Refers to the inability to hear high frequency sounds while still retaining relatively good hearing for low frequencies. This usually impairs speech discrimination. Common in age and noise related deafness.
hyperacusis
Term used to describe oversensitive hearing.
hysterical deafness
A term not currently in use for a rare psychological symptom in which hearing is affected although the physiological basis for it is intact. Also known as psychogenic deafness.
human genome
The complete set of DNA in the human species.
i
idiopathic
A disease or condition which has no known cause.
immunological disorders
Disorders affecting the immune system.
incus
Anatomical name for the second bone in the ossicular chain. Also known as the anvil.
induction loop
A loop system helps deaf people who use a hearing aid or loop listener to hear sounds more clearly by reducing or cutting out background noise. It uses electromagnetic waves, and can be used at home with a TV, radio or telephone, or in public places like a theatre.
industrial noise
Noise in the workplace. Often refers to noise in factories, building sites etc, but can also refer to other noisy workplaces such as call centres or offices.
infant distraction test
Test used to find out if young children have a hearing problem. Was used more often in the past, but with the introduction of the more accurate otoacoustic emissions test, it is being phased out in most areas. Also known as the Health Visitor Distraction Test.
inflammation
A red, painful and often swollen area in, or on, a part of your body
inner ear
Alternative term for the cochlea. Can refer to both the cochlea and the vestibular apparatus.
inner hair cells
Inner ear cells with extensive nerve connections which process sounds.
instantaneous
Happening immediately, straightaway.
in-the-ear hearing aid
Small hearing aid which has its working parts in the ear mould, so the whole aid fits into the ear.
intelligible (noun: intelligibility)
Clear enough to be understood.
ITE hearing aid
Abbreviation for in-the-ear hearing aid.
l
Labyrinth
The balance canals in the inner ear.
labyrinthitis
Inflammation of the inner ear, caused by bacterial or viral infection. Can lead to dizziness, tinnitus or hearing loss.
language acquisition
Process by which people (usually children) develop language skills, from recognising sound patterns and making babbling sounds, to understanding and using whole words and sentences.
late-onset disease
When a disease or condition becomes apparent later in life than other similar conditions. This can be a condition which develops (for example) in early childhood instead of at birth, or in your thirties instead of in your teenage years.
lipreading (or lip-reading)
When you speak to someone, the way their face and lips move give you information to help you understand the meaning of what they are saying. People with a hearing loss tend to rely more on these signals.
logarithmic scale
Logarithms are related to 'times' (multiplying) scales. For example, in the dBA scale used for sound, an increase or decrease of 3dBA represents a doubling or halving of loudness: so 80dBA is twice as loud as 77dBA. See also dBA.
loop system
A loop system helps deaf people who use a hearing aid or loop listener to hear sounds more clearly by reducing or cutting out background noise. It uses electromagnetic waves, and can be used at home with a TV, radio or telephone, or in public places like a theatre.
low frequency hearing loss
When somebody has problems hearing low frequency sounds, but can still hear high frequency sounds.
m
malignant
A disease or growth which is severe and likely to become progressively worse.
malleus
Anatomical name for the first bone in the ossicular chain (the hammer).
mastoid bone
A bump on the skull which can be felt behind the ear and holds an air cavity to balance pressure changes across the eardrum.
maternally conferred immunity
When a mother passes on some protection against infections to her baby through the placenta and in breast milk. This helps them to fight off infections until their own immune system is fully working. This is also known as passive immunity.
medical practitioner
Another term for a doctor.
Ménière's Disease (or Ménière's Syndrome)
A disease of the inner ear, which affects the hearing and balance. The main symptoms are hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo.
meningitis
Inflammation of the meninges (membranes covering the brain and spinal cord).
meningococcal infection
Infection with the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. A person with this infection may have meningitis, sepsis, a skin condition called purpura fulminans or a combination of any of these.
metabolism
All the chemical processes in your body, especially those that cause food to be used for energy and growth.
middle ear
The part of the ear from the eardrum to the oval window. It includes the ossicles. It is important for transmitting sound from the outer ear to the inner ear.
mixed deafness
A combination of both conductive and sensorineural deafness. For example, a child may have glue ear and at the same time have a problem in their cochlea.
MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging)
A system for producing electronic pictures of the organs inside a person's body, using radio waves and a strong magnetic field.
multiple sclerosis (MS)
A condition of the central nervous system.
n
neonatal
Newborn, a baby that has been born recently.
nerve deafness
Pre-1970 name for sensorineural deafness.
neurological
Relating to nerves
newborn hearing screening programme (NHSP)
This programme aims to implement a hearing screen for all newborn babies in England. It uses an otoacoustic emissions test and/or an auditory brainstem response test to detect hearing loss in babies.
noise generator
Small device that looks like a hearing aid and produces a steady, gentle noise. Used to manage tinnitus and hyperacusis.
non-syndromal deafness
Inherited deafness with no other presenting characteristics. Also known as 'non-syndromal sensorineural hearing impairment' or NSSNHI. See also syndromal deafness.
nucleus
The centre of a cell.
o
ossicles
Collective name for the three bones of the middle ear - the hammer (malleus), anvil (incus) and stirrup (stapes).
ossicular chain
Chain of tiny articulated bones (ossicles) in the middle ear. They connect the eardrum to the oval window in the cochlea, and transmit sound vibrations to the inner ear.
osteoporosis
Thinning of the bones, reduction in bone density. More common in older people, particularly post-menopausal women.
otitis externa
Infection of the skin covering the outer ear canal. Symptoms include itchiness, swelling and pain.
otitis media (OM)
Acute infection of the middle ear. It is not necessarily associated with the condition otitis media with effusion (OME), or glue ear.
otoacoustic emission
Sounds produced by healthy ears in response to incoming sound.
otoacoustic Emissions Test
This involves placing a small soft tipped earpiece in the outer part of the baby's ear and playing quiet clicking sounds. In a hearing ear, the cochlea should produce sounds in response to the clicks which can be recorded and analysed by the computerised screening system. Used as part of the newborn hearing screening programme.
otology
The branch of science that deals with the ear and its diseases.
otosclerosis
The abnormal formation of new bone in the middle ear that gradually immobilises the stapes (stirrup bone) and prevents it from vibrating in response to sound, causing progressive, conductive, hearing loss.
otoscope
Instrument for looking in the ear.
otoscopy
Examination of the ear using an otoscope. Can be used to look at the ear canal and the eardrum.
ototoxic
a drug or other agent which is potentially damaging to the hearing or balance organs.
oval window
Thin elastic membrane between the middle ear and the inner ear (or cochlea). Transmits movement from the ossicles to the cochlea.
p
peak clipping
A system used in hearing aids to prevent the amplification of sudden loud noises but at the cost of distortion.
perforated eardrum
When the eardrum bursts or ruptures, for example, during a severe ear infection.
perilymph
Fluid found in part of the cochlea. Similar to the fluid around the brain and spinal cord.
perinatal
Relating to the period immediately before and after birth.
perinatal asphyxia
Lack of oxygen during labour or delivery.
peripheral nervous system
The part of the nervous system which is outside the brain and spine. Nerves in the peripheral nervous system connect the central nervous system to the sensory organs, other organs of the body, muscles, blood vessels and glands. See also central nervous system.
photophobia
Painful oversensitivity to light.
pinna
Anatomical name for the outer ear. Also called the auricle.
pneumococcal meningitis
A type of bacterial meningitis, caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae.
polyp
A usually benign growth or tumour protruding from the mucous lining of an organ such as the nose, bladder, or intestine.
postlingual (or post-lingual)
After a person has developed language.
postlingual deafness
deafness that happened after a person developed language (or learned to speak).
predisposition
See Genetic predisposition
preventive therapies
Strategies designed to avert and avoid disease, a proactive approach.
presbyacusis
Age-related deafness.
progressive deafness
deafness which gets worse.
prosthesis
An artificial body part, to replace a missing part.
pure-tone audiometry
Technique used for measuring hearing accurately across a range of frequencies.
r
Recessive
A genetic disorder that appears only in patients who have received two copies of a mutant gene, one from each parent.
recruitment
A term used to describe the physical discomfort arising from loud noise, which occurs when the range of hearing has been narrowed due to sensorineural hearing loss.
regeneration (verb: regenerate)
Process of growing something again.
rehabilitation
Process by which someone returns to health or useful and constructive activity. For example, a deafened person may go through a process of rehabilitation - including getting hearing aids or a cochlear implant, receiving counselling, training in lipreading, and other advice - to help them participate fully in their daily activities.
remission
A period of time when an illness is less severe.
respiratory infection
Infection of the respiratory (breathing) system.
round window
One of the two windows which separate fluid in the inner ear from air in the middle ear.
s
sebum
Oily secretion
sedative
A drug used to calm a person or make them sleep.
sensorineural deafness
Sensorineural deafness may be either sensory (affecting the sense organ of hearing in the cochlea) or neural (affecting the nervous pathways which connect the cochlea to the hearing centres in the brain).
sensory
Connected with the physical senses (hearing, sight, smell, touch and taste).
sensory cell
A cell in the peripheral nervous system that receives sensory input. For example, sensory cells in the ear receive sensory input for sound, and cells in the eye receive sensory input for light.
septicaemia
A serious illness in which infection spreads through the blood.
sex chromosomes
The chromosomes which determine a person's sex. In humans, there are two kinds, one called X and the other called Y. Normally, females have two X chromosomes, while men have one X and one Y.
sign Language
A language in which information is expressed not with combinations of sounds but with combinations of handshapes, movements of the hands, arms and body, and facial expressions.
speech discrimination
The ability to understand speech.
sporadic
Happening irregularly, with no pattern.
SSE (Sign Supported English)
A form of sign language which uses BSL signs and English grammar.
stapedectomy
An operation for otosclerosis, in which the fixed stapes is removed and replaced with a prosthesis.
stapedotomy
An operation for otosclerosis, in which the surgeon drills a tiny hole in the stapes footplate with a microdrill or laser. A very fine vein graft covers the hole and a piston is placed into this and attached to the incus.
stapes
The third and final bone in the ossicular chain. Also known as the stirrup.
stirrup
Name given to the stapes due to its shape.
suppurate
To form or give out a thick yellow liquid (pus) because of infection.
suppurative labyrinthitis
Where a middle ear infection spreads to the inner ear.
susceptible
Likely to be affected, especially sensitive.
syndromal deafness
Form of inherited deafness in which the hearing problems occur alongside other medical problems or minor clinical features. Also known as 'syndromal sensorineural hearing impairment' or SSNHI. See also non-syndromal deafness.
syringing
See also ear irrigation
t
Tay-Sachs Disease
A recessive genetic disorder. Children with Tay-Sachs develop normally until the age of four to six months, before development stops and they start to lose skills they have already acquired. They become progressively more unwell, and blindness and deafness are common.
temporal bone
Part of the skull housing the inner ear vestibular system.
temporary threshold shift
Temporary loss of hearing
threshold of hearing
Minimum level of sound that can be perceived by an individual.
tinnitus
Noises heard in the ear or head.
tragus
Skin-covered cartilage in front of the entrance to the ear canal
tympanometry
Test which shows how flexible the eardrum is.
tympanosclerosis
The thickening of the eardrum.
tympanum
Anatomical name for the eardrum.
u
unilateral hearing loss
Hearing loss in one ear.
unobtrusive
Not very noticeable.
Usher Syndrome
An inherited condition which involves both hearing and sight loss. In most cases, people with Usher are born with a hearing impairment, and then start to lose their sight later on.
v
vascular
Relating to blood vessels
vertigo
A feeling that you are dizzily turning around or that things are dizzily turning about you. It is usually due to a problem in the inner ear, but can also be related to vision problems.
vestibular canals
Part of the balance system in the inner ear. They are connected to the brain by the vestibular nerve. Also known as semicircular canals.
vestibular organ
The vestibular (balance) system is made up of five organs that are housed in the inner ear (labyrinth). These so-called vestibular organs are the three semicircular canals, the saccule, and the utricle. The semicircular canals are responsible for the detection of rotation, while the saccule and utricle are responsible for the detection of straight-line (linear) acceleration and gravity.
viral
Relating to a virus
w
white noise
Sound without structure which is made up of all audible frequencies at the same level. Used in hearing tests or tinnitus maskers.
Williams Syndrome
A rare genetic condition which causes medical and developmental problems. Common features include hyperacusis.
