Auditory Acuity
August 19th, 2017
Overview
Whispering numbers into a patient's ears can be used as a gross estimate of auditory acuity.
How to Assess
- Whisper numbers into the patient's ear from 1m and ask them to repeat them. Alternatively, rub hair fibres together next to patient's ear.
Causes of Hearing Loss
Conductive
- External auditory canal - wax, foreign body, tumour, otitis externa
- Middle ear - perforated eardrum, otitis media, otosclerosis
Sensorineural
- Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss)
- Trauma - noise trauma
- Inflammation - meningitis, encephalitis, SLE, giant cell arteritis
- Ototoxicity - gentamicin, frusemide, cisplatin, aspirin
- Tumour - acoustic neuroma, meningioma, SCC, metastasis
- Idiopathic - Meniere's disease
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