Audiology features
Hyperacusis-related distress and comorbid psychiatric illness
Research suggests that over 50% of patients presenting with hyperacusis also present with some form of psychiatric disorder. With this in mind, Dr Aazh outlines what tools clinicians can use to screen for psychological disorders and what path to take...
Theory of mind and deaf children
Theory of mind relates to a person’s ability to understand the perspectives of others, to be aware that they may differ from one’s own perspectives and the ability to use this knowledge to navigate social situations. Dr Helen Chilton explores...
Middle ear muscle disorders: presentation, diagnosis and management
Patients often report symptoms relating to disorders of the middle ear muscles. Prof Bance gives us an overview of the anatomy and function, as well as guides our diagnosis and management. The middle ear muscles (MEMs) are a mystery, both...
Multifrequency tympanometry
There are many good reasons to start using multifrequency tympanometry as opposed to a traditional, single 226Hz probe tone. Here, Leigh Martin of Interacoustics discusses the uses and benefits. Tympanometry is a core test in the audiologist’s test battery. In...
TEN testing in paediatric patients
Threshold equalising noise (TEN) testing is used to identify dead regions (DRs) of the cochlear. Alexandra Lusty considers the challenges of using the TEN test in the paediatric population as well as the importance of identifying DRs. Diagnosing dead regions...
Enhancing and extending hearing care using Ida Telecare
Tele-audiology has been on our radar for a long while, and evidence shows that its application in clinical practice is beneficial to both patients and clinicians. Cherilee Rutherford discusses the benefits and gives an overview of the freely-available tools developed...
Physiological mechanisms of hyperacusis: an update
Hyperacusis is a heterogeneous and complex clinical entity, and proposals about physiological mechanisms should reflect these issues. Ben Auerbach helps us navigate through present knowledge in this area, and proposes future directions for research. Hyperacusis is a debilitating hearing disorder...
Untangling the emotional and physiological aspects of hyperacusis
In hyperacusis, the physiological and the emotional aspects can become deeply entwined. Dr Sarah Theodoroff draws us into her perspectives on this important aspect of the condition. Background Sounds and Emotions The basic act of hearing sounds triggers an emotional...
Unravelling the mystery of hyperacusis with pain
When a person says that sound causes them pain, how can we understand this, and determine what processes are involved? Bryan Pollard navigates us through what is presently known. Pain has long been underrepresented – and often, completely overlooked –...
Targeted CMV screening and hearing management of children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection
Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is a common congenital infection and is the leading infectious cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in children. Prof Karen Fowler discusses current research and the exciting future of screening for cCMV in newborns. Figure 1....
Facing up to the challenge of behavioural observation in infant hearing assessment
The ability to assess detection and discrimination of speech by infants has proved elusive. Dr Iain Jackson and colleagues discuss how new technologies and fresh approaches might offer valuable insight into young infants’ behavioural responses to sound. The limits of...
Cochlear implantation in children with single-sided deafness: rationale and early findings
Cochlear Implantation (CI) in children with single-sided deafness (SSD) is a controversial treatment option. Profs Karen Gordon, Papsin and Cushing discuss the rationale and early findings on the relative success of achieving binaural hearing for SSD with CI. If you’d...
