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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
[ A ]
Acoustic Nerve: The eighth cranial nerve, connecting the inner ear and balance system to the brain.
Acoustic Neuroma: A tumorous growth usually associated with the eighth nerve.
Amplitude: The magnitude or "height" of a sound wave...associated with loudness of a sound.
Ampulla: The enlargement at the base of each semicircular canal...contains sensory cells which detect movement of the fluid in the semicircular canals.
Anvil (Incus): One of three bones within the middle ear. These three bones transmit sound from the ear drum to the cochlea.
Ataxia: Muscular incoordination affecting voluntary muscular movements.
Assistive Device: Any device other than a conventional hearing aid, which is used as a means for hearing assistance.
Atresia: The closure of a normal body opening or congenital absence of a body opening such as the ear canal.
Attic: The upper part of the tympanic cavity of the ear.
Audiogram: A chart or graph representing one's hearing responses at specific frequencies throughout the normal hearing range.
Audiologist: A person trained in the science of hearing and hearing impairments, who can administer tests and provide assistance in the rehabilitation of hearing-impaired persons.
Audiometry: The process of measuring hearing ability or acuity.
Auditory Nerve: The nerve which carries signals (electrical impulses) from the inner ear to the base of brain.
Auricle (Pina): External ear.
Auricular: Pertaining to an auricle, or to the external ear.
Auriscope: An instrument for examining the ear.
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[ B ]
Basilar Membrane: The thin sheet of tissue which vibrates in response to movements in the liquid which fills the scalae of the cochlea.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: Mild, sudden onset of a spinning or dizzy sensation.
Binaural Hearing: with both ears with approximately equal sensitivity.
Bitemporal: Referring to both temporal bones of the skull.
Bone Conduction: Stimulating the cochlea by transmitting vibrations through the temporal bone directly to the cochlea, bypassing the middle ear.
Bony Labyrinth: The cavity within the temporal bone of the skull which contains the inner-ear and balance system.
Brainstem Testing: Electronic testing which senses nerve activity in the brainstem, in response to hearing stimulation.
Bulla: The dilated portion of the bony external meatus (canal) of the ear.
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[ C ]
Cerumen (Ear Wax): A wax-like deposit that accumulates in the ear canal.
Closed Captioned (CC): A means whereby television programs include text of the script along the bottom or top of the picture tube.
Cochlea: The small snail shell shaped organ of the inner ear which contains the organ of Corti, the organ which converts sound vibrations into nerve signals to be sent to the brain.
Cochlear Implant: An electronic prosthesis which stimulates the organ of Corti in the cochlea, thereby producing a sensation of sound in an otherwise deaf ear.
Cholesteatoma: A tumor of the middle ear.
Conductive Hearing Loss: Hearing loss caused by dysfunction of the outer or middle ear, diminishing the sound which can be conducted to the organ of Corti in the cochlea where the sensation of hearing is produced.
Congenital Hearing Loss: A form of hearing loss which is present from birth. It may or may not be hereditary.
Cortex: The region of the brain where sound, vision, taste, smell and touch sensory information is processed.
Crista: The sensory cells within the semicircular canals which detect fluid movement, as is usually caused by rotational motion of the head. The crista produce important balance signals.
Cupola: A jelly-like covering of the sensory crista in the ampulla of the semicircular canals.
Cycles per second: An expression for the frequency of sound and other oscillatory phenomena, usually associated with the perception of pitch. Also expressed as Hertz, the standard scientific term for frequency.
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[ D ]
Decibel: A unit of measure of relative signal (sound) intensity. Named in honor of Alexander Graham Bell.
Disequilibrium: The loss of balance or postural control.
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[ E ]
Ear Canal: The short channel which passes from the external ear to the middle ear, carrying sound from the outside to the eardrum. Functions as a Kundt's open tube resonator to intensify ambient sound at the eardrum.
Eardrum (Tympanium): The membrane which separates the inner ear from the ear canal.
Eustachian Tube: The tube which passes from the middle ear to the nasal cavity, and which serves to maintain pressure equalization between the middle ear cavity and ambient air.
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[ F ]
Fossa: A hollow or depressed area.
Frequency: An expression of the repetition rate of a sound wave or other repetitive function. Usually expressed in Hertz, cycles per second, or vibrations per second.
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[ G ]
Gadolinium: A metallic chemical element of the rare-earth group that is very magnetic at low temperatures. Used in certain magnetic hearing prostheses.
Ganglion: A knot-like mass of nervous tissue, consisting of nerve cell bodies
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[ H ]
Hair Cells: Hair-like or whisker-like nerve cells which rub against the tectoral flap and sense motion caused by sound. This is the point of transduction between sound vibration and nerve impulses.
Hammer (Malleus): One of the three tiny bones of the middle ear, which transmit sound from the ear drum to the cochlea.
Hydrops: An abnormal edema or accumulation of serous fluid in the labyrinth.
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[ I ]
Impedance Audiometry: A type of testing which measures the ability to hear sound waves which are transmitted through the skull bone, rather than through the ear canal.
Incus (Anvil): One of the three tiny bones of the middle ear which transmit sound from the ear drum to the cochlea.
Inner Ear: That portion of the ear which lies inward from the middle ear, and which is comprised of the cochlea, containing the organ of Corti. The inner ear also includes the Vestibular (balance) system.
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[ J ]
Jugalar Fossa: A hollow or depressed area toward the front of the middle ear cavity.
Jugal: Pertaining to the malar or zygomatic or bony arch of the cheek, just in front of the ear.
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[ K ]
Kinesia: Motion sickness or vertigo sickness.
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[ L ]
Labyrinth: The inner ear, consisting of the vestibule, the cochlea, the semicircular canals or bony labyrinth.
Labyrinthitis: A viral infection, or other inflammation of the labyrinth.
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[ M ]
Macula: An area within the organs of balance which contains cells to sense changes in head position, as in rotation.
Malleus (Hammer): One of the three tiny bones of the middle ear which serve to transmit sound from the eardrum to the cochlea.
Mastoid: Pertaining to the mastoid process located in the temporal bone behind the ear.
Meniere's Disease: A condition resulting from fluid buildup in the inner ear, and which can lead to episodes of hearing loss, tinnitis and vertigo.
Middle Ear: That portion of the ear which lies between the eardrum and the cochlea, and which transmits sound from the eardrum to the oval window of the cochlea. The middle ear contains the three tiny bones called the hammer (malleus), anvil (incus) and stirrup (stapes), along with tiny muscles which regulate the tension on the eardrum to control overall sensitivity to sounds.
Myringitis: Inflammation of the eardrum.
Myringoscope: An instrument used for examining the eardrum.
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[ N ]
Nerve Deafness: Designating a type of hearing loss usually caused by dysfunction of the receptor nerves of the organ of Corti, within the cochlea, as opposed to conductive hearing loss caused by certain problems within the middle or outer ear. Nerve deafness can also be caused by dysfunction of any part of the nerve system between the cochlea and the auditory cortex of the brain.
Nystagmus: Involuntary rapid eye movements.
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[ O ]
Organ of Corti: The organ within the cochlea which contains the hair cells that transduce sound vibrations into nerve signals, which are then carried by the auditory nerve to the brain.
Ossicles: The collective name for the assembly of three tiny bones of the middle ear, consisting of the hammer (malleus), the anvil (incus) and the stirrup (stapes).
Oto: Of or pertaining to the ear. From the latin otic
Otalgia: A sensation of pain in the ear.
Otantritis: Inflammation of the mastoid antrum.
Otoliths: Stone-like particles in the macula which contribute to our awareness of gravity and acceleration, apart from rotation.
Otoneurologic: Having to do with the hearing nerves.
Otosclerosis: A middle ear anomaly which is a primary cause of conductive hearing loss. Identified with the formation of calcareous deposits on the joints of the ossicles.
Otitis: An infection or inflammation of the middle ear. Can be viral, bacteria, or allergenic.
Otology: That branch of medicine which concentrates on anomalies and diseases of the hearing system.
Outer Ear: That external portion of the ear which is formed of cartilage and skin. It serves to collect sound waves and direct them into the ear canal. Also serves as a handy means for supporting glasses and hearing aids!
Oval Window: The membrane which forms a seal between the footplate of the stapes and the scala tympani chamber of the cochlea.
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[ P ]
Parotid: Of or pertaining to the parotid (salivary) gland, near the ear.
Parotiditis: Inflamation of the parotid gland(s); mumps.
Parotidectomy: Surgical removal of the parotid gland.
Perilymph: Watery liquid that fills the outer tubes of the cochlea.
Pina (Auricle): The external, visible portion of the ear.
Pink Noise: A sound similar to white noise, differing in that those frequency components near the center of the audio spectrum are comparatively stronger.
Presbycusis: A hereditary sensory-neural hearing loss which develops late in life.
Proprioceptor: A sensory nerve ending which originates chiefly in muscles, tendons and the labyrinth, and which are concerned primarily with movements and positions of the body.
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[ Q ]
Quality: Essential attribute, distinguishing feature, or characteristic; degree of excellence
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[ R ]
Retrocochlear: Situated behind the cochlea.
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[ S ]
Saccule: The inner ear area which contains some of the organs that sense position and gravity.
Semicircular Canals: Hoop-like tubes filled with clear fluid, movement of which produces a sensation of rotational motion.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Hearing loss which is caused by dysfunction of the sensory nerves, usually within the cochlea, but may involve dysfunction anywhere along the auditory nerve pathway.
Sound Wave: Alternating high and low pressure areas, moving through air or any other medium such as water or bone. Perceived as sound when cochlear stimulation occurs.
Stapes (Stirrup): One of the three tiny bones of the middle ear which serve to transmit sound from the eardrum to the cochlea.
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[ T ]
Tectorial Membrane: A thin strip of membrane within the organ of Corti in the cochlea.
Tinnitus: A ringing, buzzing or hissing false sensation of sound, caused by dysfunctional nerves or hair cells in the cochlea.
Tragus: The small pointed cartilaginous projection at the front of the external ear canal.
TTY, TDD or TT: Various expressions for telephone devices which provide a means for communication with typed messages rather than with voice and hearing. TTY is the abbreviation for telephone teletype, TDD for telephone device for the deaf and TT for text telephone.
Tympanum (Eardrum): The membrane which separates the outer ear from the middle ear.
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[ U ]
Uncomfortable loudness level (UCL): Threshold of discomfort
Unilateral: Pertaining to or restricted to one side of the body.
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[ V ]
Vertigo: A sensation of dizziness, moving or spinning when there is no motion.
Vestibular Apparatus: That part of the cochlea associated with maintaining balance.
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[ W ]
Wave Length: The distance between peaks of successive sound waves.
White Noise: A complex sound in which all frequencies of the audio spectrum are present. A waterfall produces a good representation of white noise.
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[ X ]
X-ray: That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum consisting of radiation of extremely short wavelength which is emitted from a target anode substance bombarded by a stream of electrons moving at a sufficiently high velocity.
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[ Y ]
Y-cord hearing aid: Body hearing aid with one microphone and one amplifier which are wired to both ears by a "Y" shaped cord.
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[ Z ]
Zero hearing level: Sound pressure level required to make any frequency barely audible to the normal ear.
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