Directions: Below is a case study presentation of a patient with a condition cov
ID: 126715 • Letter: D
Question
Directions: Below is a case study presentation of a patient with a condition covered in this week’s reading. Read the case study and answer the questions below. Some questions will ask for information not included within this chapter. Use your text, a medical dictionary, or any other reference material you choose to answer these questions.
This 35-year-old male musician was seen in the EENT clinic complaining of a progressive hearing loss over the past 15 years. He is now unable to hear what is being said if there is any environmental noise present. He states that he has played with a group of musicians using amplified instruments and no earplugs for the past 20 years. External ear structures appear normal bilaterally with otoscopy. Tympanometry is normal bilaterally. Audiometry reveals diminished hearing bilaterally. Rinne and Weber tuning-fork tests indicate that the patient’s ears are unable to conduct sound waves to the inner ear, but rule out damage to the auditory nerves. Diagnosis is moderate bilateral conductive hearing loss as a result of prolonged exposure to loud noise. Patient is referred for evaluation for a hearing aid.
1. What specific type of hearing loss does this patient appear to have? Look this condition up in a reference source and include a short description of it.
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2. What diagnostic tests did the physician perform? Describe them in your own words.
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3. This patient’s auditory nerves were undamaged. What do these nerves do?
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4. Explain the difference between a hearing aid and a cochlear implant.
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5. This case study uses the term bilateral several times. What does this term mean?
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6. How do you think this patient could have avoided this hearing loss?
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Explanation / Answer
1.The patient has moderate bilateral conductive hearing loss. In this specific type of hearing loss there is moderate loss of hearing due to inability to conduct sound waves effectively. This occurs anywhere along the outer ear, eardrum or middle ear. Moderate hearing loss signifies the need for a hearing aid.
2.The diagnostic tests that the physician performed were as follows:
3.Auditory nerves can be defined as a bundle of nerve fibres that carry out the function of transmitting /carrying hearing information between the cochlea and the brain. These get affected in case of sensorineural hearing loss.
4. Hearing aid are used to amplify sounds. Thus they are used in patients who are hearing impaired. Cochlear implants are used to stimulate the auditory nerves by channeling the sound to the damaged part of cochlea. It is used for deaf patients or patients who are severely hard on hearing.
5.The term bilateral means both sides. Here, it basically refers to hearing losing for both the ears.
6.yes,the patient could have avoided this hearing loss. This would be possible by use of precautionary measures such as wearing earplugs while music practice. Cutting down the exposure to loud music. Also minimising the volume would have also helped.
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