MI 1.3 Conclusion Questions

All sounds for speech vibrate at different frequencies, which is how you differentiate speech sounds. Vowels are relatively low in pitch, while consonants such as l, m,and n are in the middle range of pitches. Many speech sounds such as s and f are high in pitch. How would speech understanding be affected by a person with moderate to severe high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss?

A high frequency hearing loss makes it harder to hear in large groups or places with a lot of background noise. They also struggle with hearing normal speech because hearing letters like f and s are hard for them.

Draw a picture of a sound wave. Label both the amplitude and frequency on the picture and describe how these terms relate to how a person would hear this sound wave

A higher frequency sound means that someone would hear a higher noise because frequency is the same as pitch. Amplitude is like how tall the wave is, a higher amplitude would make the sound louder.

Why would a person with conductive hearing loss hear the tuning fork through bone conduction longer than or equally as long as through air conduction?

Because in conductive hearing loss, bone conduction is bigger than air conduction cause it bypasses the outer ear, when sound can't get to the inner ear.

What type of hearing loss does this simulate? Explain your answer.

Conductive hearing loss because it blocks what goes into your ear, you can't hear what is going into your ear.

How did your hearing with the cotton balls in your ear compare to your normal hearing without the cotton balls?

Hearing with cotton balls in your ear would be harder because the cotton ball blocks the sound going into your ear.

Patients with tinnitus experience the constant perception of sound in the ear, often in the form of high-pitched whining, buzzing, hissing, ringing, or whooshing sounds. The Speech-in-Noise Test you just performed uses a constant whooshing sound to simulate environmental noise, but also can be used to simulate what it is like to live with tinnitus. Explain how you felt while taking this test.

I felt very frustrated while taking this test because I was so focused on the test and when I couldn't hear the numbers I was mad at myself for not knowing the answer.

Which type of intervention do you think is most appropriate for your patient case study? Explain your reasoning.

I had patient 3 and I think that she would benefit from a cochlear implant because she has sensorineural hearing loss. So, for her to be able to hear she would need it to get the electrical signals to her brain.

Explain how you would create a medical intervention to help a person dealing with severe sensorineural or conductive hearing loss

I have heard of cochlear implants, they make it possible for people who are hard of hearing, so maybe those could help.

Would you be interested in pursuing a career as an audiologist or an otolaryngologist? Explain your reasoning.

I think I wouldn't be too interested just because they are not medical doctors and I feel like it could get repetitive. I definitely want to see a changing schedule every day.

Does the biomedical science community have the right or responsibility to cure all human impairments?

I think yes just because they are trying to help those who want help

If you suddenly went deaf, would you elect to get a cochlear implant? Explain your answer.

I'm not sure, I think maybe, because I know what it's like to hear. I don't know any ASL or anything so It would be the closest to understanding others.

How does the use of assistive biomedical technology in children differ from the use of assistive biomedical technology in adults?

In children they will have the specific technology their whole life, so they will be able to learn and adapt to the certain technology throughout their whole life. With adults, it would take them more time to get used to it and they will have to relearn certain things.

Why is it dangerous to listen to an MP3 player at excessively loud volumes for extensive periods?

Loud noises can damage the hair cells inside the cochlea, when this happens the cochlea can't send electrical signals to the brain.

What is the difference between sensorineural hearing loss and conductive hearing loss?

Sensorineural hearing loss happens in the cochlea and auditory nerve or the auditory nerve, conductive hearing loss means that the sound doesn't reach the inner ear (example could be if you have a ruptured eardrum, what other structures might be affected?). Conductive hearing loss happens when sounds cannot get through the outer and middle ear, medicine and surgery can fix conductive hearing loss.

Explain how sound travels through the air

Sound travels through air through vibrations moving through the air which causes the movement in the particles of the air- called sound waves.

Describe the pathway of sound from the time a sound is generated to the time our brain registers the sound. Make sure to include all key structures of the ear in your description

Sound waves enter the outer ear (pinna) and travel through the ear canal then to the eardrum. The eardrum vibrates from sound waves and sends the vibrations to the ossicles (the 3 little bones). One of these bones hits the oval window, which causes the fluid in the cochlea to move. Then it goes to the cochlea and the little hair cells inside there change the vibrations to electrical signals that are then sent to the brain by the nerves in the ear.

Why are cochlear implants controversial?

They are controversial because there are many pros and cons to them. Some pros could include- safety purposes (hearing emergency sirens or hearing your child cry), and better speech and language. Cons could include- cost, possible damage to nerve cells or paralyzing of the face, and the issue of consent of the child. It just depends on people's thoughts like some people think they are not necessary because of ASL and lip reading, but some people want them at the same time.

How effective are cochlear implants in restoring hearing? Does the implant work the same way for all people?

They are not that effective, a person does not hear 100% normal, they will hear scratchy sounds but there is some where you can interpret the sounds.