Glossary

Medical glossary

Doctors and articles about hearing use words that are not always clear the first time. In this glossary we explain them briefly and in plain language, so that appointments and reading the guide are easier.

A familiar word turns a confusing results sheet into a conversation in which you take part as an equal.

— Editor's note

The ear

Outer ear (pinna): The visible part of the ear. It helps collect sound waves and work out where a sound is coming from.
Ear canal: The passage from the outer ear to the eardrum. Its skin produces wax and cleans itself.
Eardrum: A thin, flexible membrane that vibrates in response to sound and separates the outer ear from the middle ear.
Ossicles: Three tiny bones in the middle ear. They pass vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear and amplify them.
Cochlea: The spiral-shaped part of the inner ear. Inside it are the cells that turn sound into a nerve signal.
Hair cells: The sensitive cells of the cochlea. In humans, hair cells that die do not recover, which is why loud noise is especially harmful.

Sound

Decibel (dB): The unit used to measure sound level. The scale works in such a way that a small increase in decibels means a noticeable increase in strain on the ear.
dB(A): Sound level adjusted for how people perceive different frequencies. Safe listening reference points are given in this unit.
Sound frequency: The pitch of a sound: low frequencies sound like a rumble, high ones like a squeak or whistle.
Noise: Sound that is disturbing or tiring. Its loudness and duration are what make it harmful to hearing.
Sound dose: The combination of volume and listening time. The louder the sound, the faster the dose builds up.

Testing

ENT doctor: A doctor who deals with conditions of the ear, nose and throat, also called an otolaryngologist.
Audiologist: A specialist in hearing problems. Carries out in-depth hearing tests and helps choose support options.
Audiometry: A hearing test in which a person listens to quiet sounds of different pitches and signals when they hear them.
Audiogram: A chart showing the results of audiometry. It shows how quiet a sound a person can hear at different frequencies.
Hearing screening: A quick check to identify people who need a more detailed assessment. It is done, for example, for children at routine check-ups.

Protection and support

Earplugs: Inserts for the ear canal that reduce the level of outside noise.
Volume limit: A device setting that stops the sound going above a set level.
Tinnitus: Ringing, humming or buzzing that a person hears when there is no outside sound. If it lasts or keeps coming back, it is a reason to see a doctor.
Earwax: A natural protective substance in the ear canal. It usually clears on its own; there is no need to remove it deep inside with cotton buds.
Hearing aid: A device that amplifies sound for a person with reduced hearing. It is chosen and fitted by a specialist.
Cochlear implant: An implanted device for some people with severe hearing loss. Specialists decide on it after an assessment.

Where these words appear in the guide

Topics
Hearing topics by group: how the ear works, noise and headphones, children and hearing problems. Also home to the article catalogue.
Prevention
How to listen to music on headphones and spend time in noisy places without losing your hearing: a clear step-by-step plan.
Methods
How hearing is tested, how it is protected and how specialists help people with reduced hearing.
Research
Where hearing data comes from, how to read news about “miracle cures” and which myths are worth forgetting.
Questions
Questions about headphones, noise, children's hearing and hearing tests that are useful to ask your doctor.
Sources
The materials this guide relies on, how we choose them and where the limits of the guide lie.

Topics
Hearing topics by group: how the ear works, noise and headphones, children and hearing problems. Also home to the article catalogue.
Methods
How hearing is tested, how it is protected and how specialists help people with reduced hearing.
Questions
Questions about headphones, noise, children's hearing and hearing tests that are useful to ask your doctor.
Research
Where hearing data comes from, how to read news about “miracle cures” and which myths are worth forgetting.

Sources

Textbooks on the physiology of hearing
WHO — materials on safe listening and World Hearing Day

This guide summarises generally accepted information about hearing as of the date it was prepared. Recommendations from international organisations are updated from time to time, and decisions about your own hearing are made together with a doctor after an examination.