Glossary
Pure tone audiometry: A clinical hearing test that uses tones of various frequencies and intensities and helps in identifying the exact type and degree of hearing loss.Reflex arc: The nerve pathway that is involved in a reflex action, consisting of the sensory and the motor pathway meeting at the nearest synaptic point.
Otoscope: An instrument that is used for visualizing the ear canal and the eardrum. It comprises of a set of lenses and a light.
Tympanosclerosis: A condition of the eardrum in which there is a calcification of tissues of the middle ear.
Otosclerosis: Progressive deafness caused by bone formation around the structures inside the middle ear.
Eustachian tube: The narrow passage that connects the upper part of the throat to the cavity of the middle ear. It helps in balancing the pressure between the middle ear and the atmospheric pressure.
Acoustic reflex: A reflexive contraction of stapedial muscle in response to a loud sound.
Probe: A blunt-ended surgical instrument that is used for exploring a part of the body.
