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Glossary
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Visit the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
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
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American Sign Language (ASL) - Manual (hand) language with its own syntax and grammar used primarily by people who are deaf.
assistive devices - technical tools and devices such as alphabet boards, text telephones, or text-to-speech conversion software used to assist people with physical or emotional disorders in performing certain actions, tasks, and activities.
audiologist - a healthcare professional trained to identify and measure hearing impairments and related disorders using a variety of tests and procedures.
audiology - the study of hearing and hearing disorders.
auditory brainstem response (ABR) test - test used for hearing in infants and young children, or to test for brain functioning in unresponsive patients.
auditory nerve - eighth cranial nerve that connects the inner ear to the brainstem.
autoimmune deafness - hearing loss that may be associated with an autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
autism - brain disorder that begins in early childhood and persists throughout adulthood; affects three crucial areas of development: communication, social interaction, and creative or imaginative play. |
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B |
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balance - biological system that enables individuals to know where their bodies are in the environment and to maintain a desired position; normal balance depends on information from the labyrinth in the inner ear, and from other senses such as sight and touch, as well as from muscle movement.
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cochlea - snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that contains the organ of hearing.
cochlear implant - medical device that bypasses damaged structures in the inner ear and directly stimulates auditory nerve to allow some deaf individuals to learn to hear and interpret sounds and speech.
conductive hearing impairment - hearing loss caused by dysfunction of the outer or middle ear.
congenital - present at birth.
cytomegalovirus (CMV) - one group of herpes viruses that infect humans and can cause a variety of clinical symptoms including deafness or hearing impairment; infection with the virus may be either before or after birth. |
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decibel - unit that measures the intensity or loudness of sound.
dizziness - physical unsteadiness, imbalance, and lightheadedness associated with balance and other disorders. |
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ear infection - presence and growth of bacteria or viruses in the ear.
ear wax - yellow secretion from glands in the outer ear (cerumen) that keeps the skin of the ear dry and protected from infection.
endolymph - fluid in the labyrinth (the organ of balance located in the inner ear).
eustachian tube - a canal that links the middle ear with the throat area. The eustachian tube helps to keep the pressure between the outer ear and the middle ear the same. Having the same pressure allows for the proper transfer of sound waves. The eustachian tube is lined with mucous, just like the inside of the nose and throat. |
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hair cells - sensory cells of the inner ear, which are topped with hair-like structures (stereocilia), which transform the mechanical energy of sound waves into nerve impulses.
hearing - series of events in which sound waves in the air are converted to electrical signals and are then sent as nerve impulses to the brain where they are interpreted.
hearing aid - electronic device that brings amplified sound to the ear.
hearing disorder - disruption in the normal hearing process; sound waves are not converted to electrical signals and nerve impulses are not transmitted to the brain to be interpreted.
herpes virus - a virus which can affect the skin and central nervous system.
hoarseness - abnormally rough or harsh-sounding voice caused by vocal abuse and other disorders. |
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inner ear - part of the ear that contains both the organ of hearing (cochlea) and the organ of balance (labyrinth).
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labyrinth - organ of balance located in the inner ear. The labyrinth consists of three semicircular canals and the vestibule.
language - system for communicating ideas and feelings using sounds, gestures, signs, or marks.
language disorders - problems with verbal communication and the ability to use or understand the symbol system for interpersonal communication.
laryngitis - hoarse voice or complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds (vocal cords).
larynx (Also called the voice box.) - the larynx is a cylindrical grouping of cartilage, muscles, and soft tissue which contains the vocal cords. The vocal cords are the upper opening into the windpipe (trachea), the passageway to the lungs. |
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mastoid - back portion of the temporal bone behind the ear.
meningitis - inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that envelop the brain and the spinal cord; may cause hearing loss or deafness.
middle ear - part of the ear that includes the eardrum and three tiny bones of the middle ear, ending at the round window that leads to the inner ear.
myringotomy - surgical procedure to remove infection from the mastoid bone. |
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noise-induced hearing loss - hearing loss that is caused either by a one-time or repeated exposure to very loud sound or sounds at various loudness levels over an extended period of time. |
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otitis externa - inflammation of the outer part of the ear extending to the auditory canal.
otitis media - inflammation of the middle ear caused by infection.
otoacoustic emissions - low-intensity sounds produced by the inner ear that can be quickly measured with a sensitive microphone placed in the ear canal.
otolaryngologist - physician/surgeon who specializes in diseases of the ears, nose, throat, and head and neck.
otologist - physician/surgeon who specializes in diseases of the ear.
outer ear - external portion of the ear, consisting of the pinna, or auricle, and the ear canal. |
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phonology - study of speech sounds.
purulent - having or making pus. |
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round window - membrane separating the middle ear and inner ear. |
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sensorineural hearing loss - hearing loss caused by damage to the sensory cells and/or nerve fibers of the inner ear.
sign language - language of hand shapes, facial expressions, and movements used as a form of communication.
smell - to perceive odor or scent through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves.
sound vocalization - ability to produce voice.
speech - making definite vocal sounds that form words to express thoughts and ideas.
speech disorder - defect or abnormality that prevents an individual from communicating by means of spoken words.
speech-language pathologist - health professional trained to evaluate and treat people who have voice, speech, language, or swallowing disorders, including hearing impairment, that affect their ability to communicate.
stuttering - frequent repetition of words or parts of words that disrupts the smooth flow of speech.
sudden deafness - loss of hearing that occurs quickly from causes such as explosion, a viral infection, or the use of some drugs.
suppurative - something that makes pus.
syphilis - a disease usually transmitted by sexual contact, that can cause serious injury to an unborn baby. |
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taste - sensation produced by a stimulus applied to the gustatory nerve endings in the tongue; the four tastes are salt, sour, sweet, and bitter; some say there is a fifth taste described as savory.
taste buds - groups of cells located on the tongue that enable one to recognize different tastes.
throat disorders - disorders or diseases of the larynx (voice box) or esophagus.
tongue - large muscle on the floor of the mouth that manipulates food for chewing and swallowing; the main organ of taste, and assists in forming speech sounds.
toxoplasmosis - an infectious disease caused by a parasite that can be harmful to an unborn baby.
tympanoplasty - surgical repair of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) or bones of the middle ear. |
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vestibule - bony cavity of the inner ear.
vocal cords (vocal folds) - muscularized folds of mucous membrane that extend from the larynx (voice box) wall; enclosed in elastic vocal ligament and muscle that control the tension and rate of vibration of the cords as air passes through them.
voice - sound produced by air passing out through the larynx and upper respiratory tract. |
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