1|What is an air-bone gap?
Answer: An air-bone gap is the difference between the air conduction and the bone conduction thresholds of hearing in a person. It is measured in decibels (dB) and is an important measure of hearing loss.
2|What causes an air-bone gap?
Answer: An air-bone gap can be caused by a variety of factors, including perforated eardrums, middle ear effusions, and otosclerosis. It can also be a symptom of Meniere’s Disease and other inner ear disorders.
3|What is a normal air-bone gap?
Answer: A normal air-bone gap is usually between 0-15dB, depending on the age and hearing of the individual.
4|What is a large air-bone gap?
Answer: A large air-bone gap is usually considered to be greater than 20dB.
5|How is an air-bone gap measured?
Answer: An air-bone gap is usually measured using an audiometer, which assesses a person’s hearing thresholds at different frequencies.
6|What is the difference between an air-bone gap and a pure-tone threshold?
Answer: The pure-tone threshold measures the softest sound a person can detect at each frequency, while the air-bone gap measures the difference between the air conduction and bone conduction thresholds at each frequency.
7|How is an air-bone gap treated?
Answer: An air-bone gap can be treated with hearing aids, surgery, or medications, depending on the underlying cause.
8|How does an air-bone gap affect hearing?
Answer: An air-bone gap can result in a hearing loss that is greater than expected when tested with air conduction alone. This can lead to difficulty understanding speech and other sounds in a noisy environment.
9|What are the long-term effects of an air-bone gap?
Answer: If left untreated, an air-bone gap can lead to further hearing loss over time due to the progressive nature of many inner ear disorders.
10|Can an air-bone gap be prevented?
Answer: An air-bone gap can be prevented by avoiding loud noises, using proper ear protection, and getting regular hearing evaluations to detect hearing loss early. Treatment of any underlying condition can also help prevent an air-bone gap from developing.