Audiology features
Wideband tympanometry: translating complexity into clinical clarity
Clinicians often encounter patients with a Type A tympanogram who still present with conductive hearing loss. Traditional 226 Hz tympanometry has served as a reliable tool in audiology and otolaryngology practices since the 1970s, yet it often misses subtle variations...
Current applications and advancements in clinical OAEs
During the past 80 years, British hearing scientists and audiologists have made important contributions to the scientific investigation and clinical application of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). As early as 1946, Thomas Gold conducted pioneering research in the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge...
Advances in speech testing for improved diagnosis and rehabilitation
Measuring an individual’s ability to hear speech in quiet or in the presence of background noise has long been a key component of a comprehensive audiological assessment. Moving beyond the pure-tone audiogram allows us to gain insights that extend far...
Green hearing services: sustainable care for people and the planet
Environmental resource depletion is no longer a distant threat; it is a current health emergency. Sustainable hearing services are kind to both people and the planet. In January 2026, the International Society of Audiology hosted a webinar bringing together those...
Assessing extended high-frequency hearing
The frequency range of human hearing spans 20 Hz to 20 kHz. In the UK, standard audiometry usually assesses 0.25–8 kHz; the extended high frequencies (EHFs) are those above 8 kHz. The importance of assessing EHF hearing has been increasingly...
Misophonia: an audiologist’s perspective on recent research and assessment
From validated assessment tools to new insights into neural processing, recent research is redefining the audiologist’s role in understanding misophonia. Misophonia – literally “hatred of sound” – is a condition marked by disproportionate emotional and physiological reactions to specific trigger...
From vision to practice: building person-centred hearing care
A five-year systematic approach to person-centred hearing care in China shows how implementation, reflection and learning deepen understanding of the person. Person-centred care (PCC) has become increasingly important in healthcare, including audiology. Although its principles are widely recognised, implementing them...
When everyday sounds are unbearable: understanding pain and loudness hyperacusis
Everyday sounds can feel unbearably loud or physically painful for people with hyperacusis, a complex disorder that may require tailored, cautious care. Hyperacusis is a disorder in which everyday sounds are experienced as uncomfortable or intolerable. For some people, sounds...
Cochlear implantation and identity in Deaf families
Cochlear implants are one of ENT’s great success stories. But for some families, the decision to implant is far more complex than audiology alone. When we talk about cochlear implantation, we often lead with the science. Candidacy criteria, age at...
The missing link: how migraine neurophysiology amplifies tinnitus
This article discusses an emerging hypothesis linking bothersome tinnitus with migraine-related sensory processing dysfunction. When evaluating patients with tinnitus, a range of contrasting experiences are noted, from mild, non-bothersome symptoms to those associated with significant distress – broadly corresponding to...
Getting the message right on hearing loss and dementia
Are we reaching a consensus on how hearing professionals should talk about hearing loss and dementia? In 2024, the British Society of Audiology (BSA), in collaboration with the British Academy of Audiology (BAA) and the British Society of Hearing Aid...
Dispelling myths about audiologic counselling: part two
In the second of a two-part series, Drs Clark and English explore how addressing emotions, embracing silence and managing expectations enhance person-centred care. As discussed in part one of this article [1], when we provide patient education, we must monitor...
