Knowra Acoustic trauma Acoustic trauma Acoustic trauma is injury to the ear caused by a sudden, very loud sound or prolonged intense noise. It can damage the eardrum or inner-ear structures and cause hearing loss or tinnitus.
Sound pressure level : A logarithmic measure of sound pressure relative to a reference pressure, expressed in decibels. High sound pressure can exceed the ear’s capacity to withstand acoustic energy.
Noise-induced hearing loss : Hearing impairment caused by exposure to excessive sound, whether sudden or cumulative. Acoustic trauma is an acute or intense route to this broader category of hearing loss.
Acoustic shock : A cluster of ear and sound-sensitivity symptoms after exposure to an unexpectedly loud sound, often without demonstrable structural injury. It can resemble acoustic trauma but is defined around symptoms rather than confirmed tissue damage.
Acoustic blast injury : Ear damage caused by the intense pressure wave from an explosion. It is a sudden, high-energy form of acoustic trauma that may rupture the eardrum.
Cochlea : The spiral-shaped inner-ear structure that converts sound vibrations into neural signals. Its sensory cells are a major site of noise-related injury.
Occupational hearing loss : Hearing impairment that develops from hazardous sound exposure in the workplace. Repeated workplace exposure can produce acoustic injury even without a single explosive event.
Presbycusis : Age-related, usually gradual hearing loss caused by changes in the auditory system. Its slow progression contrasts with injury tied to a discrete loud sound or intense noise exposure.
Impulse noise : A brief, abrupt sound, such as a gunshot or firecracker, with a rapid rise in pressure. Its short, intense peaks can injure hearing after a single exposure.
Hair cell : A sensory cell in the inner ear that detects mechanical vibrations and signals the nervous system. Excessive sound can damage or destroy these cells, which do not regenerate in humans.
Audiometry : The measurement of hearing sensitivity using controlled sounds and behavioral or physiological responses. It identifies the frequencies and degree of hearing loss after suspected acoustic trauma.
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