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hypoacusis

hypoacusis

9.9
A partial loss of hearing that makes sounds quieter
  • noun
  • /ˌhaɪpəˈkuːsɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : hipoacusia
  • Many older adults experience hypoacusis, which can make conversations challenging.
  • sudden hypoacusis
  • severe hypoacusis
  • mild hypoacusis

Examples

  • We did not find any significant differences in either group in the degree of improvement between those with mild and moderate hypoacusis or between those with moderate and severe hypoacusis.

    Academic text (2001)
  • We studied 50 patients who had been referred to our ENT unit within 48 hours of the onset of sudden hypoacusis.

    Academic text (2001)
  • The groups were paired by age, sex, and degree of hypoacusis.

    Academic text (2005)
  • First introduced at the Marseille School in France, HOT has been used as a treatment for sudden hypoacusis for several decades.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Sudden hypoacusis demands urgent diagnosis and therapy in an otolaryngology environment.

    Academic text (2001)
  • The difficulty in pinpointing the etiology of sudden hypoacusis has hindered efforts to treat it.

    Academic text (2001)
  • In addition to all these therapies, another effective treatment for sudden hypoacusis is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HOT).

    Academic text (2001)
  • Of the many therapeutic protocols that have been proposed for treating sudden hypoacusis, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HOT) plays a leading role.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Sudden hearing loss is defined as a sensorineural hypoacusis of at least 30 dB in three consecutive speech frequencies that has occurred within the previous three days.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Sudden hypoacusis is defined as a sensorineural hearing loss of rapid progression and unknown etiology that can progress to severe deafness.

    Academic text (2001)

Synonyms

hearing loss
vshypoacusis
13 2.7

A condition in which you cannot hear well in one or both ears

is a reduced ability rather than complete inability to detect sounds
deafness
vshypoacusis
11 2.7

A condition in which a person cannot hear well or at all

emphasizes partial reduction rather than full lack of sound perception
hearing impairment
vshypoacusis
  • Specialized
1 3.9

Partial or total loss of the ability to hear

is specifically a reduced ability rather than necessarily total loss
hearing disorder
vshypoacusis
  • Specialized
1 3.3

A problem that makes it hard to hear sounds or understand speech

is the reduced ability itself rather than a medical label for it

Antonyms

hyperacusis
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A condition in which normal sounds seem too loud or painful

How Severe

deafness
11 2.7
hypoacusis
  • Specialized
9.9
hearing impairment
  • Specialized
1 3.9

Surface Forms

hypoacusis singular
hypoacuses plural

Morphology

hypoacusis = acusis (opaque) = hypo + acusis

The meaning is not readily recoverable for an average learner because the base is a specialized Greek-form element for hearing rather than a common English word.

Etymology

Hypoacusis comes from Greek parts hypo- meaning 'less' or 'under' and acousis meaning 'hearing', and it is like the familiar word acoustic. So, hypoacusis is a 'reduced ability to hear', which explains why it means a partial loss of hearing.