Articles

Rule 3 explained? Masking Training with Tracy

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I have a masking course that is running in August 2018 (20th!) and I thought that in advance, I might share some thoughts about rule 3. This is the rule that many people scratch their head over, mainly because it can be difficult to see, but also because it doesn’t come up that often (and generally only in more complex cases). Therefore, if you’re used to testing routine cases you may not have to think about rule 3 very much. That’s why it’s good to refresh your knowledge so that you don’t miss it when it does come along. Completing […]

Tracy James visits Estonia

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Tracy James of TJ Audiology delivered a 3 day BSA certificate training course in Audiometry and Tympanometry at Medivar in Tallin, Estonia. Tallinn was fantastic, with a beautiful old town; cobbled streets, 14th Century buildings and lots of history. Estonians are also very exotic with only 1 million inhabitants. For those of you that don’t know – Estonians speak Estonian which has a lovely sing song lilt to it. The training course was delivered to 5 employees in English and I was amazed at how those on the course (and Europeans in general) were able to use English in their […]

HSE and Hearing Surveillance – Industrial Audiometry UK

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The HSE indicates there is variation in practice and standard across practitioners in Hearing Surveillance Programmes. Does your occupational health worker attend a British Society of Audiology accredited course? Tracy James MSc The Health and Safety Executive (2013) carried out visits and questionnaires across a range of health surveillance programmes across the UK so that current practices across teams and individuals could be evaluated. Their key findings included that there was variation in practice across practitioners and health surveillance programmes. In particular, they noted that:  ‘….some practitioners probably did not adopt sufficient measures to exclude the effects of prior exposure […]

Are you going around the 2nd bend? How to make a good impression.

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The key to good fitting custom earmoulds and hearing protection, ITE and CIC hearing aids are accurate ear impressions. Its important to know when you’ve inserted your otostop deep enough down the canal, and that the otostop is pointed in the direction of the eardrum.  A good, deep impression means getting to the 2nd bend of the ear canal. Some tell-tale signs that you’ve reached the 2nd bend include a characteristic slip of the otostop into position which often coincides with slight resistance as it enters the bony portion of the canal. When you look on otoscopy, you will see that the […]

Taking Ear Impressions of babies and children? What’s different?

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There are many anatomical differences between the ears of adults and children. For example, children’s ear canals tend to be narrower and straighter. This means you need to consider the equipment you use, for example the size and width of your syringe and the size of your otostop. As babies’ ear canals grow rapidly in the first year of life, you may need to change your equipment as the baby gets older, so you will need to use your judgement on otoscopy. The best view on otoscopy can be obtained by pulling the ear back only in children, since their […]

Masking is an ongoing lesson in Audiology.

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As audiologists we all learn masking as part of our training. But the truth is, the real learning is in the experience of the various hearing losses we come across. Unfortunately for some, we’re not always in the position to reflect with another practitioner about some of the more complex hearing losses – so how can we really learn? Masking is carried out as a result of the minimal interaural attenuation of 40dB when using headphones, 55dB when using inserts and 0dB when using a bone conductor. As a result, we follow certain rules to decide when masking should be […]

Audiometry and tympanometry for professionals who are not qualified audiologists

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A hearing test (audiometry) measures the quietest sound and individual can hear, at least 50% of the time – known as hearing threshold level (HTL). An individual’s HTL at different frequencies is recorded in an audiogram for each ear, and this information can be used to categorise hearing as within normal range, or a hearing loss that can range from mild to profound. Otoscopy and tympanometry is used alongside audiometry to identify any abnormalities of the middle ear that may be affecting the hearing, e.g. perforation or glue ear. In hospitals and hearing aid dispensing practices, audiometry and tympanometry is […]

Are you going around the 2nd bend? How to make a good impression.

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Good fitting custom earmoulds and hearing protection, ITE and CIC hearing aids can only be created from accurate impressions. The key is having the confidence to know when you’ve inserted your otostop deep enough down the canal, and to point the otostop in the direction of the eardrum. A good, deep impression means getting to the 2nd bend of the ear canal. Some tell-tale signs that you’ve reached the 2nd bend include a characteristic slip of the otostop into position which often coincides with slight resistance as it enters the bony portion of the canal. When you look on otoscopy, […]

New Course Dates for 2015!

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TJAudioTraining Training for Assistant and Associate Audiologists, ATOs, TODs BSA Accredited Courses Available 2015 Location: London, Berkshire or in-house 22nd – 24th of September: BSA Certificate Audiometry and Tympanometry 13th of August and 15th October: BSA Certificate Impression-taking (adults/over 5s) 16th of October: BSA Certificate Impression-taking (under 5s)   *Discounts available for booking 2 or more courses*   “A well organised and presented day with ample practical training resources. The strengths of the training were level of trainer’s knowledge, opportunities for practical sessions, small group and excellent venue”