What type of hearing loss is at the highest risk for over-masking?

Over-masking is a phenomenon that occurs in audiometric testing when masking noise meant to quiet one ear inadvertently affects the other ear, leading to inaccurate hearing assessments. Unilateral conductive loss is at the highest risk for over-masking because this condition affects only one ear, resulting in a significant difference in hearing sensitivity between the two ears.

In the situation of unilateral conductive loss, the ear with the conductive impairment often has a considerable air-bone gap. This disparity means that when masking is applied to the better-hearing ear, it can mistakenly influence the hearing thresholds of the poorer ear. As a result, the audiologist may not accurately assess the hearing capabilities of the ear with the conductive loss. Therefore, understanding the dynamics of unilateral conductive loss is crucial for appropriate masking techniques and ensuring accurate audiometric results.

Other types of hearing loss, such as bilateral sensorineural loss, mixed hearing loss, and auditory processing disorders, present different challenges but do not typically carry the same risk of over-masking as unilateral conductive loss. In bilateral sensorineural loss, both ears are affected more evenly, reducing the likelihood of an over-masking scenario. Mixed hearing loss can involve varying degrees of both conductive and sensorineural components, making it more complex but