Functional Hearing Loss

Functional hearing loss is a special condition in which hearing loss is detected during audiological evaluation despite the absence of any organic disorder of the auditory system. Functional hearing loss is one of the most challenging problems in audiology. An experienced and attentive audiologist can usually detect a functional hearing loss by carefully observing the patient, evaluating clues, and usually performing pure-tone audiometry. The use of objective tests, subjective tests, and functional hearing loss specific tests together as a test battery facilitates the diagnosis and determination of true thresholds. To ensure appropriate management of cases of functional hearing loss, it is critical to address the complex factors underlying the condition, choose the most appropriate vocabulary when informing the patient, and make appropriate referrals when necessary.