Observations on the Clinical Use of Broad-Band Noise as An Acoustic Reflex Stimulus

Abstract

This study aimed to determine whether broad-band noise might be used to advantage as a stimulus in existing impedance tests. Data are described from a sample of patients of various aetiologies who were tested using broad-band noise, in addition to the normal pure tones, as an acoustic reflex stimulus. The results showed that the greater sensitivity of the acoustic reflex to a broad-band stimulus could be used to demonstrate the existence of a reflex in a number of patients where the use of pure tones was limited by the available intensity range. However, as a test of acoustic reflex adaptation, the broad-band noise was a less sensitive measure of abnormal decay than a 1 kHz tone. It is concluded that broad-band noise stimulation of the acoustic reflex is of value in establishing the existence and quality of a reflex and enabling measurement of reflex decay in some cases where pure tone stimulation is inadequate, particularly where there is the possibility of a mixed deafness.