OSTEOPHONE Meaning and
Definition
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An osteophone refers to a specialized medical device used for transmitting sound vibrations to the bones of the skull. Designed specifically to aid individuals with varying degrees of hearing loss, it functions by bypassing the external and middle ear, bypassing any damaged structures, and directly stimulating the inner ear. The osteophone works based on the concept of bone conduction, where sounds are converted into vibrations that travel through the bones of the skull, allowing the individual to perceive sound.
This device comprises a headband or dental brace that houses a small vibrator or transducer. When sound waves are transmitted into the device through a microphone or external source, they are transformed into mechanical vibrations that are applied directly to the skull bones. These vibrations then travel to the cochlea, the auditory organ responsible for converting vibrations into electrical signals for the brain to interpret as sound.
The osteophone offers potential benefits to individuals with conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss, and unilateral hearing loss, as well as those unable to use traditional hearing aids due to anatomical reasons. It allows users to perceive sound without relying on the integrity of the eardrum or middle ear structures, making it an alternative way of hearing for those with specific types of hearing impairments.
Overall, the osteophone serves as an innovative tool that enhances auditory perception in individuals with hearing loss by directly stimulating the skull bones.
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An appliance similar to the audiphone for helping the deaf to hear.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for OSTEOPHONE
- isteophone
- ksteophone
- lsteophone
- psteophone
- 0steophone
- 9steophone
- oateophone
- ozteophone
- oxteophone
- odteophone
- oeteophone
- owteophone
- osreophone
- osfeophone
- osgeophone
- osyeophone
- os6eophone
- os5eophone
- ostwophone
- ostsophone
Etymology of OSTEOPHONE
The word Osteophone is derived from two Greek roots: osteo meaning bone and phone meaning sound or voice.
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