What is the enhancement in the loudness of bone-conducted signals due to the plugging of the external ear canal?

The enhancement in the loudness of bone-conducted signals due to the plugging of the external ear canal is known as the occlusion effect. This phenomenon occurs when the ear canal is blocked, whether by earwax, a hearing aid, or an ear plug, leading to an increase in sound pressure levels for bone-conducted sounds. When the ear canal is occluded, sounds conducted through bone vibrations can resonate more effectively in the closed ear canal, resulting in a perceived increase in loudness for those sounds.

Understanding the occlusion effect is important for hearing aid fitting and for managing patient expectations regarding the use of devices, as it can influence how sound is perceived through bone conduction while the ear canal is sealed. This effect is particularly notable in individuals with certain types of hearing loss, where the perception of bone-conducted sounds can vary significantly based on ear canal occlusion.

The other terms like air-bone gap, shadow audiogram, and 0 dB IA are related to different aspects of auditory testing and hearing loss evaluation but do not specifically describe the phenomenon of increased loudness of bone-conducted signals due to ear canal occlusion.