Auditory Fatigue
A temporary decline in auditory sensitivity or performance resulting from sustained exposure to sound, distinct from noise-induced threshold shift.
Full Definition
Auditory fatigue refers to the degradation of listening performance or auditory acuity that can occur after prolonged listening effort, particularly in difficult acoustic conditions or in individuals with hearing loss. In aural rehabilitation contexts, it is discussed in relation to the cognitive and perceptual demands of hearing with amplification, particularly for new hearing aid users. The term is sometimes used synonymously with 'temporary threshold shift' in occupational contexts, but rehabilitation specialists use it to describe subjective exhaustion rather than a measured threshold change. Editors should flag use of 'auditory fatigue' that conflates the perceptual rehabilitation concept with the noise-exposure phenomenon.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from 'temporary threshold shift' (an audiometric measure) and 'listening effort' (a cognitive construct) when editing clinical or research text.
In Context
- "Patients reported significant auditory fatigue after wearing their new hearing aids for more than four hours in noisy environments." — Aural rehabilitation programme case note
- "The review conflated auditory fatigue with temporary threshold shift; these must be presented as separate constructs." — Peer-review editorial note