recruitment in hearing
Last reviewed 01/2018
With increasing deafness, hair cells may be recruited to hear a particular frequency.
Patients show a reduced dynamic range of hearing. They remain unable to hear quieter sounds - e.g. may not begin to hear until 40 dB - but find that hearing is rapidly overloaded - e.g. sounds are too loud by 80 dB.
The classic scenario is of an individual saying in one breath "Speak up, I can't hear", and in the next: "There's no need to shout, I'm not deaf".
The phenomenon occurs in presbyacusis and Meniere's disease.