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Background Noise – Any sound that a person does not wish to hear or that interferes with what they are trying to hear.

Balance – A biological system that enables individuals to know where their bodies are in the environment and to maintain a desired position. Normal balance depends on information from the labyrinth in the inner ear, from other senses such as sight and touch, and from muscle movement.

Balance Disorder – Disruption in the labyrinth, the inner ear organ that controls the balance system, which allows individuals to know where their bodies are in the environment. The labyrinth works with other systems in the body, such as the visual and skeletal systems, to maintain posture.

Barotrauma – Injury to the middle ear caused by a rapid change of air or water pressure.

Basal region – The base of the snail-shell-shaped cochlea nearest the middle ear. The basal region detects high frequency sounds and sends them to the brain.

Brainstem Implant – Auditory prosthesis that bypasses the cochlea and auditory nerve. This type of implant helps people who can’t benefit from a cochlear implant because the auditory nerves are not working.

Behind–The–Ear Hearing Aid/BTE Hearing Aid – A style of hearing aid in which the electronic portion of the hearing aid (including battery, microphone, speaker, amplifier, etc.) is located on top of or behind the ear. The electronic portion is connected via a piece of tubing to an earmold, which is in the ear.

Bi-CROS – Hearing aid that is designed for a person with a partial hearing loss in one ear and a total hearing loss in the other.

Bilateral – A term used to signify that both ears or both sides of the head are involved (i.e., He has bilateral hearing loss)

Binaural – Refers to both ears.

Bone Conduction Thresholds – The lowest level that an individual can hear a pure–tone stimulus presented through a vibrator placed on the mastoid bone or forehead. Bone–conduction threshold testing attempts to assess the ability of the sensory and neural auditory systems without the sound passing through the outer and middle ear.