What condition describes degenerative changes in the inner ear due to certain drugs?

Prepare for the California Hearing Aid Dispenser Test. Practice with multiple choice questions and detailed explanations to boost your confidence and readiness for the exam!

The condition that describes degenerative changes in the inner ear due to certain drugs is ototoxicity. This term specifically refers to the harmful effects that certain medications, particularly some antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs, can have on the auditory and vestibular systems within the inner ear. Ototoxicity can lead to symptoms such as hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance problems due to damage to the hair cells in the cochlea or other structures related to hearing.

Presbycusis refers to age-related hearing loss, which is a slow, progressive condition that usually affects both ears and is not primarily caused by drug exposure. Sensory neural hearing loss is a general term for hearing loss resulting from damage to the inner ear or the auditory nerve, but it is not specifically linked to drug-induced degeneration. Acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor that develops on the vestibulocochlear nerve and can cause hearing loss and balance issues; however, it does not involve drug-related changes in the inner ear.

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