What should be done for a patient with conductive hearing loss in relation to BAER stimulation?

For a patient with conductive hearing loss, increasing the stimulation intensity is appropriate because conductive hearing loss affects the transmission of sound to the inner ear, not the inner ear's ability to respond to sound. In such cases, sound stimuli may not be adequately perceived at standard levels, requiring an increase in stimulation intensity to ensure that the auditory pathways are sufficiently activated for reliable Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) testing.

Conductive hearing loss can be caused by problems in the outer or middle ear, leading to a reduction in the sound reaching the cochlea. Therefore, amplifying the stimulus ensures that even with impaired conduction, the auditory system can be adequately engaged to elicit a response for accurate assessment. This approach effectively compensates for the reduced sensitivity to sound that characterizes conductive hearing loss.