Final answer:
The medical assistant should document the patient's symptom of intermittent ringing in their ears as 'tinnitus'. Tinnitus can be associated with various conditions, including Ménière's disease, which can lead to sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing aids are generally ineffective in treating sensorineural hearing loss whereas cochlear implants might be considered.
Step-by-step explanation:
The medical assistant should use the term tinnitus when documenting the patient's symptom of intermittent episodes of ringing in the ears. Tinnitus is the perception of noise or ringing in the ears and is a common problem often associated with various forms of hearing loss or ear injury. It is not specific to any single condition but can be a symptom of a variety of health issues, including Ménière's disease, which is an inner ear disorder that can lead to sensorineural hearing loss and symptoms like vertigo, hearing loss, and increased pressure within the inner ear.
Sensorineural hearing loss is characterised by the failure to transmit neural signals effectively from the cochlea to the brain. The medical assistant should also be aware that while hearing aids often assist in cases of conductive hearing loss, they might not be the best solution for sensorineural loss. Instead, interventions like cochlear implants may be considered for those with profound sensorineural hearing loss, as they directly stimulate the auditory nerve to transmit sound signals to the brain.