1: Hearing Loss Flashcards
What are the three types of hearing loss
- Sensorineural
- Conductive
- Mixed
What causes sensorineural hearing loss
Defect in inner ear or vestibulocochlear nerve
What causes conductive hearing loss
Defect in middle or outer ear
When does conductive hearing loss tend to present more
Children
Young Adults
When does sensorineural hearing loss tend to present
Middle-age
Older age
Give 5 causes of conducting hearing loss
- Otosclerosis
- Otitis media
- Barotrauma
- Cerumen impaction
- External auditory meatus atresia
What is cerumen impaction
Build-up of wax in the external auditory canal
What are 6 causes of sensorineural hearing loss
- Ototoxicity
- Meniere’s Disease
- Acoustic neuroma
- Presbycusis
- Inner ear infection (Mumps, measles, meningitis)
- Noise-induced hearing loss
Otosclerosis
Overgrowth of the stapes causing it to fix to the oval window
What is otitis media
Bacterial or viral infection of the middle-ear
What is barotrauma
Failure to equalise atmospheric pressure with the middle ear
How will otosclerosis present
Progressive conducting hearing loss. 70% develop it in the second ear.
What symptom is specific to otosclerosis
Paracusis Willisi
What is paracusis willisi
Patient’s hear better in noisy compared to quiet environments
What sign is seen on the tympanic membrane in otosclerosis
Schwartz sign
What is the schwartze sign
Red-blue tinge to tympanic membrane
In what age does otitis media present
6-24m following URTI
How will barotrauma to the ear present
sudden-onset stabbing pain in the ear. Tinnitus and hearing loss. Bleeding from the canal indicates perforation of the ear drum.
How does presbycusis present
High-frequency hearing loss
How does noise-induced hearing loss present
Gradual high-frequency hearing loss. Often unable to hear in noisy environments
How does meniere’s disease present
Episodes lasting to minutes-hours of:
- Vertigo (Horizontal Nystagmus)
- Sensorineural hearing loss
- Tinnitus
What nerves are affected initially in acoustic neuroma
- vestibular
- cochlear
What nerves are affected late in acoustic neuroma
- trigeminal
- facial
How will early symptoms of acoustic neuroma present
Vestibular - vertigo
Cochlear - unilateral tinnitus, hearing loss
How will late symptoms of acoustic neuroma present
Trigeminal - facial parasthesia
Facial - unilateral paralysis
Explain investigations in work-up of hearing loss
- Inspection
- Whispered hearing test
- Rinne’s
- Weber’s
- Otoscopy
- Pure tone audiometry
- Tympanometry
What is looked for when inspecting the ear in hearing loss
Otitis externa
Cerumen Impaction
What is the whispered voice test
Gross hearing assessment
Explain the whispered voice test
- Stand 60cm behind someones ear. Rub tragus in the ear not being tested.
- Whisper a number into the other ear.
- Repeat this 3-times. If the patient can hear in 2/3 it indicates their hearing is >12dB
In the whispered voice test, if having to use a conversational voice how many decibels can they hear
48db
In the whispered voice test, if having to use a loud voice how many decibels can they hear
72db
Explain weber’s test
Place a 512Hz tuning fork in the middle of the patient’s head and ask them where they hear it loudest
What is a mnemonic to remember results of weber’s test
SICA
In sensorineural hearing loss, where will the sound localise to
It would localise to the intact ear
In conductive hearing loss, where will the sound localise to
It would localise to the affected ear
What is a rinne’s positive test
When air conduction is better than bone conduction
What can cause a rinne’s positive test
- Normal
- Sensorineural hearing loss
What is a rinne’s negative test
Bone conduction > Air conduction
What causes a rinne’s negative test
Conductive hearing loss
Explain pure tone audiometry
- Patient is placed in a sound-proof room
- Head phones deliver sounds at increasing frequencies
- It is played initially above hearing threshold and increase in 10db increments until a 50% response rate is obtained
- Transducer can be used to obtain bone conduction
What goes on the X-axis in pure tone audiometry
Frequency (Hz)
What goes on the Y-axis in pure tone audiometry
Decibels
What is normal hearing range on audiometry
Anything above 20db
Explain conductive hearing loss on audiometry
Auditory threshold increased in air conduction, normal bone conduction
What does conductive hearing loss on audiometry indicate
Middle or external ear pathology
Explain presentation of otosclerosis on audiometry
- Air conduction is reduced
- Bone conduction shows a characteristic notch at 2,000Hz called cahart notch
Explain how presbycusis will present on audiometry
Decrease in air and bone conduction at higher frequencies
Explain how noise-induced hearing loss presents on audiometry
Decrease in noise and air conduction at 4,000Hz
What is tympanometry also referred to as
Acoustic impedance audiometry
What is tympanometry
Method to measure pressure in the middle-ear
Explain the procedure of tympanometry
- In a normal ear compliance of the ear drum (and hence amount of fluid in mL displaced for a particular sound) peaks when middle ear pressure equals canal pressure
- A probe with an air tight seal is put into the meatus - the amount of acoustic signal reflected back at points is used to generate a graph of compliance
What is a normal ear type on tympanometry
type A
What is type A
There will be a peak which will then decrease. It indicates a normal ear where ossicles are intact and no fluid in the middle-ear
How will type AD present
Reduced peak amplitude compared to type A. But, the peak is still present
Explain type AD
There is disruption of the ossicles or flaccid portion of the tympanic membrane
How will type B tympanometry present
Completely flat (there will be no peak)
Explain type B tympanometry
There is reduced compliance of the tympanic membrane due to fluid in the middle ear - meaning all sound will be reflected back
If a type B tympanometry at normal pressure what is the underlying pathology
Otitis Media
If a type B tympanometry at high pressure what is the underlying pathology
Grommets
If a type B tympanometry at low pressure what is the underlying pathology
Ceremen Impaction
What is type C tympanometry
There is a shift in peak of negative middle-ear pressure
What causes type C tympanometry
Resolving otitis media
What are the indications for MRI in hearing loss
- Adult with sensorineural hearing loss and localising signs (facial paraesthesia)
- Adult with asymmetrical sensorineural hearing loss of >15dB difference
What is an MRI trying to exclude in hearing loss
Acoustic neuroma
In terms of anatomy, how can the ear be divided
External ear
Middle ear
Inner ear
What are the two parts of the external ear
- Auricle (Pinna)
2. External auditory meatus
What is the function of the auricle
Directs sound towards the external acoustic meatus
What is the helix
Round cartilaginous structure
What is the concha
Depression in the middle of the auricle
What does the concha lead to
The concha continues as the external acoustic meatus into the skull
What is the external acoustic meatus
Tube that connects the concha to the tympanic membrane
What is the tympanic membrane
Connective tissue that enables middle ear to be to be observed
What is the point where the malleus attaches to the tympanic membrane called
Umbo
Where is the middle ear
Tympanic membrane to inner ear
What is the function of the middle ear
Transmits vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear via ossicles
What are the two components of the middle ear
Tympanic cavity
Epitympanic recess
What is the tympanic cavity
Contains the ossicles: stapedius, malleus and incus
What is contained lateral to the epitympanic recess
Mastoid air cells
What Is the role of mastoid air cells
When pressure in middle ear is low - they can release air acting as a buffer
What is the acoustic reflex
In response to loud noise the stapedius and tensor tympanic will contract - inhibiting vibrations of auditory canal and transmission of sound
What is the Eustachian tube
Connects the nasopharynx to the middle ear