Balance & Hearing

Question 1

balance simplified?

Answer 1

semi-circular canals are responsible for detecting head rotation

saccule detects linear acceleration in vertical plane

urticle detects linear acceleration in horizontal plane

Question 2

Eustachian tube function?

Answer 2

links nasopharynx to middle ear as TM function is optimal when middle ear pressure is the same as atmospheric pressure

swallowing and yawning open the nasopharyngeal Eustachian tube orifice allowing equalisation of pressure

Question 3

what results due to chronic obstruction of the Eustachian tube?

Answer 3

leads to a relative negative pressure in the middle ear which can lead to retraction of the TM and sometimes formation of middle ear fluid (otitis media with effusion)

Question 4

what happens as waves travel through cochlea?

Answer 4

causes movement of basilar membrane which results in shearing motion of cilia of the inner and outer hair cells

this motion depolarises the inner hair cells which in turn sets off afferent electrical nerve impulses

Question 5

two tuning fork tests?

Answer 5

Weber test which tests lateralisation

Rinne which tests air conduction to bone conduction

Question 6

most common hearing test?

Answer 6

pure tone audiometry which determines the faintest tones a person can hear at selected pitches from low to high with earphones

30/60/90

Question 7

how can you test children?

Answer 7

otoacoustic emissions
distraction testing
visual reinforcement audiometry
play conditioning techniques

Question 8

management of hearing loss?

Answer 8

surgery of outer and middle ear
sound amplification
direct stimulation of cochlear nerve cells
intracochlear modification

Question 9

which reflex stabilises gaze?

Answer 9

vestibulo-ocular reflex moves eyes in order to compensate for head and body movement

Question 10

conditions that affect balance with most common first?

Answer 10

benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
vestibular neuritis
Meniere’s disease

migraine