Deafness Flashcards
common causes
ear wax
otitis media
otitis externa.
what is prebycusis?
age-related sensorineural hearing loss. Patients may describe difficulty following conversations
what does audiometry show for presbycusis?
Audiometry shows bilateral high-frequency hearing loss
what is otosclerosis?
Autosomal dominant, replacement of normal bone by vascular spongy bone.
onset of otosclerosis
20-40 years
features of otosclerosis
conductive deafness
tinnitus
tympanic membrane - 10% of patients may have a ‘flamingo tinge’, caused by hyperaemia
positive family history
what is glue ear?
otitis media with effusion
age glue ear
peaks at 2 years old
features of glue ear
hearing loss is usually the presenting feature (glue ear is the commonest cause of conductive hearing loss and elective surgery in childhood)
secondary problems of glue ear
speech and language delay, behavioural or balance problems may also be seen
age of meniere’s disease
middle aged adults
features of meniere’s disease
recurrent episodes of vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss (sensorineural).
Vertigo is usually the prominent symptom
a sensation of aural fullness or pressure is now recognised as being common
other features include nystagmus and a positive Romberg test
how long does a episode meiere’s last
last minutes to hours
example of drug ototoxicity
aminoglycosides (e.g. Gentamicin), furosemide, aspirin and a number of cytotoxic agents
which frequencies is hearing loss worse
worse at frequencies of 3000-6000 Hz
