ear

Question 1

3 major sections of the ear

Answer 1

Outer or external ear.
Middle ear or tympanic cavity.
Inner ear or labyrinth.
Each section transmits sounds differently.

Question 2

external ear

Answer 2

Conducts sound waves through air.
Includes:
Auricle (or pinna) .
External  auditory canal (or ear canal).
Cerumen.
Tympanic membrane (or eardrum).

Question 3

auricle (pinna)

Answer 3

Collects waves traveling through air.

Channels sound waves to the external auditory canal.

Question 4

external auditory canal

Answer 4

Slender tube lined with glands that produce a waxy secretion called cerumen.

Question 5

cerumen

Answer 5

Sticky secretion that traps tiny foreign particles.

Prevents particles from entering deeper areas of the canal.

Question 6

tympanic membrane

Answer 6

Flat, membranous structure drawn over the end of the ear canal.
Sound waves strike the TM, causing it to vibrate.
Movement of the TM causes movement of the three smallest bones of the body, collectively called the ossicles.

Question 7

middle ear

Answer 7

Conducts sound waves through bone.
Includes:
Eustachian Tube
Ossicles: Three smallest bones of the body: Malleus ,Incus, Stapes
Located in the tympanic cavity.
Form a coupling between the TM and the cochlea.
These 3 bones articulate sound.

Question 8

eustachian tube

Answer 8

Connects the middle ear to the pharynx.
Equalizes pressure on the outer and inner surfaces of the eardrum (TM).
When sudden pressure changes, pressure can be equalized on either side of the tympanic membrane by deliberate swallowing.

Question 9

malleus

Answer 9

Aka: Hammer.
Attached to the TM.
Articulates with the incus.

Question 10

incus

Answer 10

Aka: Anvil.

Located between the malleus and the stapes.

Question 11

stapes

Answer 11

Aka: Stirrups.
Attached to the oval window of the cochlea.
Articulates with the incus.

Question 12

inner ear

Answer 12

Conducts sound waves through fluid.
Includes:
Cochlea.
Also includes the structures for equilibrium:
Semicircular canals.
Vestibule.

Question 13

cochlea

Answer 13

Snail-shaped structure.
Filled with fluid called perilymph.
Inner surface lined with highly sensitive hearing structures called the organ of Corti.
Organ of Corti contain tiny nerve endings called hair cells.
Movement of the ossicles causes the stapes to exert a gentle pumping action against the oval window.
Pumping action forces the perilymph to disturb the hair cells.
Generates impulses that are transmitted to the brain via the auditory nerve.
Brain interprets impulses as sound.

Question 14

equilibrium: inner ear (Labyrinth)

Answer 14

Located in the inner ear.

Consists of a system of fluid-filled tubes and sacs; as well as nerves that connect these structures to the brain.

Question 15

equilibirum

Answer 15

Labyrinth located inside the bone of the skull.

Includes: Cochlea and the vestibular system (includes the vestibule and the semicircular canals).

Question 16

equilibrium: vestibular system

Answer 16

Controls balance, posture, orientation, body response to movement and eye movement.
Contains: Semicircular canals and the vestibule.
Vestibule joins the cochlea and semicircular canals.

Question 17

otitis media

Answer 17

Inflammation or infection of any part of the outer, middle, or inner ear.
Otitis media (middle ear) is the most common.
Inflammation begins when infections that cause sore throats, colds or other respiratory or breathing problems spread to the middle ear.
Can be bacterial or viral.
Most commonly found in children.

Question 18

symptoms of otitis media

Answer 18

Pain in ear.
Child may tug or pull one or both ears.
Unusual irritability.
Difficulty sleeping.
Fever.
Fluid draining from the ear.
Loss of balance.
Difficulty hearing.

Question 19

treatment of otitis media

Answer 19

Antibiotics.
Pain and fever reducing medications.
Decongestants.
Antihistamines.
Tonsil and adenoid removal for frequent sufferers.
Pressure-equalizing (PE) tubes surgically implanted through the TM, for frequent sufferers. PE tubes remain in ear about 9-months, and then fall out. If not, surgically removed by age 5-6.

Question 20

prevention of otitis media

Answer 20

Do not expose children to second hand smoke.
Avoid sick playmates.
Nursing infants have lower incidence of OM.
Have infant in upright position for bottle feeding.
Use of decongestants and antihistamines , prophylactically.

Question 21

tinnitus

Answer 21

Perception of ringing, hissing, or other sounds in the ears or head when no external sound is present.
A symptom associated with many forms of hearing loss.
People with severe cases may find difficulty in hearing, working and sleeping.

possible causes
Hearing loss.
Too much exposure to loud noises.
Medicine: More than 200 medicines (i.e.: large doses ASA) can cause tinnitus.
Blow to the head.
Health problems: Allergies, tumours, impacted wax, anaemia, hypertension, stress, neck and jaw problems.

Question 22

treatment for tinnitus

Answer 22

No cure.
Symptomatic relief only.
Hearing aids.
Maskers.
Medicine or drug therapy:  Antiarrhythmics and antidepressants.

Question 23

vertigo

Answer 23

Hallucination of movement, or a feeling of spinning or dizziness.
Loss of balance.
May lead to nausea and vomiting.

possiblle causes
Variety of disorders.
Ménière’s disease.
Lesion or other process affecting the brain, or eighth cranial nerve.
Labyrinthitis.

Question 24

treatment for vertigo

Answer 24

No cure.
Symptomatic relief only.
Antihistamines.
Antibiotics.
Dietary changes.
Stress management.

Question 25

meniere’s disease

Answer 25

Abnormality of the inner ear causing many symptoms: Vertigo, severe dizziness, tinnitus, fluctuating hearing loss, sensation of pressure or pain in the affected ear.
Loss of balance.
May lead to nausea and vomiting.

Question 26

symptoms of menieres

Answer 26

Can occur suddenly and arise daily, or as infrequently as once a year.
Occurs without warning.
Vertigo, severe dizziness.
Nausea, vomiting.
Sweating.
Tinnitus.
Hearing loss.
Headache.
Abdominal discomfort.
Diarrhea.
Attacks may last for minutes or hours.

possible causes
Symptoms associated with a change in fluid volume within the labyrinth portion of the inner ear.
Head injury.
Rupture of the membranous labyrinth.
Noise pollution.
Viral infections.

Question 27

treatment for menieres

Answer 27

No cure.
Symptomatic relief only.
Antihistamines.
Antibiotics.
Dietary changes to reduce fluid retention in the body.
Stress management.
Labyrinthectomy – controls vertigo, but leads to hearing loss.

Question 28

otosclerosis

Answer 28

Abnormal hardening (ankylosis) of bones of the middle ear that causes hearing loss.
Ossicle most commonly affected is the stapes.

Question 29

symptoms of otosclerosis

Answer 29

Progressive hearing loss, especially of low tones.
Tinnitus.
Dizziness.
Vertigo

possible causes
genetics

Question 30

treatment for otosclerosis

Answer 30

Surgical correction: Removing part of the stapes, (a stapedectomy, or commonly, a stapedotomy) and implantation of a prosthetic device that allows sound waves to pass to the inner ear.

Question 31

dextra

Answer 31

right

Question 32

sinistra

Answer 32

left

Question 33

pertaining to the ear

Answer 33

auricular

Question 34

Rinne test

Answer 34

test using a turning fork to measure hearing by comparing results of bone conducting and air conduction

Question 35

salping/o

Answer 35

root word for Eustachian tube

Question 36

pathway of sound

Answer 36

malleus, incus, stapes, cochlea

Question 37

which part of the ear contains cerumen

Answer 37

external auditory canal

Question 38

posterior portion of cornea

Answer 38

sclera

Question 39

Weber test

Answer 39

test that assesses bone conduction of sound in the ear

Question 40

semicircular canals

Answer 40

fluid filled loops in the labyrinth that gives the body sense of balance

Question 41

otitis media

Answer 41

ear infection (inflammation of the ear)