Ear Disorders Flashcards
What is conductive hearing loss?
Sound not transmitted to inner ear
What is sensorineural hearing loss?
Damage to inner ear
Damage to nerve pathways
What are the assessments for hearing loss?
Weber test
Rinne Test
Otoscopy
Audiometry
What is the presentation of conductive hearing loss on assessment?
Weber test: vibrations heard in bad ear Rinne test (-): BC > AC
What is the presentation of sensorineural hearing loss on assessment?
Weber test: vibrations heard in good ear
Rinne test (+): AC > BC (lesser degree)
Tinnitus +
Normal otoscopy
What are causes of sensorineural hearing loss?
Auditory insults
Infections
What is the treatment for sensorineural hearing loss?
Abx
Corticosteroids
Hearing aids
Cochlear implants
What nerve does the cochlear implant attach to?
Cranial nerve VIII
What are the causes of conductive hearing loss?
Obstruction
Infection
Trauma
What is the prevention of conductive hearing loss?
Treat infections early
Avoid trauma from physical object/pressure/noise
Avoid flying/scuba diving if you have sinus infection or URT infection
Protect ears from loud activities
What is mixed hearing loss?
Damage to middle or outer ear and inner ear
What is dizziness?
One’s altered orientation to spatial relationships
What are the components of dizziness?
Imbalance
Lightheadedness
Vertigo
What is vertigo?
Sensation of disorientation in space
Illusion of motion (rotational)
What are the types of vertigo?
Peripheral
Central
What is peripheral vertigo?
Whole vestibular apparatus involved
+ Hearing loss
+ Ear fullness
+ Tinnitus
How long does peripheral vertigo last?
Spells lasting sec/min/hours
What is ventral vertigo?
CNS
+ Neurological findings
+/- Hearing loss
+/- Tinnitus
How long does vertigo last?
Days/months
What are the s/sx of vertigo?
N/V
Diaphoresis
Nystagmus
Hearing loss/tinnitus
What are the peripheral sources of vertigo?
Benign positional vertigo
Meniere’s disease
Vestibular neuritis
Bacterial Labyrinthitis
What is the presentation of BPPV?
Severe verigo episodes < 60 seconds
Occurs with certain head positions
+/- N/V
No hearing loss/tinnitus
What are the causes of BPPV?
Calcium deposits in semicircular canal
From trauma, degeneration, infection
How can BPPV be treated?
Epley maneuver
What is the presentation of Meniere’s disease?
Severe vertigo episodes 2-3 hours (less than 24 hours) Episodes are recurrent Sense of fullness (affected ear) \+ Hearing loss \+ Tinnitus
What are the causes of Meniere’s disease?
Imbalance of fluids in inner ear
Increased production and/or decreased absorption