Ears

Question 1

ear drum is

Answer 1

pearly and grey

Question 2

Pharyngotympanic tube

Answer 2

control pressure when we swallow

Question 3

Conductive hearing loss

Answer 3

Difficulty in external ear or middle ear

Putting something in the ear

Question 4

Sensorineural hearing loss

Answer 4

Difficulty in inner ear or acoustic nerve

Exposure to loud sounds over time

Ototoxic medication: any of the –mycins, loop diuretic

Question 5

External ear

Answer 5

Pinna, Tragus,

Question 6

Middle ear

Answer 6

tympanic membrane, ossicles

Question 7

inner ear

Answer 7

cochlea, semicircular canals, Cranial nerve VIII

Question 8

mixed hearing loss

Answer 8

combination of both

Question 9

Interventions for hearing loss

Answer 9

EARLY detection
Safety measures (due to hearing loss): visual reminders that they cannot hear very well
Dietary (hydration)
Medications

surgical: hearing aids, implants

Question 10

Bedside care for hearing loss

Answer 10

Provide a quiet environment

Face the patient and position yourself where they can see your lips move

Speak CLEARLY, SLOWLY, and in a DEEP voice. Emphasize beginning word sounds, don’t yell

Question 11

Conditions Affecting the External and Middle Ear

Answer 11

External otitis (“swimmer’s ear”)
Cerumen or foreign bodies
Otitis media
Mastoiditis
Trauma
Neoplasms

Question 12

External Otitis

Answer 12

Infection or inflammation of the ear canal

Question 13

Swimmer’s ear

Answer 13

Diffuse inflammation of the ear canal

Question 14

How do we treat swimmer’s ear?

Answer 14

Reduce inflammation, edema, pain:
Heat (warm cloth, etc.)
Limited head movement
Antibiotic drops or earwick w/drops
Steroids
Analgesics

Question 15

Most common treatment for swimmer’s ear is

Answer 15

antibiotic ear drops

Question 16

localized furuncle

Answer 16

infected lesion or boil in the ear canal, areas with hair follicles

Question 17

How do we treat a localized furuncle?

Answer 17

Use heat and local or systemic antibiotics
Possibly incision and drainage
Earwick with antibiotics

Question 18

home remedy for swimmer’s ear

Answer 18

solution of 50% rubbing alcohol, 25% vinegar, 25% distilled water

Question 19

Cerumen or foreign bodies

Answer 19

impaction or blockage

wax is most common cause of impaction

careful removal by professional will often restore hearing

Question 20

What do we not use to clean the ear with?

Answer 20

q-tips, don’t stick too far down

Question 21

Otitis Media(middle ear)

Answer 21

three types: acute, chronic, serous

Any otitis media may lead to conductive hearing loss if not treated appropriately

Question 22

Acute

Answer 22

Sudden onset, 3 weeks or less

Otalgia (earache), fever, N/V/D

Question 23

Chronic

Answer 23

Longer duration and more likely to cause injury

Biofilm inside middle ear doesn’t go away

May have painless drainage with conductive hearing loss

Question 24

Serous

Answer 24

Hearing loss and sense of fullness or pressure

Question 25

Non-surgical Management of Otitis Media

Answer 25

``` Quiet environment Limited head movement Low heat application for pain Systemic antibiotics Antihistamines or decongestants (decrease fluid in middle ear) ```

Question 26

Surgical Management of Otitis Media

Answer 26

myringotomy | grommet

Question 27

Myringotomy

Answer 27

draining of fluid in middle ear

Question 28

Grommet

Answer 28

tube placed in ear to allow continuous drainage of fluids

Question 29

Education for otitis media

Answer 29

Keep external ear and canal dry and clean; no washing hair or showering for several days, avoid air travel, avoid blowing nose

Question 30

Mastoiditis

Answer 30

Inflammation of mastoid air cells this results from untreated otitis media

Question 31

Mastoiditis is dangerous and can lead to

Answer 31

brain abscess, meningitis, death

Question 32

Treatment of mastoiditis

Answer 32

antibiotic therapy Surgical removal of infected tissue with or without tympanoplasty

Question 33

Mastoiditis 3 things to know

Answer 33

could spread to brain fluid instead of air need antibiotics

Question 34

Trauma causes

Answer 34

Changes in barometric pressure Blunt trauma to head Objects placed in external canal

Question 35

Trauma could cause

Answer 35

scarring, eardrum perforation

Question 36

Tinnitus

Answer 36

Continuous ringing of the ears very common subjective

Question 37

Tinnitus teaching

Answer 37

to mask tinnitus with background noise, noisemakers, or music

Question 38

Vertigo

Answer 38

a sense of whirling or turning in space

Question 39

dizziness

Answer 39

a disturbed sense of place in relationship to space

Question 40

what to do with vertigo and dizziness?

Answer 40

``` Restrict head motions and move slowly Hydrate Medication if necessary Stop smoking Prevent falls associated with loss-of-balance and problems with proprioception ```

Question 41

Components of the inner ear help with

Answer 41

balance

Question 42

Meniere’s Disease

Answer 42

3 key features: Tinnitus One-sided sensorineural loss Vertigo attacks

Question 43

non surgical treatment of Meniere's Disease

Answer 43

Slow head movements Intratympanic meds, antiemetics, diuretics Meniett device using pressure pulses to displace inner ear fluid

Question 44

Surgical treatment of Meniere's Disease

Answer 44

Resection of vestibular nerve or total removal of labryrinth; LAST RESORT

Question 45

Acoustic Neuroma

Answer 45

Benign tumor of CN VIII Often damages other structures as it grows s/sx: tinnitus, hearing loss, vertigo

Question 46

How do we treat acoustic Neuroma?

Answer 46

Requires craniotomy for surgical removal Extreme care to preserve surrounding nerves Reoccurrence is rare