Exam 3 (Josh) - Ears Flashcards by Chigozie Emelue

Top of the ear is the ——-

Helix

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You can push on this part of the ear to assess for pain.

Tragus

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The Eustachian Tube is located in which part of the ear?

Middle Ear

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Which direction should the cone of light be pointing in a healthy Tympanic Membrane (TM)?

right ear = 5:00
left ear = 7:00

note: always should be pointing towards the chin of the client

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If the cone of light fails to appear (or appear in unlikely spot) on inspection, what is the likely cause?

pressure/inflammation of the middle/inner ear

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Why are children more likely to get ear infections than an adult?

they have a more hollow, straight eustachian tube that doesn’t allow for good drainage, leading to pressure build up

also easier for pathogens to remain, or come up from the nasal area

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The central hearing apparatus of the ear is located where?

cochlea

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The ———– connects the middle ear with the nasopharynx and allows for the passage of air.

eustachian tube

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Clinical term for ear wax is ——-

cerumen

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The visible part of the ear that is located outside of the canal is called what?

We pull on this to inspect the inside.

auricle

aka: pinna

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Clinical term for an ear-ache or ear pain?

otalgia

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Otitis Media

inflammation of the middle ear (behind the TM, in the eustachian tube)

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Otorrhea

fluid discharge of the ear

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Otosclerosis

gradual bone formation that causes the footplate of the stapes to become fixed in the oval window, impeding the transmission of sound and causing progressive deafness

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A common cause of conductive hearing loss in young adults (age 20-40) is ——–

ostosclerosis

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A ———- hearing loss involves a mechanical dysfunction of the external/middle ear.

A ——— hearing loss signifies some pathology of the inner ear (CN VIII) or the auditory areas of the cerebral cortex.

conductive

sensorineural

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A client with damage to CN VIII has which type of hearing loss?

sensorineural

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A client with damage to the external/middle ear has which type of hearing loss?

conductive

The gradual sensorineural hearing loss caused by nerve degradation that slowly progresses after the age of 50?

Affects 60% of those >65

presbycusis

mostly high-frequency sound loss

90% of all children

otitis media

due to the slope and size of the eustachian tubes

57% of older adult hearing loss can be attributed to what?

impacted cerumen

What causes cerumen to build up in greater amounts in older age?

cilia lining the ear canal become coarse and stiff, causing cerumen to accumulate and oxidize

the cerumen itself is dryer due to atrophy of the apocrine glands

Differentiate b/t dry cerumen and wet cerumen.

dry cerumen is gray and flaky and frequently forms a thin mass in the ear canal

wet cerumen is honey to dark brown and moist

What does a clinical presentation of otorrhea suggest?

infected canal or perforated eardrum

What is Tinnitus?

ringing in the ears white noise helps with this

What causes tinnitus?

cerumen impaction, otitis media

Objective Vertigo vs. Subjective Vertigo

``` Objective = the room is spinning Subjective = person feels they are spinning ```

Why inspect the skin of the outer ear? What are we looking for?

signs of skin cancer

Normal ear - eye alignment is ------. Anything greater can be seen in which type of disorder?

10 degrees >10 degrees may be a sign of Down's Syndrome

When assessing the TM, we pull on the adult's pinna -------- and the child's -------.

``` Adults = up and out Child = straight down ```

In the Rinne Test (tuning fork) sound is heard longer/greater where?

AC > BC air conduction should be greater (twice as long) as bone conduction

Placing the tuning fork in the midline of the forehead to check to symmetry of hearing is called?

Weber Test | sound should not lateralize

The Whisper Test is used to detect the loss of which type of hearing?

high pitch

Are tuning fork tests (Rinne & Weber) good assesments of hearing?

No close to 40% of normal hearing people lateralize with the Weber test

Meniere's Disease leads to the loss of which type of hearing (conductive or sensorineurual).

sensorineural | happens in the inner ear

Assessing children, the accoustic blink is used for what ages?

newborn - 4 mths

At what age can a child localize a sound (in assessing for hearing) and respond to their name?

6-8 mths

Normal TMs look....

- shiny & transulscent - pearly gray - cone of light in proper location

Which attachment is used to check the TM of a child by blowing on it?

pneumatic bulb attachment | used to check for pressure behind TM

Why is it best to assess a child's hearing at the end?

it is very invasive and they don't like it

What is the purpose of a PE tube?

pressure equalizing tube used to equalize the pressure in the inner ear by placing a small hole in the TM

In Presbycusis, which is harder to hear, consonants or vowels?

consonants they are higher pitched

Which ear is usually the first to face age related hearing loss?

left ear driving w/ window down

What is the unique situation where people who've lost hearing and/or sight have developed hallucinations in sight and sound?

Charles Bonnet Syndrome | 10% of the impaired are subject to these hallucinations