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Health Assessment > Exam III - Ears > Flashcards

Exam III - Ears Flashcards

1
Q

Three parts of the ear

A

Outer ear, middle ear, inner ear.

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2
Q

Where does the outer ear end?

A

At the tympanic membrane.

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3
Q

What structures does the middle ear contain?

A
  • Ossicular chain: Malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), stapes (stirrup)
  • Tympanic membrane
  • Eustachian tube
    The middle ear bridges the sound to the inner ear.
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4
Q

What structures does the inner ear contain?

A

The cochlea, semicircular canals, and the distal end of the vestibulocochlear nerve.

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5
Q

What is the cochlea involved in?

A

Hearing for cranial nerve VIII (vestibulocochlear).

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6
Q

Another name for the external ear.

A

Pinna

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7
Q

What is the purpose of the shape of the skin/cartilage of the outer ear?

A

The pinna is a sophisticated sound reception structure designed to funnel sound waves into the ear canal.

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8
Q

T/F - Is the sound reinforced and naturally amplified due to the physical characteristics of the ear canal?

A

True

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9
Q

Ossicles move to allow what?

A

To allow sound to get back to the inner ear.

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10
Q

Where does the eustachian tube empty?

A

Into the nasopharynx

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11
Q

Why is the middle ear considered a bridge?

A

It connects to both the eardrum and the inner ear to relay sound information.

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12
Q

In order for normal sound transmission, the middle ear must remain intact and full of what?

A

Air

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13
Q

How does air stay supplied to the middle ear?

A

The eustachian tube

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14
Q

What structure ensures that air pressure is equal on each side of the tympanic membrane?

A

The eustachian tube

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15
Q

How should the tympanic membrane appear?

A

Pearly white with a cone of light

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16
Q

What causes the cone of light on the tympanic membrane?

A

The otoscope

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17
Q

Is the eustachian tube normally closed or open?

A

Closed

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18
Q

When does the eustachian tube open?

A

On yawning and swallowing

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19
Q

Why do kids get more ear infections than adults?

A

Their eustachian tube is wider and straighter

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20
Q

What is the term for ear infections in kids?

A

Otitis media

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21
Q

What are the two functions of the middle ear?

A
  • Conducts sound vibrations from the outer ear to the central hearing apparatus in the middle ear.
  • Protects the inner ear by reducing the amplitude of loud sounds.
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22
Q

What equalizes the pressure on each side of the tympanic membrane so it doesn’t rupture?

A

Eustachian tube

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23
Q

Two functions of the inner ear.

A
  • Maintain balance
  • Conduct the sound vibrations from the middle ear into the electrical impulses
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24
Q

Sound vibrations from the middle ear are passed on to the brain for what?

A

Interpretation

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25
Q

Sound vibrations from the middle ear pass along sound in the form of what to the brain?

A

Electrical impulses

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26
Q

What are the semicircular canals involved in?

A

Balance and equilibrium

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27
Q

What is the snail-shaped portion of the inner ear?

A

The cochlea

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28
Q

What does the cochlea contain?

A

Fluid and thousands of tiny nerve cells called hair cells

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29
Q

How does sound transmission work in the cochlea?

A
  • When the inner ear is stimulated, the fluid in the cochlear is displaced which causes the hair cells to move.
  • As the hair cells move, their nerve fibers are stimulated to produce electrical signals.
  • Signals are collected into the auditory (CN VIII) nerve which carries the information to the brain.
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30
Q

Where does the sense of hearing actually occur?

A

In the brain.

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31
Q

The sensory organs for equilibrium (the semicircular canals) and the structure for hearing (the cochlea) are embedded in the inner ear in what?

A

The bone

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32
Q

What part of the brain interprets the signals for hearing?

A

The cortex

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33
Q

Hearing loss is caused by what?

A

Anything that obstructs the transmission of sound

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34
Q

What is conductive hearing loss?

A

When sound transmission from the outer and middle ear can’t reach the inner ear.

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35
Q

Conditions that can cause conductive hearing loss in the outer, middle and inner ears.

A

Outer:
- Outer ear infection
- Earwax buildup
- Foreign objects

Middle
- Middle ear infection
- Perforation of the eardrum
- Otosclerosis

Inner
- Age/noise related hearing loss
- Acoustic trauma
- Medication side effects

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36
Q

The following are conditions that can cause hearing loss in what part of the ear?

  • Age/noise related hearing loss
  • Acoustic trauma
  • Medication side effects
A

Inner ear

37
Q

The following are conditions that can cause hearing loss in what part of the ear?

  • Middle ear infection
  • Perforation of the eardrum
  • Otosclerosis
A

Middle

38
Q

The following are conditions that can cause hearing loss in what part of the ear?

  • Outer ear infection
  • Earwax buildup
  • Foreign objects
A

Outer

39
Q

If a patient has an air-bone gap, do they speak louder or softer?

A

Softer because hearing their own voice (which is conducted by bone) seems loud.

40
Q

Hearing aid may help with hearing loss if it’s greater than what?

A

40-50 dB

41
Q

What occurs in otoschlerosis?

A

The stapes gradually hardens to cause the foot plate of the stapes to become fixed in the oval window, impeding transmission of sound and causing progressive deafness.

42
Q

What is the most common cause of conductive hearing loss between the ages of 20-40?

A

Otoschlerosis

43
Q

In what part of the ear does pathology lead to sensorineural hearing loss?

A

Inner ear

44
Q

What causes sensorineural hearing loss?

A

Impairment of the inner ear or CN VIII resulting in the inability to understand speech. Patient can still hear sounds. High pitch hearing is affected.

45
Q

How can sensorineural hearing loss be treated?

A

Hearing aids or cochlear implant

46
Q

What is Presbycusus?

A

Gradual nerve degenerative hearing loss that occurs with aging

47
Q

What do ototoxic drugs affect?

A

The small hair cells in the cochlea (trouble hearing in large groups)

48
Q

How do ototoxic drugs reduce hearing?

A

They burn off the nerve cells that are little hairs

49
Q

Causes of sensorineural hearing loss

A
  • Age/noise related hearing loss
  • Acoustic trauma - loud jobs
  • Side effects of drugs, damage to inner eye
50
Q

What condition causes perception of noise without actual source of sound?

A

Tinnitus

51
Q

What condition may be the first symptom of hearing loss?

A

Tinnitus

52
Q

T/F Can drugs cause tinnitus?

A

Yes, over 200 drugs are known to cause tinnitus.

53
Q

What is the difference between tinnitus and hearing loss?

A

The extent of the damage

54
Q

What constantly feeds information to brain about body’s position in space?

A

The semicircular canals

55
Q

The patient may report that the room is spinning with what condition?

A

Vertigo

56
Q

The semicircular canal tells the brain your position as you move. If the semilunar canals become inflamed what condition results?

A

Vertigo

57
Q

The cilia lining ear canal become what as you age?

A

Coarse and stiff

58
Q

Because of atrophy of apocrine glands, what happens to the cerumen as we age?

A

Cerumen is drier with aging

59
Q

T/F. Impacted cerumen is a common cause of hearing loss in older people but not reversible.

A

False. It is common but it is also reversible.

60
Q

What is cerumen?

A

Ear wax

61
Q

What does cerumen do?

A

Protects ear from infection, etc.

62
Q

What is a middle ear infection called in kids?

A

Otitis media

63
Q

What is different about the eustachian tube in kids?

A

It’s shorter and wider

64
Q

What is the most common illness in kids?

A

Middle ear infection (otitis media)

65
Q

What is the first symptom of a middle ear infection in kids?

A

Tugging on the ear

66
Q

How can parents try to prevent middle ear infections in infants?

A

Feed them while upright and encourage breastfeeding

67
Q

What is the result of blocked eustachian tube which prevents drainage?

A

Middle ear infection (otitis media)

68
Q

T/F - Presence and composition of cerumen are related to poor hygiene.

A

False. Presence and composition of cerumen are NOT related to poor hygiene.

69
Q

T/F - The two types of cerumen are genetically determined.

A

True

70
Q

Two types of cerumen.

A

Dry cerumen
Wet cerumen

71
Q

What’s the difference between the two types of cerumen?

A

Dry cerumen is gray, flaky, and frequently forms thin mass in ear canal; occurs more often in Asians and American Indians
Wet cerumen is honey brown to dark brown and moist; occurs more often in Caucasians and African Americans

72
Q

During an assessment, if you observe the following, what can it be an indication of?

  • Lip reading or watching your face and lips rather than your eyes
  • Misunderstands questions
  • Past employment
A

Hearing loss

73
Q

What is the instrument used to assess the ear?

A

Otoscope

74
Q

When objectively assessing the pinna, what should you look for?

A
  • Ears are of equal size bilaterally
  • Skin color consistent with person’s facial skin color
75
Q

What does the whisper test assess?

A

Hearing loss

76
Q

To access the ear with the otoscope, what do you do to the pinna?

A
  • Pull pinna up and back
  • Down and back down on kids under 3.
77
Q

When assessing the external ear canal, what should you look for?

A

Note any redness and swelling, lesions, foreign bodies, or discharge

78
Q

What qualities are observed in a normal tympanic membrane?

A
  • Shiny and translucent, with a pearl-gray color
  • Cone-shaped light reflex prominent in anteroinferior quadrant
79
Q

T/F - Screening tools to assess hearing loss are not diagnostic

A

True

80
Q

What two qualities do tuning forks measure?

A

They measure hearing air conduction (AC) or bone conduction (BC)

81
Q

The Romberg test, a test that identifies balance issues with the cerebellum, is also use to access what apparatus of the inner ear?

A

The vestibular apparatus in inner ear

82
Q

In kids, when do you assess the ears?

A

Last in an assessment

83
Q

What is presbycusis?

A

Hearing loss that occurs with aging

84
Q

What happens if the pinna gets frostbite?

A

Can turn black and necrotic

85
Q

Why are the ears of Down’s syndrome people different?

A

They are lower set.

86
Q

What does acoustic mean?

A

Related to sound or sense of hearing

87
Q

What part of the ear is called the labyrinth?

A

The inner ear

88
Q

What is otalgia?

A

An earache

89
Q

What is otorrhea?

A

Ear drainage

Health Assessment (7 decks)

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