Exam III - Ears Flashcards
1
Q
Three parts of the ear
A
Outer ear, middle ear, inner ear.
2
Q
Where does the outer ear end?
A
At the tympanic membrane.
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.
4
Q
What structures does the inner ear contain?
A
The cochlea, semicircular canals, and the distal end of the vestibulocochlear nerve.
5
Q
What is the cochlea involved in?
A
Hearing for cranial nerve VIII (vestibulocochlear).
6
Q
Another name for the external ear.
A
Pinna
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.
8
Q
T/F - Is the sound reinforced and naturally amplified due to the physical characteristics of the ear canal?
A
True
9
Q
Ossicles move to allow what?
A
To allow sound to get back to the inner ear.
10
Q
Where does the eustachian tube empty?
A
Into the nasopharynx
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.
12
Q
In order for normal sound transmission, the middle ear must remain intact and full of what?
A
Air
13
Q
How does air stay supplied to the middle ear?
A
The eustachian tube
14
Q
What structure ensures that air pressure is equal on each side of the tympanic membrane?
A
The eustachian tube
15
Q
How should the tympanic membrane appear?
A
Pearly white with a cone of light
16
Q
What causes the cone of light on the tympanic membrane?
A
The otoscope
17
Q
Is the eustachian tube normally closed or open?
A
Closed
18
Q
When does the eustachian tube open?
A
On yawning and swallowing
19
Q
Why do kids get more ear infections than adults?
A
Their eustachian tube is wider and straighter
20
Q
What is the term for ear infections in kids?
A
Otitis media
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.
22
Q
What equalizes the pressure on each side of the tympanic membrane so it doesn’t rupture?
A
Eustachian tube
23
Q
Two functions of the inner ear.
A
- Maintain balance
- Conduct the sound vibrations from the middle ear into the electrical impulses
24
Q
Sound vibrations from the middle ear are passed on to the brain for what?
A
Interpretation
25
Sound vibrations from the middle ear pass along sound in the form of what to the brain?
Electrical impulses
26
What are the semicircular canals involved in?
Balance and equilibrium
27
What is the snail-shaped portion of the inner ear?
The cochlea
28
What does the cochlea contain?
Fluid and thousands of tiny nerve cells called hair cells
29
How does sound transmission work in the cochlea?
- 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.
30
Where does the sense of hearing actually occur?
In the brain.
31
The sensory organs for equilibrium (the semicircular canals) and the structure for hearing (the cochlea) are embedded in the inner ear in what?
The bone
32
What part of the brain interprets the signals for hearing?
The cortex
33
Hearing loss is caused by what?
Anything that obstructs the transmission of sound
34
What is conductive hearing loss?
When sound transmission from the outer and middle ear can't reach the inner ear.
35
Conditions that can cause conductive hearing loss in the outer, middle and inner ears.
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
36
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
Inner ear
37
The following are conditions that can cause hearing loss in what part of the ear?
- Middle ear infection
- Perforation of the eardrum
- Otosclerosis
Middle
38
The following are conditions that can cause hearing loss in what part of the ear?
- Outer ear infection
- Earwax buildup
- Foreign objects
Outer
39
If a patient has an air-bone gap, do they speak louder or softer?
Softer because hearing their own voice (which is conducted by bone) seems loud.
40
Hearing aid may help with hearing loss if it's greater than what?
40-50 dB
41
What occurs in otoschlerosis?
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
What is the most common cause of conductive hearing loss between the ages of 20-40?
Otoschlerosis
43
In what part of the ear does pathology lead to sensorineural hearing loss?
Inner ear
44
What causes sensorineural hearing loss?
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
How can sensorineural hearing loss be treated?
Hearing aids or cochlear implant
46
What is Presbycusus?
Gradual nerve degenerative hearing loss that occurs with aging
47
What do ototoxic drugs affect?
The small hair cells in the cochlea (trouble hearing in large groups)
48
How do ototoxic drugs reduce hearing?
They burn off the nerve cells that are little hairs
49
Causes of sensorineural hearing loss
- Age/noise related hearing loss
- Acoustic trauma - loud jobs
- Side effects of drugs, damage to inner eye
50
What condition causes perception of noise without actual source of sound?
Tinnitus
51
What condition may be the first symptom of hearing loss?
Tinnitus
52
T/F Can drugs cause tinnitus?
Yes, over 200 drugs are known to cause tinnitus.
53
What is the difference between tinnitus and hearing loss?
The extent of the damage
54
What constantly feeds information to brain about body’s position in space?
The semicircular canals
55
The patient may report that the room is spinning with what condition?
Vertigo
56
The semicircular canal tells the brain your position as you move. If the semilunar canals become inflamed what condition results?
Vertigo
57
The cilia lining ear canal become what as you age?
Coarse and stiff
58
Because of atrophy of apocrine glands, what happens to the cerumen as we age?
Cerumen is drier with aging
59
T/F. Impacted cerumen is a common cause of hearing loss in older people but not reversible.
False. It is common but it is also reversible.
60
What is cerumen?
Ear wax
61
What does cerumen do?
Protects ear from infection, etc.
62
What is a middle ear infection called in kids?
Otitis media
63
What is different about the eustachian tube in kids?
It's shorter and wider
64
What is the most common illness in kids?
Middle ear infection (otitis media)
65
What is the first symptom of a middle ear infection in kids?
Tugging on the ear
66
How can parents try to prevent middle ear infections in infants?
Feed them while upright and encourage breastfeeding
67
What is the result of blocked eustachian tube which prevents drainage?
Middle ear infection (otitis media)
68
T/F - Presence and composition of cerumen are related to poor hygiene.
False. Presence and composition of cerumen are NOT related to poor hygiene.
69
T/F - The two types of cerumen are genetically determined.
True
70
Two types of cerumen.
Dry cerumen
Wet cerumen
71
What's the difference between the two types of cerumen?
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
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
Hearing loss
73
What is the instrument used to assess the ear?
Otoscope
74
When objectively assessing the pinna, what should you look for?
- Ears are of equal size bilaterally
- Skin color consistent with person’s facial skin color
75
What does the whisper test assess?
Hearing loss
76
To access the ear with the otoscope, what do you do to the pinna?
- Pull pinna up and back
- Down and back down on kids under 3.
77
When assessing the external ear canal, what should you look for?
Note any redness and swelling, lesions, foreign bodies, or discharge
78
What qualities are observed in a normal tympanic membrane?
- Shiny and translucent, with a pearl-gray color
- Cone-shaped light reflex prominent in anteroinferior quadrant
79
T/F - Screening tools to assess hearing loss are not diagnostic
True
80
What two qualities do tuning forks measure?
They measure hearing air conduction (AC) or bone conduction (BC)
81
The Romberg test, a test that identifies balance issues with the cerebellum, is also use to access what apparatus of the inner ear?
The vestibular apparatus in inner ear
82
In kids, when do you assess the ears?
Last in an assessment
83
What is presbycusis?
Hearing loss that occurs with aging
84
What happens if the pinna gets frostbite?
Can turn black and necrotic
85
Why are the ears of Down's syndrome people different?
They are lower set.
86
What does acoustic mean?
Related to sound or sense of hearing
87
What part of the ear is called the labyrinth?
The inner ear
88
What is otalgia?
An earache
89
What is otorrhea?
Ear drainage
