Hearing Concepts

Question 1

Middle ear

Answer 1

Maleus
Incus
Stapes

Up to oval window

Question 2

Inner ear

Answer 2

Cochlea

Vestibular nerve

Question 3

Patient history

Answer 3

• past ear infections
• HX of hypertension or diabetes
• ask how they clean their ears

Question 4

Occupational therapy

Answer 4

What jobs did they do

Question 5

Webber test

Answer 5

Strikes tuning fork on hand places it on top of patients head and asks what side they hear it louder on
-should be equal

Question 6

Frequency=pitch

Answer 6

Higher pitched sounds are lost first

Question 7

Intensity=decibles

Answer 7

Normal voice=60 decibles

Crying child=80 decibles

Question 8

Auditory brain stem response

Answer 8

This test uses electrodes to determine how the auditory nerve reacts to sound

Question 9

Conditions effecting the external and middle ear

Answer 9

• External otitis(swimmers ear
• earwick
• cerumen obstruction
• foreign body obstruction

Question 10

External Otitis

Answer 10

Swimmers ear

• inflammation of the external auditory canal
• treated with topical antibiotics

Question 11

Earwick

Answer 11

A piece of gauze placed into ear canal to put ear drops into If ear is inflamed

Question 12

Cerumen in geriatrics

Answer 12

Cerumen tends to harden

Question 13

Irrigation of external ear

Answer 13

• if doing it for a patient you need an order
• do not put straight in, angle it up
• don’t use too much pressure

Question 14

Otitis media(middle ear problem)

Answer 14

• acute or chronic infection of the middle ear
• lasts less than 3 weeks
• decreased hearing, ear feels full
• long term without being able to hear properly might bring on speech deficiencies

Question 15

Perforated tympanic membrane (middle ear problem)

Answer 15

-tempanoplasty is the surgical repair if needed

Question 16

Conditions affecting the inner ear

Answer 16

• presbycusis
• tinnitus
• vertigo and dizziness
• Ménière’s disease

Question 17

Presbycusis

Answer 17

Means age related hearing loss

Question 18

Tinnitus

Answer 18

Rigging in the ear

Question 19

Vertigo and dizziness

Answer 19

Sensation of spinning and turning while being still

• keep your eyes open
• may use antihistamines

Question 20

Ménière’s disease

Answer 20

An abnormal accumulation in inner ear 
-tinnitus
-unilateral hearing loss 
-treatment: stop smoking,decrease caffeine, low sodium diet, avoid MSG
Drug therapy, surgery

Question 21

Sensorineural hearing loss

Answer 21

• involves inner ear
• hearing loss may occur with sounds greater than 90dB
• if you have to shout to be heard the environment is too loud

Question 22

Prevention tips

Answer 22

• wear ear plugs
• limit time exposure to loud noises
• have hearing tested

Question 23

Outer ear

Answer 23

Ear canal