Hearing Concepts Flashcards
Middle ear
Maleus
Incus
Stapes
Up to oval window
Inner ear
Cochlea
Vestibular nerve
Patient history
- past ear infections
- HX of hypertension or diabetes
- ask how they clean their ears
Occupational therapy
What jobs did they do
Webber test
Strikes tuning fork on hand places it on top of patients head and asks what side they hear it louder on
-should be equal
Frequency=pitch
Higher pitched sounds are lost first
Intensity=decibles
Normal voice=60 decibles
Crying child=80 decibles
Auditory brain stem response
This test uses electrodes to determine how the auditory nerve reacts to sound
Conditions effecting the external and middle ear
- External otitis(swimmers ear
- earwick
- cerumen obstruction
- foreign body obstruction
External Otitis
Swimmers ear
- inflammation of the external auditory canal
- treated with topical antibiotics
Earwick
A piece of gauze placed into ear canal to put ear drops into If ear is inflamed
Cerumen in geriatrics
Cerumen tends to harden
Irrigation of external ear
- if doing it for a patient you need an order
- do not put straight in, angle it up
- don’t use too much pressure
Otitis media(middle ear problem)
- 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
Perforated tympanic membrane (middle ear problem)
-tempanoplasty is the surgical repair if needed
Conditions affecting the inner ear
- presbycusis
- tinnitus
- vertigo and dizziness
- Ménière’s disease
Presbycusis
Means age related hearing loss
Tinnitus
Rigging in the ear
Vertigo and dizziness
Sensation of spinning and turning while being still
- keep your eyes open
- may use antihistamines
Ménière’s disease
An abnormal accumulation in inner ear -tinnitus -unilateral hearing loss -treatment: stop smoking,decrease caffeine, low sodium diet, avoid MSG Drug therapy, surgery
Sensorineural hearing loss
- 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
Prevention tips
- wear ear plugs
- limit time exposure to loud noises
- have hearing tested
Outer ear
Ear canal
