Inner Ear Flashcards
What are some common causes of hearing loss?
Presbycusis, noise exposure, congenital, trauma, ototoxic medications, infection, others
What are some ototoxic medications?
Antibiotics, NSAIDS, salicylates, chemotherapy, loop diuretics
What are the three types of hearing loss?
Conductive (infection, fluid, wax, perforation, ossicular problems), sensorineural (aging, noise exposure, retro cochlear tumors), mixed
What tests can you use for unilateral hearing loss?
Rinne & weber
What type of hearing loss is it if the vibration is heard louder on the affected side?
Conductive
What type of hearing loss is it if you hear the vibration louder on the normal side?
Sensorial
What is sensorineural hearing loss?
damage to inner ear (cochlea) or nerve pathways
What is presbycusis?
Natural old age hearing loss
What is sudden sensorineural hearing loss?
occurs within a 72 hour window, which affects >3 frequencies, usually unilateral, DIZZINESS IS IMPORTANT
Abnormal functioning
How do you treat a patient with sudden sensorineural hearing loss?
Send to audiologist, then ENT, possible treatment with intratympanic corticosteroids within 2 weeks
Must consider MRI to rule out tumor for unilateral, but this is after audiology
What is a vestibular schwannoma?
benign tumor of 8th cranial nerve
What is the clinical presentation of vestibular schwannoma?
unilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, loss of balance (may be continuous), headache, facial paresis, sensorineural hearing loss
How do you diagnose vestibular schwannoma?
MRI w/ contrast – ANYONE should be evaluated for unilateral mass lesion
How do you treat vestibular schwannoma?
Surgery or monitoring, radiation (could not grow very much), refer to ENT!
When do you make an ENT referral?
- can’t remove a foreign body
- sudden hearing loss with normal exam and no symptoms of infection (includes tinnitus), see ENT within a week
What is tinnitus?
sensation of sound when there is no sound, “ringing”, which often indicates hearing loss, either from blockage, effusion, etc.