Inner Ear Disorders

Question 1

What would an inner ear manifestation of a vestibular labyrinth look like?

Answer 1

Vertigo

Question 2

What would an inner ear manifestation of an auditory labyrinth look like?

Answer 2

sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus (RINGING)

Question 3

What is Ménière’s Disease?

Answer 3

a progressive accumulation of endolymph in the membranous labyrinth of the ear that occurs more often in women between 30-60 years old. The excess fluid and pressure causes hearing and balance problems.

Question 4

What would a patient experience prior to an attack due to Ménière’s Disease?

Answer 4

fullness in the ears, tinnitus, and muffled hearing

Question 5

How long do attacks of Ménière’s Disease last?

Answer 5

can last hours to days and happen several times a year

Question 6

What clinical manifestations occur during an attack of Ménière’s Disease?

Answer 6

disability with a sudden, severe attack of vertigo, nausea, vomiting, sweating, “drop attacks”, a feeling of whirling in space

Question 7

What diagnostic test can be used to diagnose Ménière’s Disease?

Answer 7

an audiogram, abnormal vestibula tests, Glycerol testing, or spontaneous vertigo on TWO occasions

Question 8

What is the focus of Ménière’s Disease treatment?

Answer 8

treatments to reduce frequency and severity of vertigo attacks; acute care focuses on decreasing abnormal sensations, nausea and vomiting with things such as antihistamines, anticholinergics, corticosteroids, and benzodiazepines; between attacks use diuretics, corticosteroids, low-sodium diet, and stress reduction

Question 9

What should someone do if they are experiencing an attack of vertigo?

Answer 9

• Dark, quiet room
• Avoid sudden movements
• Close your eyes during vertigo
• Avoid fluorescent, flickering lights, and TV
• Emesis basin

Question 10

What injection can a nurse give for vertigo and Ménière’s Disease?

Answer 10

Gentamycin injection

Question 11

What surgical interventions are indicated for Ménière’s Disease?

Answer 11

• decompression
• vestibular nerve section
• ablation of the labyrinth in unilateral disease

Question 12

What safety aspects would a nurse be concerned with in Ménière’s Disease?

Answer 12

risk for FALLS

Question 13

What is conductive hearing loss?

Answer 13

decreased sound intensity and/or distortion of the external and middle ear where sound transmission to the inner ear is impaired.

Question 14

Where do patients hear best with conductive hearing loss?

Answer 14

noisy environments

Question 15

What is conductive hearing loss caused by?

Answer 15

• otitis media with effusion
• impacted cerumen
• perforation of TM
• Otosclerosis
• narrowing of the external auditory canal

Question 16

What is sensorineural hearing loss?

Answer 16

occurs in the inner ear that causes distortion or faintness of sound, an altered ability to understand speech, and cause complete hearing loss. Sounds are muffled, and difficult to understand, and high-pitched sounds are often lost.

Question 17

What is sensorineural hearing loss caused by?

Answer 17

• inner ear impairment
• Vestibulocochlear nerve (8th) damage
• congenital and hereditary factors
• noise exposure
• aging
• menieres
• trauma
• ototoxic drugs (ASA, abx., loop diuretics, NSAIDs, antimalarial agents, chemotherapy)

Question 18

What is mixed hearing loss?

Answer 18

a combination of both conductive and sensorineural causes for hearing loss

Question 19

What is central hearing loss?

Answer 19

arises from a problem in the CNS that makes an individual unable to interpret sound

Question 20

What is functional hearing loss?

Answer 20

Hearing loss that can be psychologically or emotionally related

Question 21

How do gene mutations (non-syndromic) cause hearing loss?

Answer 21

altered cochlear function, increased risk of ototoxicity, and structural malformations

Question 22

What is syndromic hearing loss?

Answer 22

There are over 400 syndromes that include hearing loss among the abnormalities

Question 23

When caring for a person with hearing loss, what care and treatment would you provide?

Answer 23

• remember that they are an “unseen handicap”
• use visual aids
• sign language
• be patient with communication and interactions
• hearing aids
• assistive devices and technique

Question 24

What is a cochlear implant?

Answer 24

an external microphone that serves as a speech processor and transmitter that uses electrodes. It covers an extensive range of frequencies in order to provide sound, improve lip reading, improve the sense of security, and decreased isolation.

Question 25

What is presbycusis?

Answer 25

age-related hearing loss that causes a loss of peripheral auditory sensitivity, a decline in word recognition, communication issues, and diminished understanding.