Otalgia Flashcards
What can cause pinna and ear canal pain?
Folliculitis Cellulitis Perichondritis Sebaceous cyst Candidiasis Herpes zoster Herpes simplex
What can cause tympanic membrane pain?
Myringitis - ramsay hunt syndrome
Myringitis bullosa
Inflammation secondary to otitis media
What can cause middle ear pain?
Cholesteatoma
Otitis media - viral or bacterial
Middle ear effusion - sterile or infective
What cancer can affect the external ear?
Squamous cell carcinoma of the ear canal
What blunt trauma can affect the outer ear?
“Cleaning”
Foreign body - physical or cerumen
Planned truma - post surgical, ear syringing
Barotrauma - air travel, scuba diving
What cranial nerves can refer pain to the ear?
Trigeminal
Facial
Glossopharyngeal
Vagus
What can V3 refer pain to the ear from?
Anterior 2/3rd of tongue Inferior oral cavity Palate Lower teeth Mandible including TMJ Salivary glands
What will the auriculotemporal branch of the trigeminal nerve refer pain from?
Dental abscess Dental caries Impacted molar teeth TMJ lesions Infection/ inflammation of the tongue Stress- teeth grinding Salivary gland disease: infection (mumps or bacterial), stones, neoplasm
What will the sensory branch of the facial nerve refer pain from to the ear?
Geniculate herpes/ ramsay hunt syndrome
Sphenoid or ethmoidal sinus pathology - infection or neoplasm
Nasal pathology
Where does the facial nerve synapse?
Geniculate ganglion then passes through the IAM
What pathologies will cause otalgia via the glossopharyngeal nerve?
Tympanic branch of glossopharyngeal nerve:
Tonsillitis or quinsy
Post-tonsillectomy
Carcinoma at the base of the tongue or tonsil
Neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve
Where will CN IX synapse?
Passes through jugular foramen to synapse at the superior glossopharyngeal ganglion
What pathologies can cause otalgia via the vagus nerve?
Auricular branch of the vagus: Foreign body in piriform fossa Carcinoma of piriform fossa Carcinoma of larynx Post-cricoid carcinoma Sepsis
What pathologies will the great auricular nerve (C2/3) refer via otalgia?
Cervical neuritis
Herpes zoster
What pathologies can cause otalgia via the lesser occipital nerve (C2/3)?
Cervical spondylosis
Cervical neuritis
Herpes zoster
