The Ear

Question 1

what makes up the inner ear

Answer 1

cochlea and vestibular apparatus

Question 2

what is Meniere’s disease

Answer 2

where theres too much fluid in the cochlea and vestibules giving the felling of spinning, that the ear is full and some hearing loss

Question 3

what is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Answer 3

where there are short burst of vertigo due to crystals in the vestibular apparatus causing the fluid to move

Question 4

what is sensorineural hearing loss

Answer 4

where there are problems in the inner ear, vestibulocochlea nerve of brain causing hearing loss

Question 5

describe how vibrations are transmitted in the inner ear

Answer 5

the stapes transmits vibrations to the oval window causing fluid in the duct to move. this is sensed by the stereo cilia which then generate action potentials through CN VIII

Question 6

what makes up the external ear

Answer 6

the pinna, external auditory meatus and lateral surface of the tympani membrane

Question 7

what is the function of the eternal ear

Answer 7

collect the vibration and transmit and focus them down the meatus to the tympani membrane

Question 8

describe the structure of the external auditory meatus

Answer 8

the outer 1/3 is cartilaginous and contains glands to produce wax and hair cells
the inner 2/3 is bony, through the temporal bone

Question 9

what is ramsey-hunt syndrome

Answer 9

where there is reactivation of the chicken pox virus from the ganglia of the facial nerve causing vesicles in the external ear

Question 10

what is pinna haematoma

Answer 10

where there is accumulation of blood between the cartilage and perichondrium of the pinna

Question 11

what is the effect of pinna haematoma

Answer 11

the blood supply to the cartilage is from the perichondrium so can get avascular necrosis - this leads to fibrosis of the cartilage giving ‘cauliflower ears’

Question 12

what do you treat a pinna haematoma

Answer 12

drain the blood and reposition the 2 layers

Question 13

what is otitis externa

Answer 13

inflammation of the external auditory meatus

Question 14

what makes up the inner ear

Answer 14

the 3 ossicles and the air filled space

Question 15

what are the 3 ossicles called

Answer 15

malleus, incus and stapes

Question 16

what do the ossicles do

Answer 16

transmit vibrations from the tympani membrane to the oval window of the cochlea (from an air to fluid medium)

Question 17

what muscles are involved if the noises are too loud

Answer 17

contractions of tensor tympani and stapedius mean the the excessive vibrations don’t damage the ear

Question 18

why can you become hypersensitive to loud noises with facial nerve problems

Answer 18

the facial nerve supplies tensor tympani and stapedius which dampen the effects of loud noises

Question 19

what does the Eustachian tube do

Answer 19

allows for drainage of mucus

equilibrates the pressure of the middle ear with the atmosphere

Question 20

what would happen is the Eustachian tube was blocked

Answer 20

the mucosa in the middle ear cavity would absorb the air creating a negative pressure - retracting the tympani membrane
there would also be no drainage of mucus produced

Question 21

what is otosclerosis

Answer 21

fusion of the ossicles so vibrations won’t be transmitted causing deafness

Question 22

what is Otitis media with effusion

Answer 22

where there is a blockage of the Eustachian tube causing a build up of negative pressure and fluid

Question 23

how will the tympani membrane look in Otitis media with effusion

Answer 23

it will be retracted

Question 24

what is acute otitis media

Answer 24

middle ear infection causing the build up of exudate in the middle ear cavity

Question 25

what will the tympani membrane look like in acute otitis media

Answer 25

it will be bulging and could potentially be ruptured

Question 26

what is mastoiditis

Answer 26

where a middle ear infection spreads to the air filled mastoid cells

Question 27

what does mastoiditis look like

Answer 27

red, bulging mastoid process, pushing the ear forward

Question 28

where could the infection spread in mastoiditis

Answer 28

venous structures and the brain

Question 29

what is cholesteatoma

Answer 29

abnormal growth of skin in the middle ear

Question 30

what is the symptom of cholesteatoma

Answer 30

foul smelling ear discharge

Question 31

describe Rinne’s test

Answer 31

tap the tuning fork and place on mastoid process

repeat but then place over the ear

Question 32

describe Weber’s test

Answer 32

tap the tuning fork and place on top of the head

Question 33

with normal hearing what results would you expect in Rinne’s test

Answer 33

hearing the fork better when placed over the ear - as conduction through air is better then through bone

Question 34

with normal hearing what results would you expect in Weber’s test

Answer 34

both ear would hear the noise equally

Question 35

in sensorineural hearing loss what would you expect in Rinne’s test

Answer 35

the noise to be best heard over the ear

Question 36

in sensorineural hearing loss what would you expect in Webers test

Answer 36

in the unaffected ear

Question 37

in conductive hearing loss what would you expect in Rinne’s test

Answer 37

best heard when placed over the bone

Question 38

in conductive hearing loss what would you expect in Weber’s test

Answer 38

best heard in the affected ear

Question 39

what is conductive hearing loss

Answer 39

hearing loss which is cause by problems in the outer and middle ear