wk 12, lec 3 Flashcards
15% of people 20-69 have some degree of
high frequency hearing loss due to noise
Outer and inner hair cells are damaged by noise, but the outer are more vulnerable
presbycusis
Presbycusis (age-induced) hearing loss is likely due to a combination of neuronal loss and hair cell loss
what substances are ototoxic (toxic to hearing) and what do they damage
Antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, diuretics are often implicated
- Many of these substances damage either the outer hair cells or the stria vascularis
conductive hearing loss vs sensorineural hearing loss
Conductive hearing loss is typically caused by physical blockages or abnormalities in the outer or middle ear, and is often treatable with medical or surgical interventions.
Sensorineural hearing loss is usually permanent, caused by damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve, and may require assistive devices like hearing aids or cochlear implants for management.
conductive hearing loss vs sensorineural hearing loss which frequencies are effected
conductive= all frequencies
sensorineural= higher frequencies
conductive hearing loss
impaired sound transmission in the external or middle ear, impacts all frequencies
conductive hearing loss causes
Trauma to the tympanic membrane, infection, plugging of the external auditory meatus/canal, otosclerosis, cholesteatoma
sensorineural hearing loss causes
▪ Presbycusis (age-induced), ototoxic agents, noise (most common)
▪ Problems with endolymph (Meniere’s), infections of the labyrinth or 8th CN, tumours (acoustic neuroma, brainstem tumours)
weber and rinne tests in sensorineural hearing loss
Rinne: AC > BC,
Weber: lateralizes to unaffected ear
weber and rinne tests in conductive hearing loss
Rinne: BC > AC,
Weber: lateralizes to affected ear
what frequency can humans hear? what is speech range?
- Human ear can hear from 20 – 20000 Hz
▪ We’re best at hearing 1000 – 4000, human speech ranges
from 500 – 2000 Hz
what does audiometry assess
- Audiometry assesses hearing at particular tones and is much better at characterizing hearing loss than tuning fork tests
what is the main cause of otitis externa
90% of otitis externa is bacterial
▪ Usually staphylococcal, pseudomonas
aeruginosa, or E. coli
risk factors for otitis externa
Humidity, loss of cerumen (trauma, excessive Q-tip use), heat, increased pH (the ear should be acidic for barrier immunity), obstruction of the ear canal, exposure, water with bugs
clinical features of otitis externa
otalgia
ottorhhea
itchy
▪ Edema → occlusion of the ear canal →
conductive hearing loss
▪ Severe infection can lead to cellulitis (deeper layers, skin involvement)
hearing loss in otitis externa
conductive
treatment for otitis externa
topical antibiotics
▪ Make sure not to use ototoxic antibiotics with a perforated TM
4 types of otitis externa
- furunculosis
- chronic otitis externa
- malignant/necrotizing otitis externa
- otomycosis
what is the worst form of otitis externa (medical emergency )
malignant/necrotizing otitis externa
furunculosis (type of otitis externa)? cause?
otitis externa of the outer 1/3 of the ear canal, usually staphylococcal
chronic otitis externa cause
less painful, more itchy
▪ Usually caused by repetitive trauma, chronic drainage from a
middle ear infection
malignant/necrotizing otitis externa
▪ Progressive, slowly developing infection, severe otalgia, lots of otorrhea, granulation/necrotic tissue in the auditory canal
* Can be life-threatening if the infection colonizes temporal bone, intracranial structures
* Cranial nerve palsies and systemic infection also possible
who is malignant/ necrotizing Otitis externa more common in
More common in the elderly, diabetics, immunocompromised
– usually P. aeruginosa
otomycosis (type of otitis externa)? cause?
fungal infection of the external auditory canal, up to 10% of otitis externa
▪ Usual agent is Aspergillus (80%), next most common is Candida species
▪ More likely in:
* Diabetes, elderly, past history of HEENT surger in the
mastoid
▪ Often seen in those with poor response to antibacterial antibiotics
acute otitis media symptoms
rapid onset of signs and symptoms, including fever and otalgia
recurrent acute otitis media
3 or more episodes within a 6-month period or four or more episodes within a 12-month period - complete resolution of symptoms between episodes
cause of acute Otitis media
Usually due to auditory tube dysfunction
- Up to age 7, eustachian tube is shorter, wider, and more horizontal than in adults – predisposes to upper airway/oral bacteria colonization
- Blockage of the tube – swelling of adenoid lymphatic tissue, swelling due to URTI or allergic rhinitis, inadequate tensor palatini function
- Lack of breastfeeding (breast milk has antimicrobial sustances in it)
pathogenesis of acute otitis media
▪ Obstruction of the auditory tube → air absorbed in middle ear→negative pressure→edema of mucosa with exudate and fluid accumulation→infection from nasopharyngeal secretions
bacteria and viruses causing acute otitis media
Major bacteria implicated: H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, M. catarrhalis
▪ Major viruses implicated: RSV, influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus
clinical features of acute otitis media - what is the triad
▪ Triad of otalgia, fever, and conductive hearing loss
* Rare to have tinnitus, vertigo, or facial nerve paralysis
▪ Otorrhea can occur if the TM is perforated
▪ Bulging, red TM (middle ear inflammation)
▪ Often the TM is opaque, bony landmarks are lost
▪ effusion can often be seen behind it, and mobility is limited (pneumatoscopy)
type of hearing loss in acute otitis media
conductive
otitis media with effusion (serous otitis media) cause
▪ Often due to untreated or unresolved AOM
- Persistent effusion in up to 40% of children 30 days after initial AOM, continued for 3 months in 10%
- Main concern in pediatric population is impact on hearing at early ages (prior to a year)
▪ Delay in language development
otitis media with effusion type of hearing loss
conductice
otitis media with effusion clinical feautres
▪ Conductive hearing loss with or without tinnitus
▪ Feeling of fullness in the ear, low-grade fever
▪ May or may not involve otalgia
otitis media with effusion on otoscope
▪ TM is translucent/gray (limited inflammation)
* Fluid behind the ear, can often see air-fluid levels or bubbles
▪ Loss of light reflex, reduced mobility on pneumatoscopy