Question | Answer |
outer ear: | external ear;sound waves travel through the air |
middle ear: | tympanic cavity; sound waves travel through the bone |
inner ear: | labyrinth; sound waves travel through fluid |
3 major bones in the tympanic cavity: | Malleus,Incus & Stapes |
in the labyrinth is the: | Cochlea; a snail shaped structure filled with fluid called perilymph |
labyrinth contains the organ: | corti;which has nerve cells that transmit impulses to the auditory nerve which then transmit these impulses to the brain |
Vestibule & Semicircular; | also found in the labyrinth but are used for balance NOT hearing |
Eustachian Tube: | connects the tympanic cavity to the pharynx. it equalizes pressure on the outer&inner surfaces of the eardrum |
Anacusis: | Complete deafness; also called anacusia |
Conduction impairment | blocking of sound waves as they pass through the external and middle ear(conduction pathway) |
labyrinthitis: | inflammation of the inner ear that usually results from an acute febrile process |
Meneire disease: | Disorder of the labyrinth that leads to progressive loss of hearing |
noise induced hearing loss
(NIHL) | condition cause by the destruction of hair cells, the organs responsible for hearing,caused by sounds that are "too long,too loud, or too close" |
otitis externa: | Infection of the external auditory canal |
presbyacusis: | Impairment of hearing resulting from old age;also called presbyacusia |
Pressure equalizing tubes:
PE | tubes are inserted through the tympanic membrane, commonly to treat chronic otitis media; also called tympanostomy tubes or ventilation tubes |
tinnitus: | perception of ringing,hissing or other sounds in the ears or head when no external sound is present. |
vertigo: | Hallucination of movement, or a feeling of dizziness or spinning |
audiometry: | measurement of hearing activity at various sound wave frequencies |
caloric stimulation test: | Test that uses different water temperatures to assess the vestibular portion of the nerve of the inner ear(acoustic nerve)to determine if nerve damage is the cause of vertigo |
electronystagmography:
ENG | Method of assessing and recording eye movements by measuring the electrical activity of the extraocular muscles |
otoscopy: | Visual examination of the external auditory canal and the tympanic membrane using an otoscope |
otoplasty: | Corrective surgery for a deformed or excessively large or small pinna |
Rinne: | Tuning fork test that evaluates bone conduction (BC) versus air conduction (AC) of sound |
Weber: | Tuning fork test that evaluates bone conduction of sound in both ears at the same time. |
Tympanoplasty: | Reconstruction of the eardrum, commonly due to perforation; also called myringoplasty |
Medication; Antiemetics: | treats & prevents nausea,vomiting,dizziness & vertigo by reducing the sensitivity of the inner ear motion or inhibiting stimuli from reaching the part of the brain that triggers nausea & vomiting |
Medication; Otic analgesics: | Provide temporary from pain & inflammation associated with otic disorders |
Medication; Wax emulsifiers: | Loosen & help remove impacted cerumen |
AC | air conduction |
AS | left ear |
AD | right ear |
AU | both ears |
BC | bone conduction |
ENT | ears,nose,throat |
NIHL | noise-induced hearing loss |
OM | otitis media |
PE | Pressure Equalizing tube |
URI | upper respiratory infection |