Disorders of the ear

presbycusis

issue with high pitched sounds or hearing with background noise due to aging

conductive hearing loss

inability of sound to travel to inner ear causing muffled sounds and difficulty hearing soft sounds

causes of conductive hearing loss

earwax, trauma, otitis media, otosclerosis

sensorineural hearing loss

damage to inner ear or auditory nerve causing difficulty hearing soft sounds, loud sounds muffled

causes of sensorineural hearing loss

illness, head trauma, loud noises over periods of time, explosions, drugs toxic to ear

meniere's disease

progressive, accumulation of endolymph in membranous labyrinth

endolymph

watery fluid that fills inner ears labyrinth that converts sound into nerve impulses

s/s meniere's disease

sudden attacks of vertigo w n/v, sense of fullness in ear, tinnitus, muffled sounds, feel pulled to ground, progressive hearing loss, balance issue

tx meniere's disease

diuretics, corticosteroids, low salt, stress reduction

goal of tx of meniere's disease

decrease fluid in inner ear

vertigo

sensation of room spinning that lasts minutes to >1hr