From Canvas (Ears Disease Vocabulary) - Unit 13: Eyes and Ears

Otitis Externa (Swimmer's Ear)

An inflammation of the outer or external ear canal resulting from the growth of bacteria or fungi; main symptoms include a red, swollen ear canal and significant pain, especially when the ear is tugged on.

Acute Otitis Media (A.O.M.)

A middle ear infection predominately affecting infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, usually caused by an upper respiratory infection (URI) spreading to the middle ear where fluid accumulates behind the tympanic membrane; common signs in young children include irritability, difficulty sleeping, ear tugging, fever, fluid drainage, loss of balance, and unresponsiveness to quiet sounds.

Labyrinthitis

An infection or inflammation of the labyrinth or inner ear (specifically the three fluid-filled semicircular canals that control balance), usually caused by a virus and presenting with primary symptoms of vertigo (dizziness) and altered balance.

Mastoiditis

An inflammation of the mastoid process bone, usually occurring as an acute expansion or extension of a middle ear infection (otitis media).

Mastoidalgia

A medical term meaning pain in the mastoid process.

Acoustic Neuroma

A benign tumor arising from the vestibulocochlear nerve that causes pain, dizziness, or hearing loss.

Cholesteatoma

A slow-growing cystic mass in the middle ear consisting of epithelial cell debris and cholesterol, which occurs either as a congenital defect or as a result of chronic otitis media.

Impacted Cerumen

An excessive, obstructive accumulation of cerumen (earwax) secreted by the modified sweat glands of the external ear canal.

Otosclerosis

A condition in which the footplate of the stapes bone becomes immobile and secured to the oval window, preventing normal vibration transmission and resulting in hearing loss.

Perforation of Tympanic Membrane

A rupture or tearing of the tympanic membrane (eardrum).

Ménière's Disease

A chronic inner ear disease characterized by an over-accumulation of fluid (endolymph) in the labyrinth, producing recurring episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, a feeling of fullness or pressure in the affected ear, and tinnitus.

Conductive Deafness

Hearing loss caused by a breakdown or obstruction in the mechanical transmission of sound waves through the external and/or middle ear structures.

Sensorineural Deafness

Hearing loss caused by the inability to deliver nerve stimuli from the inner ear to the brain due to damage in the cochlea or the auditory nerve.

Tinnitus

A sensory sensation of ringing, buzzing, or noise in the ears.

Vertigo

A visual and physical sensation of motion or spinning when the body is actually stationary.

Cerumen

The medical term for earwax.

Pediatric Ear Infection Considerations

Children aged 2 and younger who attend day care centers are 36 times more likely to contract ear infections, pneumonia, and meningitis than stay-at-home children, with most middle ear infections developing when an upper respiratory infection (URI) spreads upward through the shorter, straighter Eustachian tube.