Sensory 1- Clinical

What is phantom limb pain?

It is when you feel pain in your missing body part (limb loss). Phantom pain ranges from mild to severe and can last for a range of time, seconds all the way to days.  

What is the mechanism behind phantom limb pain?

The nervous system misinterprets signals along both pathways (peripheral and central pathway after the limb is removed  

What are the symptoms of phantom limb pain?

Causes painful sensations in an area of your body where you no longer have a limb. It might feel like: 

• Aching. 

• Burning. 

• Itching. 

• Numbness. 

• Pinching. 

• Tingling. 

• Stabbing. 

• Temperature change. 

• Throbbing. 

• Twisting. 

You might feel like your missing limb is: 

• Still attached. 

• In an unusual position. 

• Moving around. 

• Shrinking. 

What are the risk factors for phantom limb pain?

might trigger (start) or get worse if you have: Fatigue, stress, anxiety, depression, an infection, body flow issues, pressure or swelling on the stump 

What are the treatments for phantom limb pain?

Mirror therapy, Spinal cord stimulation, Stump revision surgery. 

Medications like antidepressants, pain relievers, and lidocaine can also treat phantom pain 

How does phantom limb pain relate to the lab?

After an amputation, the nerve still exists in the body, and the nerves can still fire even though there isn’t a limb. Our brain can misinterpret the signals it receives, which leads to pain. This relates to referred pain, where there is organ pain at another sight than where the organ is. 

What is perforated eardrum?

Also called tympanic membrane perforation, is a hole or tear in the tympanic membrane between the auditory canal and the middle ear. 

What is the mechanism behind perforated eardrum?

a tear in the tympanic membrane caused by pressure, infection, or trauma. 

What are the symptoms of perforated eardrum

Ear pain that may go away fast 

Mucus coming out of the ear

Hearing loss

Feeling of spinning 

Ringing in the ear

Vomiting 

What are the risk factors for perforated eardrum?

Persistent ear infections, lack of ear hygiene, buildup of pressure in the ear, frequent changes in ear pressure through frequent flying, exposure to loud sounds, and objects being placed into ear. 

What are the treatments for perforated eardrum?

The treatments for a perforated eardrum are an eardrum patch (seals the hole with a patch of paper, etc.), Surgery → tympanoplasty: makes a match of own tissue to close the hole in the eardrum

How does perforated eardrum relate to the lab?

causes a conductive hearing loss on an auditory test because the hole prevents sound waves from vibrating the membrane like it normally would.

What is Meniere’s Disease?

A condition of the inner ear, that causes vertigo(dizzy spells). It can also lead to permanent hearing loss and balance issues. It causes tinnitus which is ringing, buzzing, or roaring in the ear. It can cause pressure in the ear as well. usually only affects one ear.

What is the mechanism behind Meniere’s Disease?

caused by endolymph fluid in your inner ear building up within your endolymph sac and nearby membranes. This excess endolymph disrupts your body’s vestibular system, balance, and hearing.

What are the symptoms of Meniere’s Disease?

often experience vertigo, hearing loss, and ringing in the ear. Ringing in the ear is referred to as tinnitus. Vertigo typically lasts anywhere from 20 minutes to 12 hours. It is rare that vertigo occurs longer than 24 hours.

What are the risk factors of Meniere’s Disease?

include being between the ages 40-60, having a close family member with the disease, or having an autoimmune condition.

What are the treatments for Meniere’s disease?

cannot be cured but there are treatments to reduce how severe the attacks are. These treatments include lifestyle changes such as consuming less caffeine and alcohol, managing stress levels, and following a low-sodium diet. Medications can also help manage such as anti-nausea medications and water pills to reduce fluid in body. Devices such as hearing aids or cochlear implant can also help.

How does Meniere’s disease relate to the lab?

relates to this sensory lab by affecting specific physiological functions in parts of the inner ear, specifically the endolymph fluid surrounding the scala media. Whether it is the cause or just a symptom, this causes the vertigo and potential hearing loss as a disruption in the endolymph fluid has a cascade effect that prevents/weakens further steps in the auditory pathway which could explain someone who displays sensorineural hearing loss in the Weber and/or Rinne test during this lab (specifically Task 2).

What is Otosclerosis?

a condition where abnormal bone growth occurs in the middle of the ear. This interferes with the sound’s ability to travel. 

What is the mechanism behind Otosclerosis?

Deep inside your ear, there are three tiny bones (ossicles) that vibrate to amplify the sound waves that pass through them. These sound waves travel to the cochlea in your inner ear, where they convert into signals before moving on to your brain. Its most often develops when the stapes bone (a small, triangular bone in your middle ear) fuses with the surrounding bone tissue. As a result, sound can’t travel effectively.

What are the symptoms of Otosclerosis?

• Balance issues 

• Vertigo 

• Ringing in your ears (tinnitus) 

• Dizziness

What are the risk factors of otosclerosis?

• Family history 

• Sex: Females are more prone to developing otosclerosis

• Race: White people group have a higher risk 

• Pregnancy

What are the treatments of otosclerosis?

Common treatments for this condition include hearing aids or cochlear implants, to work around the issues in the middle ear. Or in more severe cases, you can get a surgery, either a stapedotomy or stapedectomy, to alter the stapes and make it more conductive of sound waves.

How does otosclerosis relate to the lab?

Because the middle ear is impacted and sound will poorly conduct through to the inner ear, specifically the cochlea, the correct frequencies and amplitudes may not be detected and, therefore, not heard.