Chapter 6 - the ear

How many regions is the ear divided into? how many?

external ear, middle ear, internal ear (3)

auricle

directs sound waves

External acoustic meatus

passageway inward toward tympanic membrane

External ear includes 

auricle (pinna) and external acoustic meatus

Middle ear includes

tympanic membrane (eardrum)

acous/o, audi/o 

hearing

aer/o

air or gas

aur/i, ot/o

ear

cerumin/o

wax

myring/o, tympan/o

eardrum

salping/o

tube

acusis

hearing condition

presbyacusis

means hearing loss because of old age

audiometry

the medical process of measuring a persons hearing, combining form

aerobe

is a microbe that lives in the presence of air

anaerobe

a microbe that lives without air

otology

the medical study of the ear

otologist

the physician who specializers in the study

auricle

is the outer, visible part of the ear

osis

condition or increase

ceruminosis

condition of excessive ear wax

salpingitis

inflammation of the auditory tube

tympan/o

the combining form for the eardrum

tympanotomy

incision into the eardrum to relieve pressure or drain fluid.

myringectomy

excision of the eardrum

external ear

outer structures of the ear that collect sound

auricle, pinna

projected part of the external ear; also called pinna

external acoustic meatus, external auditory meatus

external passage for sounds collected from the auricle to the tympanic membrane; also called external auditory meatus

cerumen

a waxy substance secreted by glands located through out the external canal

middle ear

structures in the middle of the ear that vibrate sound from the tympanic membrane to the internal ear

tympanic membrane, tympanum

eardrum; drum-like structure that receives sound collected in the external acoustic meatus and amplifies it through the middle ear; also called the tympanum

malleus

first of the three auditory ossicles of the middle ear; also called the hammer

incus

middle of the three auditory ossicles of the middle ear; also called the anvil

stapes

last of the three auditory ossicles of the middle ear; also called the stirrup

eustachian tube, auditory tube

tube connecting the middle ear to the pharynx (throat); also called the auditory tube

oval window

membrane that covers the opening between the middle ear and internal ear

internal ear, labyrinth

intricate, fluid-filled, intercommunicating bony and membranous passage that function in hearing by relaying sound waves to auditory nerve fibers on a path to the brain for interpretation; also sense body movement and position to maintain balance and equilibrium

cochlea

coiled tubular structure of the internal ear that contains the spiral organ (organ of Corti) (cochlea = snail); cochlear duct is the membranous tube within the cochlea

perilymph

fluid that fills the bony labyrinth of the internal ear

endolymph

fluid within the membranous labyrinth of the internal ear

spiral organ, organ of Corti

structure located in the cochlea; contains receptors (hair cells) that receive vibrations and generate nerve impulses for hearing ; also called organ of Corti

vestibule

middle part of the internal ear, in front of the semicircular canals and behind the cochlea, that contains the utricle and the saccule; functions to provide body balance and equilibrium

utricle

the larger of two sacs within the membranous labyrinth of the vestibule in the internal ear (uter = leather bag)

saccule

the smaller of two sacs within the membranous labyrinth of the vestibule in the internal ear (sacculus = small bag)

semicircular canals

three canals within the internal ear that contain specialized receptor cells that generate nerve impulses with body movement

otalgia, otodynia

earache; also called otodynia

otorrhagia

bleeding from the ear

otorrhea

purulent drainage from the ear

tinnitus

a ringing or buzzing in the ear; a jingling

vertigo

a turning round; dizziness

otitis externa 

inflammation of the external acoustic meatus 

cerumen impaction 

excessive buildup of wax in the ear that often reduces hearing acuity, especially in elderly person

myringitis, tympanitis

inflammation of the eardrum; also called tympanitis

otitis media

inflammation of the middle ear

aerotitis media

inflammation of the middle ear from changes in atmospheric pressure; often occurs with frequent air travel

eustachian obstruction

blockage of the auditory (eustachian) tube, usually resulting from infection, as in otitis media

otosclerosis

hardening of the bony tissue in the ear

acoustic neuroma

benign, but life-threatening tumor of the vestibular division of the vestibulocochlear nerve (cranial nerve VIII) that causes vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss; also called vestibular schwannoma

labyrinthitis

inflammation of the internal ear (labyrinth), usually accompanied by vertigo and deafness

Meniere disease

disorder of the internal ear resulting from an excessive buildup of endolymph, causing episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, nausea, vomiting, and hearing loss; one or both ears can be affected, and attacks vary in both frequency and intensity (named after Prosper Meniere, the French physician who first described the condition

deafness

general term for partial or complete loss of hearing

conductive

hearing impairment caused by interference with sound or vibratory energy in the external canal, middle ear, or ossicles

sensorineural

hearing impairment caused by lesions or dysfunction of the cochlea or cochlear (auditory) nerve

mixed hearing loss

combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss

presbyacusis, presbycusis

hearing impairment in old age; also called presbycusis

audiometry 

process of measuring hearing 

audiometer 

instrument to measure hearing 

audiogram 

record of hearing measurement 

audiologist 

health professional who specializes in the study of hearing impairments

auditory acuity testing

physical assessment of hearing; useful in differentiating between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss

tuning fork

a two-pronged, fork-like instrument that vibrates when struck; used to test hearing, especially bone conduction; two types are Webber test and Rinne test

brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP), brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER)

electrodiagnostic testing that uses computerized equipment to measure involuntary responses to sound within the auditory nervous system; commonly used to assess hearing in newborns; also called brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER)

otoscope

instrument for examining the ear

otoscopy

use of an otoscope to examine the external acoustic meatus and tympanic membrane

pneumatic otoscopy

otoscopic observation of the tympanic membrane as air is released into the external acoustic meatus; immobility indicates the presence of middle ear effusion (fluid buildup), which occurs as a result of otitis media

tympanometry

measurement of the compliance and mobility (conductibility) of the tympanic membrane and ossicles of the middle ear by monitoring the response to external airflow pressures

microsurgery

surgery with the use of a microscope used on delicate tissue, such as the ear

myringotomy, tympanotomy

incision into the eardrum, most often for insertion of a small polyethylene (PE) tympanostomy tube to keep the canal open and prevent fluid buildup, such as occurs in otitis media; also called tympanotomy

otoplasty

surgical repair of the external ear

stapedectomy

excision of the stapes to correct otosclerosis

tympanoplasty

surgical procedure to reconstruct the tympanic membrane and/or the auditory ossicles

auditory prosthesis

any internal or external device that improves or substitutes for natural hearing

hearing aid

an external amplifying device designed to improve hearing by more effective collection of sound into the ear

cochlear implant

an electronic device implanted in the cochlea that provides sound perception to patients with severe or profound sensorineural (nerve) hearing loss in both ears

ear lavage

irrigation of the external ear canal, often to remove excessive buildup of cerumen

ear instillation

introduction of a medicated solution into the external canal, usually administered by drop (gt) or drops (gtt) into the affected ears

antibiotic

a drug that inhibits the growth of or destroys microorganisms; used to treat diseases caused by bacteria (e.g., otitis media)

antihistamine

a drug that blocks the effects of histamine

histamine

a regulatory body substance released in allergic reactions, causing swelling and inflammation of tissues; seen in hay fever and urticaria (hives)

anti-inflammatory

a drug that reduces inflammation

decongestant

a drug that reduces congestion and swelling of membranes, such as those of the nose and auditory tube in an infection

BAEP

brainstem auditory evoked potential

BAER

brainstem auditory evoked response

ENT

ear, nose, and throat

PE

polyethylene

TM

tympanic membrane

the plural of pinna

pinnae

external auditory or acoustic

sound wave travel from the pinna through _______ meatus toward the eardrum

tympanum

is the beginning of the middle ear. also called eardrum, this structure amplifies sounds into the middle ear

spiral organ

nerve receptors are located inside the ______. this organ generates nervous impulses for hearing