Health Assessment: Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth, and Neck

Flashcards covering vocabulary, normal findings, and abnormal findings for the health assessment of the head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and neck based on the NUR 300 lecture.

Normocephalic

A normal finding where the head is of normal size and shape, symmetrical, midline, andround.

Macrocephaly

An abnormal finding indicating an abnormally large head.

Microcephaly

An abnormal finding indicating an abnormally small head.

Nasolabial folds

The creases extending from the nose to the corners of the mouth, assessed for facial symmetry.

Palpebral fissures

The elliptical open space between the eyelids, assessed for bilateral equality.

Masklike face

A facial appearance characteristic of Parkinson's disease.

Exopthalmos

An abnormal finding of bulging eyes, often associated with Graves disease.

Moon face

A facial appearance associated with Cushing's syndrome and Hypercortisolemia.

Butterfly rash

A characteristic rash across the cheeks and nose associated with Lupus.

TMJ disorder

A condition of the temporomandibular joint that may cause a clicking, popping, or grating sound upon opening and closing the mouth.

Rhinorrhea

A thin, watery nasal discharge.

Sinusitis

A sinus infection.

Epistaxis

The medical term for nosebleeds.

Nasal patency

The state of the nasal passageway being open and unobstructed.

Xerostomia

Dry mouth resulting from decreased saliva, which can be caused by many medications.

Aphthous stomatitis

The medical term for a canker sore.

Gingivitis

Inflammation of the gums.

Thrush

A fungal (yeast) infection, also known as oral candidiasis, characterized by white, raised, cottage cheese-like lesions on the tongue and cheeks.

Leukoplakia

An abnormal finding in the mouth characterized by thick, white patches.

Dysphagia

Medical term for difficulty swallowing.

Halitosis

Medical term for bad breath.

Pharyngitis

A sore throat, caused by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the throat.

Goiter

An enlargement of the thyroid gland.

Torticollis

A stiff neck caused by muscle spasm, resulting in lateral flexion of the neck.

Tonometry

A device or procedure used to measure intraocular pressure (IOP).

Hyperopia

Farsightedness.

Myopia

Nearsightedness.

Ptosis

Drooping of the upper eyelid.

Blepharitis

Inflammation of the eyelids.

Hordeolum

An abnormal finding also known as a stye.

Scleral jaundice (icterus)

Yellowing of the sclera, often associated with liver or gallbladder issues.

Snellen chart

Equipment used to measure distant visual acuity, where the patient stands $20\,\text{feet}$ away.

Ishihara plate

Equipment used to assess for color blindness by identifying embedded figures or numbers.

Diplopia

The medical term for double vision.

Nystagmus

Involuntary, rapid, rhythmic movement of the eyeball.

Anisocoria

A condition characterized by pupils of unequal size.

Mydriasis

Medical term for dilated and fixed pupils.

Miosis

Medical term for constricted and fixed pupils.

Tinnitus

The perception of sound, such as ringing or buzzing, when no actual external noise is present.

Vertigo

A sensation of dizziness or the feeling that the environment is spinning.

Conductive hearing loss

Hearing loss that occurs when sound is not conducted through the outer ear canal to the eardrum.

Sensorineural hearing loss

Hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain.

Weber Test

A hearing test using a $512\,\text{Hz}$ tuning fork placed on the midline of the head to assess unilateral hearing loss.

Rinne Test

A hearing test using a $512\,\text{Hz}$ tuning fork to compare air conduction and bone conduction.