ch 59 Assessment and Management of Patients With Hearing and Balance Disorders

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards summarizing key anatomy, physiology, assessments, disorders, and treatments related to hearing and balance as presented in Chapter 59.

Auricle (Pinna)

Visible part of the external ear that collects sound waves and directs them into the ear canal.

External Auditory Canal

Passageway that carries sound from the auricle to the tympanic membrane.

Tragus

Small cartilaginous projection in front of the ear canal opening; aids in sound direction.

Lobule

Soft, fleshy lower portion of the auricle; contains no cartilage.

Helix

Outer rim of the auricle, formed by cartilage.

Antihelix

Inner curved ridge of the auricle, parallel to the helix.

Concha

Deep depression of the auricle that leads directly into the ear canal opening.

Tympanic Membrane (Eardrum)

Thin, semitransparent membrane that vibrates when struck by sound waves.

Ossicles

Three tiny bones of the middle ear—malleus, incus, stapes—that transmit vibrations to the inner ear.

Malleus

First ossicle attached to the tympanic membrane; transmits sound to the incus.

Incus

Middle ossicle that passes vibrations from the malleus to the stapes.

Stapes

Smallest ossicle; its footplate fits into the oval window of the cochlea.

Eustachian Tube

Canal connecting the middle ear to the nasopharynx; equalizes middle-ear pressure.

Cochlea

Snail-shaped inner-ear structure that converts mechanical vibrations into nerve impulses.

Semicircular Canals

Three fluid-filled loops that detect rotational movement and aid balance.

Oval Window

Membrane at the entrance to the cochlea where the stapes footplate transmits vibrations.

Round Window

Flexible membrane at the base of the cochlea that allows fluid movement within the inner ear.

Membranous Labyrinth

Soft tissue ducts and sacs within the bony labyrinth containing endolymph.

Auditory (Vestibulocochlear) Nerve (Cranial Nerve VIII)

Carries hearing and balance information from the inner ear to the brain.

Presbycusis

Age-related sensorineural hearing loss, especially for high-frequency sounds.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Impaired sound transmission through the external or middle ear.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Hearing deficit due to damage in the cochlea or auditory nerve.

Mixed Hearing Loss

Combination of conductive and sensorineural deficits in the same ear.

Functional (Psychogenic) Hearing Loss

Apparent hearing loss with no organic cause, related to emotional factors.

Whisper Test

Simple bedside screening in which the examiner whispers words to assess gross hearing.

Weber Test

Tuning-fork test placed on the skull midline to assess lateralization of sound.

Rinne Test

Tuning-fork test comparing air conduction to bone conduction at the mastoid and ear canal.

Audiometry

Precise measurement of hearing acuity across frequencies and intensities.

Tympanogram

Graphical representation of tympanic membrane compliance versus air pressure.

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)

Electrophysiologic test measuring neural responses from the ear to the brainstem.

Electronystagmography (ENG)

Diagnostic study recording eye movements to evaluate vestibular function.

Platform Posturography

Test evaluating balance by measuring body sway on a moving platform.

Sinusoidal Harmonic Acceleration

Rotational chair test assessing vestibular ocular reflex function.

Cerumen Impaction

Obstruction of the ear canal by accumulated earwax, often causing conductive loss.

External Otitis (Swimmer's Ear)

Inflammation or infection of the external auditory canal, typically bacterial or fungal.

Malignant External Otitis

Severe, progressive infection of the external ear canal extending to the skull base.

Tympanic Membrane Perforation

Rupture or hole in the eardrum, often due to infection, trauma, or pressure changes.

Acute Otitis Media

Sudden infection of the middle ear space, common in children, causing pain and fever.

Serous Otitis Media

Non-infectious fluid accumulation in the middle ear, leading to hearing muffling.

Chronic Otitis Media

Persistent or recurrent middle-ear infection causing tympanic damage and hearing loss.

Cholesteatoma

Benign but destructive skin cyst in the middle ear that erodes bone structures.

Mastoiditis

Infection of the mastoid air cells behind the ear, often a complication of otitis media.

Otosclerosis

Abnormal bone growth around the stapes footplate, causing progressive conductive loss.

Tinnitus

Perception of ringing, buzzing, or other noise without external stimulus.

Vertigo

Sensation of spinning or motion, often due to vestibular dysfunction.

Nystagmus

Involuntary rhythmic eye movements, commonly associated with inner-ear disorders.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

Brief episodes of vertigo triggered by specific head movements due to otolith displacement.

Labyrinthitis

Inflammation of the inner-ear labyrinth causing vertigo and hearing loss.

Ototoxicity

Hearing or balance damage caused by medications or chemicals toxic to the inner ear.

Acoustic Neuroma

Benign tumor of the vestibulocochlear nerve leading to progressive sensorineural loss.

Ménière’s Disease

Inner-ear disorder with episodic vertigo, tinnitus, and fluctuating sensorineural loss due to endolymphatic fluid imbalance.

Cerumen Irrigation

Gentle flushing of the ear canal with warm solution to remove impacted wax.

Myringotomy

Surgical incision of the eardrum to drain fluid or relieve pressure.

Ventilatory (PE) Tubes

Small tubes placed in the tympanic membrane to provide continuous middle-ear aeration.

Tympanoplasty

Reconstruction of the tympanic membrane to restore integrity and hearing.

Ossiculoplasty

Surgical repair or replacement of damaged middle-ear bones with prostheses.

Mastoidectomy

Removal of diseased mastoid bone and air cells to eradicate chronic infection.

Stapedectomy

Surgical removal and replacement of the stapes to treat otosclerosis.

Cochlear Implant

Electronic auditory prosthesis that stimulates the cochlear nerve in profound sensorineural loss.

Labyrinthectomy

Surgical removal of the labyrinth to control debilitating vertigo, resulting in total hearing loss in that ear.

Endolymphatic Sac Decompression

Surgery creating a shunt to relieve pressure in Ménière’s disease.

Weber Lateralization

Finding in which sound localizes to one ear, helping differentiate conductive vs sensorineural loss.

Otalgia

Ear pain that may originate from ear disorders or referred sources.

Otorrhea

Discharge from the ear canal, often indicating infection or CSF leak.

Presbycusis Screening

Routine hearing evaluation recommended for older adults due to age-related changes.

Meclizine (Antivert)

Antivertigo antihistamine commonly used to manage dizziness in vestibular disorders.

Electronystagmography Findings

Abnormal eye movements on ENG indicate vestibular system dysfunction.

Platform Posturography Safety

Test helps identify fall risk in patients with balance disorders.

Communication Strategies for Hearing Impaired

Low-tone voice, face-to-face, minimize background noise, use gestures, write messages.

Caloric Testing

Irrigation of the ear canal with warm or cold water to evaluate vestibular response.

Action Potentials in Hearing

Electrical impulses generated by cochlear hair cells and transmitted via CN VIII.