Exam 2 Review: Ears, Nose, Throat, Eyes, Head and Neck

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the ears, nose, throat, eyes, and head/neck review notes.

Otoscope

Instrument used to look inside the ear; always use a clean, new tip.

Cerumen

Earwax; color can vary and may reflect cultural differences.

Tympanic membrane

Eardrum; normal appearance is pearly gray.

Rinne test

Hearing test comparing air conduction (AC) to bone conduction (BC) to assess hearing.

Weber test

Hearing test placed at the top of the head to determine lateralization and type of hearing loss.

Romberg test

Balance and equilibrium assessment; used for vertigo evaluation.

Lymph nodes

Can become inflamed in autoimmune diseases (e.g., HIV, Graves’ disease).

Occipital lymph node

Lymph node at the base of the skull.

Conductive hearing loss

Hearing loss due to middle ear problems affecting sound conduction.

Sensorineural hearing loss

Hearing loss due to inner ear or nerve issues.

Presbycusis

Age-related hearing loss, common after age 70, higher risk with loud-work history.

Menière’s disease

Inner ear disorder causing vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, and tinnitus.

Gag reflex

Swallowing reflex; assessment involves uvula and tongue movement.

Uvula

Small soft tissue hanging at the back of the throat; used to assess gag reflex.

Xerostomia

Dry mouth, may occur with radiation therapy.

Halitosis

Bad breath.

Anosmia

Loss or decreased ability to smell.

Pharyngitis

Sore throat.

Gingivitis

Inflammation of the gums; often painful.

Candidiasis (Thrush)

Fungal infection of the mouth (white coating on tongue).

Leukoplakia

White patches in the mouth often linked to smoking/drinking.

Epistaxis

Nosebleed; Kiesselbach’s plexus is a common source.

Deviated septum

Nasal septum displaced to one side, may cause breathing difficulty.

B12 deficiency

Symptoms include fatigue and a beefy red, glossy tongue.

Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)

Cranial nerve that controls tongue movement.

Jaundice

Yellowing of the skin and eyes; scleral icterus indicates liver/biliary issues.

Conjunctivitis

Pink eye; inflammation of the conjunctiva.

Dehydration signs

Weakness, dry skin, dry mucous membranes.

Parotid glands

Largest salivary glands; Stensen’s duct drains near the upper molars.

Wharton’s duct

Submandibular duct that opens under the tongue.

Sublingual glands

Smallest major salivary glands with multiple ducts under the tongue.

Paget’s disease (breast)

Nipple/areola skin cancer with scaly skin, itching, redness, discharge.

Mastitis

Breast tissue infection causing redness, swelling, and pain.

Peau d’orange

Breast edema with blocked lymph drainage; skin resembles an orange.

Breast cancer risk factors

Older age, higher body weight, maternal history, etc.

Mammogram

Radiologic breast screening; often recommended annually after certain ages.

Self-breast examination

Monthly breast self-check, typically around days 4–7 of the menstrual cycle.

Tail of Spence

Area of the breast where tumors commonly develop.

Gynecomastia

Enlargement of male breasts due to hormonal imbalance.

Mastalgia

Breast pain.

Trigeminal nerve (CN V) divisions

V1: ophthalmic (forehead, upper eyelid, cornea); V2: maxillary (cheek, upper lip); V3: mandibular (jaw, lower teeth; chewing).

Vagus nerve (CN X)

Regulates involuntary functions such as heart rate, digestion, and respiration.

Oculomotor nerve (CN III)

Controls most eye movements, pupil constriction, and lens accommodation.

Bell’s palsy

Unilateral facial nerve (CN VII) palsy that can affect cranial nerves.

Buffalo hump

Fat pad on the upper back/neck associated with Cushing’s syndrome.

Trapezius

Large neck/shoulder muscle; involved in moving the scapula.

Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)

Muscle enabling head rotation and flexion.

Tracheal deviation

Displacement of the trachea, may indicate serious trauma or disease.

Cranial nerves XI (Spinal accessory)

Controls neck and shoulder movements; phonation and head movement.

Atrophy

Decrease in muscle or nerve function.

Retinal detachment reflex

Absence of a reflex may indicate retinal detachment.

Macular degeneration

Age-related loss of central vision; peripheral vision may remain.

Nystagmus

Involuntary rapid eye movements.

Strabismus

Misalignment of the eyes.

Amblyopia

Lazy eye; reduced vision not correctable by glasses alone.

Snellen chart

Eye chart used to measure distance visual acuity.

Ishihara chart

Color vision test for color blindness.

Cataracts

Clouding of the lens reducing vision.

Arcus senilis

Greyish arc at the edge of the cornea; can be mistaken for cataracts.

Lacrimal duct blockage

Obstruction of tear drainage causing tearing or discharge.

Visual changes (bifocal)

Difficulty seeing at near and far distances; bifocals may be used.

Photophobia

Sensitivity to light.

Myopia

Nearsightedness; difficulty seeing distant objects clearly.

Hyperopia

Farsightedness; difficulty seeing close objects.

Astigmatism

Irregular corneal/lens shape causing blurred vision at all distances.

Pupils: Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodation

PERRLA; normal pupil function in response to light and focus.

Corneal reflex

Involuntary blinking in response to corneal stimulation.

Fields of gaze

Six cardinal positions to assess extraocular muscle function.

20/20 vision

Normal distance vision acuity.

20/100 vision

Significantly reduced distance vision; worse than normal.

Peripheral vision

Ability to see objects outside the direct line of sight.

Pupil terms (E, R, L, A)

Pupils are Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodation.

Normocephalic

Normal head shape and size.

Hyper/hypo(thyroid) goiter

Enlargement of the thyroid gland; goiter may be palpated in the neck.

HCG testing

Human chorionic gonadotropin testing; used in pregnancy evaluation.

Vision/hearing screening frequency

Hearing tests roughly every 2 years; eye exams vary by risk factors.

Ocular precautions

Protective wear (helmet, sunglasses) for head/eye safety.

Arcus

Arcus senilis; a gray-white circle around the corneal margin, may be age-related.

Vestibular/ balance terms

Vertigo: spinning sensation; assessed with Romberg and related tests.

Meningitis warning signs

Neck stiffness and high fever; urgent assessment and antibiotics.