Head & Face Notes

Athletic brain = cerebellum

Eyes

• Optic nerve

  • Collects light and interprets information

  • Blindspot

• Sclera

  • White of the eye

  • Covered by the conjunctiva

    • Membrane

    • Contains fluid

    • Provides structure of lubrication

  • Provides shape of the eye

• Iris

  • How much light comes in

  • Pupil

    • Dilate and Constrict

    • Hole

• Lens

  • Focus light onto retina

  • Refracts light

  • Concave

  • Held in place by eye fluid (aqueous humor and vitreous humor)

• Cornea

  • Transparent

  • Convex

  • Provides barrier to the pupil

  • Pain and touch receptors

  • Can scar

  • Corneal abrasion!!!

• Choroid coat, Iris, Pupil

  • Middle layer of the eye

  • Prevent light reflection in the eye

  • Iris is muscular and colored

• Retina

  • Innermost layer of the eye

  • Cones (colors!!!) and rods

  • Sends to optic nerve

  • Can be corrected by glasses up to a point

• Optic Disc

• Fovea

Problems to any of these structures affect eyesight.

The brain is able to fill in the gaps of missing information to create complete images based on what it thinks should be there.

Eye Injuries

• Specks

  • A cut or scratch caused by dirt or some other foreign object in the eye

  • Treatment: Rinse with water

  • Rehab: Return to play when discomfort is gone

• Blows (contusions) to the Eye

  • Also called a black eye

  • Eye is located in a deep socket called the orbit

  • Signs: Swelling and discolorations (because blood rushes healing cells to the area)

  • Treatment: Cold compress on the area

  • Rehab: Protective eyewear until tissue is healed

• Cuts, Punctures, and Abrasions

  • Can cause infection, blindness → MEDICAL EMERGENCY!!!!!

  • Treatment: Stabilized in place and transported to a medical facility immediately

• Orbital Blow-out Fracture

  • Fracture to bones of the eye socket

  • Signs: Pain and tenderness around the eye, pain with eye movement, swelling, double vision, etc

  • Treatment: Go to the doctor, bandage and ice

  • Rehab: Protective eyewear

• Hyphema

  • Bleeding in the anterior chamber (space between cornea and iris)

  • Caused by blunt trauma to the eye

  • Signs: Dramatic decrease in vision, gets better with time

  • Treatment: Wait it out, maybe go to doctor after waiting

  • Rehab: Rest

• Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

  • Bacterial infection or allergy

  • Signs: Discomfort and redness

  • Treatment: Antibiotic

  • Rehab: It is contagious, do not touch the eye

Ears

Outer Ear

• Auricle

• Tympanic membrane

• Ear canal

Middle Ear

• 3 bones:

  • Malleus

  • Stapes

  • Incus

• Eustachian tube

• Auditory ossicles

Inner Ear

• Cochlea

• Semicircular canals

• Auditory nerve

• Vestibular nerve

Ear Injuries

• Cauliflower Ear:

  • Outer ear

  • Trauma to the ear causes damage to the cartilage

  • Seen is combat type sports (wrestling and boxing)

  • Risk of infection → fluid under the skin

    • Redness and/or hearing loss

  • Treatment: Drained by a doctor and compression is added

  • Headgear is needed to protect from further injury in the future

• Swimmer’s Ear

  • Outer/Middle Ear

  • Infection (bacterial or fungal) of skin covering the ear canal

  • Treatment: Antibiotic ear drops, keep ears dry

  • Symptoms: Pain, itching, swelling

  • Risk of infection moving beyond the outer ear

• Foreign Bodies

  • Get removed by a doctor

  • Usually occurs in little kids

  • Can affect hearing and balance

• Tympanic membrane (eardrum) rupture

  • Caused by trauma to the ear, sudden loud noises, or pressure changes

  • Pain, ear discharge, hearing loss

Nose

Better to breathe out of the nose rather than the mouth → it filters and warms the air

Tip = cartilage

Immovable parts = bone

Nostrils

Septum

Nose Injuries

• Epistaxis

  • Nose bleed

  • Anterior = nasal dryness (most common)

  • Posterior → goes int back of the throat = vascular disease

  • Treatment = pinch nostrils together below the nasal bone and lean forward, use nose gauze

• Nasal Fractures and Septal Deviations

  • Caused by trauma to the nose

  • Break in the nasal bones

  • Septal hematomas needs immediate medical attention