Untitled Flashcards Set

Week 5- Ear disorders 


Sensory alterations: 

  1. Pain 

  2. Hearing and Balance (ear disorders)

  3. Vision


Structure of the ear:

 

3 parts of the ear: 

  1. External Ear: anything after the eardrum 

  2. Middle of the ear: 

  • Auditory ossicles (small bones): Malleus, Incus, Stapes

  1.  Inner ear: Nasopharynx and after the auditory ossicles  


Disorders of the External Ear

  • obstruction Cerumen (ear wax) never using cutip and you can poke it to the tympanic membrane, Mass (ex. bug) 

  • Inflammation

    • Otitis externa (swimmer ear) 

  • Drainage 

    • Otorrhea (-rhea means any drainage) any drainage from the ear coming from the external auditory canal) 


Disorders of the Middle Ear

  • Barotrauma: Damage of the tympanic membrane (eardrum) due to changes in pressure

  • Inflammation:

    • Otitis media: inflammation of the middle ear

    • Mastoiditis: Infection of the mastoid bone usually from ear infection 

    • Ostosclerosis: Some new spongy bone forms around the stapes in the oval window

    • Conductive hearing loss: issues from transmitting sound waves not transmitting from external to the internal ear 


Otitis Media Pathophysiology 

  • Acute otitis media (AOM)

  • Infection in the middle ear: effusion (Fluid) in the middle ear creates an optimal environment for pathogen growth (no infection) 

  • Associated with upper respiratory

Acute otitis media AOM: usually redness

Otitis media with effusion (OME): generally clear with some redness

Otitis media perforation: a tear inside the ear 

*usually bedside nurses don’t look for this, this is just for general knowledge



Otitis Media Clinical Manifestations: 

General Manfestations 

  • Acute pain 

  • A little bit of hearing loss bc sound waves are unable to go through the fluid 

  • Enlarged periauricular lymph nodes (acute otitis media only)

  • Rhinorrhea (runny nose) (Acute Otitis media only except allergies)

  • Fever (acute otitis media only) 

  • Impaired hearing

  • Perforated tympanic membran


Acute otitis media (AOM): 

  • Acute onset:

    • Acute onset (fever, rhinorrhea, fatigue) 

    • Effusion will occur, An abnormal collection of fluid in hollow spaces or between tissues of the body, many symptoms, there IS an infection, many kids get it

    • Inflammation 

    • Recurrent 


Otits media with effusion (OME):

  • Middle ear effusion: just middle ear fluid build-up no infection or inflammation 

  • Feelings of pain and discomfort 


Otitis Media Treatment: 

  • Based on accurate diagnosis (passed history and symptoms) 

    • AOM versus OME

  • Observation 

    • OME and uncomplicated AOM 

  • Antibiotics 

    • In AOM unresponsive to observation (when Acute otitis media is not getting better and needs to prescribe antibiotics) 

    • For pain management or fever



Disorders of the Inner Ear: 

Responsible for transmitting sound signals, also for balance and equilibrium

  • Neural dysfunction: 

    • Sensorineural hearing loss:

      •  if you have any auditory problems then it is called this. It is not just a simple wavelength it is now affecting the nerve

      • After permanent damage to the cochlea of the inner ear NOT related to processing in the brain. This may occur due to disease, trauma, or genetic defect

    • Tinnitus: ringing 

    • Equilibrium disruption: Vertigo 

      • Meniere disease/syndrome: Fluid builds up in the inner ear, causing pressure in this area to affect other structures including the cochlea and vestibule leading to the symptoms that you are feeling

      • a disorder involving the vestibular organ typically unbalanced and makes a person feel like they are moving

        • Cause of Meniere disease: trauma, infection like syphilis, endocrine disorders like hypothyroidism, 

  • Inflammation:

    • Labyrinthitis/otitis interna: infection leading to the inflammatory process in the inner ear 

      • Infection of the inner ear can also lead to mastoiditis

robot