Week 5- Ear disorders
Sensory alterations:
Pain
Hearing and Balance (ear disorders)
Vision
Structure of the ear:
3 parts of the ear:
External Ear: anything after the eardrum
Middle of the ear:
Auditory ossicles (small bones): Malleus, Incus, Stapes
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