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

3.  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