EARS

• are sensory organs that function in hearing and equilibrium


  Ears
• the ability to perceive sounds bg detecting vibrations, changes in the pressure of the surrounding medium through time and through the ears

  Hearing or Auditory Perception
• the primary mechanism of hearing


  Air Conduction
• Sound waves through external auditory canal
• 3 Parts of Ear

  External Ear (pinna or auricle), Middle Ear, and Inner Ear
• external large rim of auricle

  Helix
• stiff projection, protects the anterior meatus of the canal

  Tragus
• small flap of flesh at the inferior end of auricle

  Lobule
• 1 in. in length narrows toward mid portion and widens near eardrum. "S"" shaped pathway leads to middle."

  External Auditory Canal
• external and middle ear separated by the

  tympanic membrane
• thin, translucent, pearly gray color and lies obliquely in the canal.

  Tympanic Membrane
• Bones of the middle ear

  malleus, incus, and stapes
• connects middle ear with nasopharynx

  Eustachian or Auditory Tube
• - allows for equalization of air pressure with atmospheric pressure - conducts sound vibration from external ear to inner ear and protects inner ear by reducing loud sound vibrations

  Eustachian or auditory tube
• contains bony labyrinth which consists of a central cavity called Vestibule

  Inner Ear
• responsible for the sense of equilibrium and the cochlea contains receptors for hearing

  3 semicircular canals
• transmits sound vibrations to the nerve

  cochlea
• which in turn carries the impulses to the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe of the brain for interpretation as hearing

  Auditory Nerve (CN VIII)
• benign protrusion on upper part of helix

  Darwinian Tubercle
• Ears are less than 4 cm. vertical height in adults

  Microtia
• Ears greater than 10 cm. vertical heights in adults

  Macrotia
• associated with hearing deficit

  Missing or Malformed Landmarks
• associated with heart conditions

  Creased Earlobes
• absence of the external ear

  Anotia
• excessive cerumen secretion

  Impacted Cerumen
• Ear pain, especially with movement of the tragus or pulling of ear lobe

  Otitis Externa
• Ear pain with reddened TM

  Acute Otitis Media
• Chronic disorder of the membraneous labyrinth of the inner ear that is marked by recurrent attavks of dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss.

  Meniere's Disease
• hearing loss related to aging, common after the age of 50 years

  Presbycusis
• purulent, bloody discharge due to infection of the external ear

  Otorrhea
• occur when oils are produced in a skin gland faster than they can be released from the gland; occur if the oil gland opening has become blocked and a cyst forms under the skin

  Cysts
• medical device used to visualize the eardrum and external ear canal

  Otoscope
• hearing test for low-pitch deficits

  Whisper Test
• hearing test for high-pitch deficits

  Watch-Tick Test
• Hearing test performed if client reports diminished or lost hearing in one ear

  Weber Test
• sound waves yransmitted external and middle ear

  Conductive Hearing
• sound waves transmitted by the inner ear

  Sensorineural Hearing
• a test that compares air and bone conduction sounds

  Rinne Test
• AC to BC ratios that differ markedly in each ear

  Unilateral Hearing Deficit
• AC less than twice BV, BC sound is heard longer than or equally as long as AC sound (BC≥AC)

  Conductive Hearing Loss