Disorders of Hearing and Vestibular Function
Otitis externa: inflammation externally (swimmer’s ear)
- Etiology: persistent moisture-bacteria or fungi-inflammation of the ear canal
- Manifestation: tenderness, redness, itching, discharge, impaired hearing, swelling of ear
- Example: swimming, showering, trauma, viewed outside of the ear
Eustachian tube dysfunction:
Eustachian: open and closes due to pressure
- Etiology:
- functional obstruction: lack of tuba stiffness and poor muscle function - persistent
collapse of the eustachian tube
- Mechanical obstruction: allergy/virus - inflammation - internal obstruction or
external compression (swelling of sinus)
- Barotrauma: the change in pressure is so intense that a complete collapse is
created (can not get ears to pop)
- Manifestations: pain, hearing loss, ticking in ear, popping sounds, unable to hear your
own voice, rupture to tympanic membrane
Otitis media:
- Etiology: bacteria/virus - obstruction of the eustachian tube - accumulation of fluid and
inflammation of middle ear
- Manifestations: acute onset otalgia (pain of whole ear), fever, irritability, otorrhea
(discharge of ear), hearing loss, middle ear effusion, bulging tympanic membrane,
opacification of tympanic membrane
- Associated with respiratory infections (overabundance with fluid)
- Pearly thin, cone of light
Otosclerosis:
- Etiology: Disease of the bone of the otic capsule → forms new spongy bone around
the stapes and oval window → stapes become fixed and immobile. Due to
environmental or genetic factors. Weber Test (feel it on more affected) v. Rinne Test
(would not be able to hear the fork when it's away from ear) not able to hear sound
- Manifestation: hearing loss of lower pitch, tinnitus, vertigo, unilateral or bilateral
(genetic), feels own voice very loud
Tinnitus:
- Etiology: Perception of abnormal ear or head noises not produced by external stimulus.
Constant, intermittent, unilateral or bilateral. Objective or Subjective. Caused by
impacted cerumen (ear wax), presbycusis (hearing loss associated with older age),
HTN, Head Injury
- Manifestation: ringing, hissing, roaring, buzzing, humming
Hearing loss:
- Etiology:
- Conductive: External Ear Conditions
- Impacted Cerumen
- Otitis Externa
- Middle ear conditions:
- Trauma: puncture ear drum
Otitis externa: inflammation externally (swimmer’s ear)
- Etiology: persistent moisture-bacteria or fungi-inflammation of the ear canal
- Manifestation: tenderness, redness, itching, discharge, impaired hearing, swelling of ear
- Example: swimming, showering, trauma, viewed outside of the ear
Eustachian tube dysfunction:
Eustachian: open and closes due to pressure
- Etiology:
- functional obstruction: lack of tuba stiffness and poor muscle function - persistent
collapse of the eustachian tube
- Mechanical obstruction: allergy/virus - inflammation - internal obstruction or
external compression (swelling of sinus)
- Barotrauma: the change in pressure is so intense that a complete collapse is
created (can not get ears to pop)
- Manifestations: pain, hearing loss, ticking in ear, popping sounds, unable to hear your
own voice, rupture to tympanic membrane
Otitis media:
- Etiology: bacteria/virus - obstruction of the eustachian tube - accumulation of fluid and
inflammation of middle ear
- Manifestations: acute onset otalgia (pain of whole ear), fever, irritability, otorrhea
(discharge of ear), hearing loss, middle ear effusion, bulging tympanic membrane,
opacification of tympanic membrane
- Associated with respiratory infections (overabundance with fluid)
- Pearly thin, cone of light
Otosclerosis:
- Etiology: Disease of the bone of the otic capsule → forms new spongy bone around
the stapes and oval window → stapes become fixed and immobile. Due to
environmental or genetic factors. Weber Test (feel it on more affected) v. Rinne Test
(would not be able to hear the fork when it's away from ear) not able to hear sound
- Manifestation: hearing loss of lower pitch, tinnitus, vertigo, unilateral or bilateral
(genetic), feels own voice very loud
Tinnitus:
- Etiology: Perception of abnormal ear or head noises not produced by external stimulus.
Constant, intermittent, unilateral or bilateral. Objective or Subjective. Caused by
impacted cerumen (ear wax), presbycusis (hearing loss associated with older age),
HTN, Head Injury
- Manifestation: ringing, hissing, roaring, buzzing, humming
Hearing loss:
- Etiology:
- Conductive: External Ear Conditions
- Impacted Cerumen
- Otitis Externa
- Middle ear conditions:
- Trauma: puncture ear drum
