Inner Ear Disorders Flashcards
(25 cards)
What would an inner ear manifestation of a vestibular labyrinth look like?
Vertigo
What would an inner ear manifestation of an auditory labyrinth look like?
sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus (RINGING)
What is Ménière’s Disease?
a progressive accumulation of endolymph in the membranous labyrinth of the ear that occurs more often in women between 30-60 years old. The excess fluid and pressure causes hearing and balance problems.
What would a patient experience prior to an attack due to Ménière’s Disease?
fullness in the ears, tinnitus, and muffled hearing
How long do attacks of Ménière’s Disease last?
can last hours to days and happen several times a year
What clinical manifestations occur during an attack of Ménière’s Disease?
disability with a sudden, severe attack of vertigo, nausea, vomiting, sweating, “drop attacks”, a feeling of whirling in space
What diagnostic test can be used to diagnose Ménière’s Disease?
an audiogram, abnormal vestibula tests, Glycerol testing, or spontaneous vertigo on TWO occasions
What is the focus of Ménière’s Disease treatment?
treatments to reduce frequency and severity of vertigo attacks; acute care focuses on decreasing abnormal sensations, nausea and vomiting with things such as antihistamines, anticholinergics, corticosteroids, and benzodiazepines; between attacks use diuretics, corticosteroids, low-sodium diet, and stress reduction
What should someone do if they are experiencing an attack of vertigo?
- Dark, quiet room
- Avoid sudden movements
- Close your eyes during vertigo
- Avoid fluorescent, flickering lights, and TV
- Emesis basin
What injection can a nurse give for vertigo and Ménière’s Disease?
Gentamycin injection
What surgical interventions are indicated for Ménière’s Disease?
- decompression
- vestibular nerve section
- ablation of the labyrinth in unilateral disease
What safety aspects would a nurse be concerned with in Ménière’s Disease?
risk for FALLS
What is conductive hearing loss?
decreased sound intensity and/or distortion of the external and middle ear where sound transmission to the inner ear is impaired.
Where do patients hear best with conductive hearing loss?
noisy environments
What is conductive hearing loss caused by?
- otitis media with effusion
- impacted cerumen
- perforation of TM
- Otosclerosis
- narrowing of the external auditory canal
What is sensorineural hearing loss?
occurs in the inner ear that causes distortion or faintness of sound, an altered ability to understand speech, and cause complete hearing loss. Sounds are muffled, and difficult to understand, and high-pitched sounds are often lost.
What is sensorineural hearing loss caused by?
- inner ear impairment
- Vestibulocochlear nerve (8th) damage
- congenital and hereditary factors
- noise exposure
- aging
- menieres
- trauma
- ototoxic drugs (ASA, abx., loop diuretics, NSAIDs, antimalarial agents, chemotherapy)
What is mixed hearing loss?
a combination of both conductive and sensorineural causes for hearing loss
What is central hearing loss?
arises from a problem in the CNS that makes an individual unable to interpret sound
What is functional hearing loss?
Hearing loss that can be psychologically or emotionally related
How do gene mutations (non-syndromic) cause hearing loss?
altered cochlear function, increased risk of ototoxicity, and structural malformations
What is syndromic hearing loss?
There are over 400 syndromes that include hearing loss among the abnormalities
When caring for a person with hearing loss, what care and treatment would you provide?
- remember that they are an “unseen handicap”
- use visual aids
- sign language
- be patient with communication and interactions
- hearing aids
- assistive devices and technique
What is a cochlear implant?
an external microphone that serves as a speech processor and transmitter that uses electrodes. It covers an extensive range of frequencies in order to provide sound, improve lip reading, improve the sense of security, and decreased isolation.
