Chapter 13 Diseases of the Ear and Mastoid Process
Otalgia
Earache
ceruminous glands
Sweat glands, within the external auditory canal, that secrete a honey-colored, thick, waxy substance known as earwax, or cerumen.
auditory ossicles
Three small bones that transmit and amplify sound waves
middle ear
also known as the tympanic cavity, is found within the temporal bone and houses the auditory ossicles and the eustachian tube.
Incus
anvil-shaped bone of the middle ear; one of the auditory ossicles.
labyrinth
bony and membranous structures of the inner ear.
Semicircular canals
bony structures filled with fluid that help maintain balance.
tympanic membrane
commonly called the eardrum; is a thin, semitransparent membrane, silvery gray in color; separates the external ear from the middle ear; AND transmits sound vibrations to the inner ear through auditory ossicles.
Eustachian tube
connects the bony structures of the middle ear to the pharynx; also known as the auditory tube or pharyngotympanic tube; AND equalizes air pressure in the middle ear.
bony labyrinth
consists of bones that make up the inner ear.
Otorrhea
discharge from the external ear
Pinna
flexible cartilaginous flap that has a bottom portion known as the ear lobe.
semicircular ducts
found in the middle ear; aid in balance.
Malleus
hammer-shaped hone found in the middle ear; one of the auditory ossicles.
Otorrhagia
hemorrhage from the ear
Cerumen
honey-colored, thick, waxy substance; also known as earwax; helps protect the eardrum from foreign objects and lubricates the ear.
otitis externa
inflammation of the external auditory canal
auricle
known as the pinna or earlobe; allows sound waves to enter the ear canal, which is known as the external auditory canal or the external auditory meatus.
saccule
membranous sac that aids in maintaining balance
endolymph
one of the auditory fluids found in the cochlea that aid in hearing.
perilymph
one of two auditory fluids found in the inner ear that aid in the transmission of sound.
Cochlea
snail-shaped, bony structure in the ear that transmits sound; contains endolymph and perilymph.
Stapes
stirrup-shaped bone that is part of the middle ear; one of the auditory ossicles.
external auditory meatus
the canal that allows sound waves to travel to the inner part of the ear, also known as the external auditory canal.
external auditory canal
the canal that allows sound waves to travel to the inner part of the ear, also known as the external auditory meatus.
Vestibule
the central portion of the inner ear; contains the utricle and the saccule.
ear lobe
the flexible cartilaginous flap that has a bottom portion known as the pinna.
Orosclerosis
the growth of spongy bone in the inner ear.
Utricle
the structure of the inner ear that aids in maintaining balance
cilia
tiny hairs, along the external auditory canal, that aid in transmitting the sound waves inward to other auditory structures.
Oval window
what separates the middle ear and the inner ear.
