Chapter 13 - Special Senses - The Ear

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Damage or malformation of the inner ear that causes hearing loss

Otopyorrhea (oh-toh-phy-oh-REE-ah)

Discharge of pus from the ear

Conductive Hearing Loss

Disease or malformation of the outer or middle ear that causes hearing loss

Vertigo (VER-tih-goh)

Dizziness caused by the sensation that the room is spinning

Otalgia (oh-TAL-jee-ah)

Ear pain

Antibiotic otic solution (OH-tik)

Eardrops to treat otitis externa

Ceruminoma (seh-roo-men-oh-ma)

Excessive accumulation of ear wax resulting in a hard wax plug. Sound becomes muffled.

Otitis externa (oh-TYE-tis / ex-TERN-ah)

External ear infection. Commonly referred to swimmer's ear.

Otomycosis (oh-tph-my-KOH-sis)

Fungal infection of the ear

Audi/o

Hearing

Otosclerosis (oh-toh-sklair-OH-sis)

Loss of mobility of the stapes bone, leading to progressive hearing loss

Tympanorrhexis (tim-pan-oh-REK-sis)

Rupture of the tympanic membrane

Otitis media (OM) (oh-TYE-tis / MEE-dee-ah)

Seen frequently in children; commonly referred to as middle ear infection

Wax emulsifiers

Substances used to soften ear wax to prevent buildup within the external ear canal

Myringotomy (mir-in-GOT-oh-mee)

Surgical puncture of the eardrum with removal of fluid and pus from the middle ear to eliminate a persistent ear infection and excessive pressure on the tympanic membrane.

Myringectomy (mir-in-GEK-toh-mee)

Surgical removal of the tympanic membrane

Otoplasty (Oh-toh-plas-tee)

Surgical repair of the external ear

Myringoplasty (mir-in-goh-plass-tee)

Surgical repair of the tympanic membrane

Audiometry (aw-dee-OM-eh-tree)

Test of hearing ability by determining the lowest and highest intensity (decibels) and frequencies (hertz) that a person can distinguish.

Meniere's Disease (may-nee-ARZ)

Abnormal condition within the labyrinth of the inner ear that can lead to a progressive loss of hearing.

Otorrhagia (oh-toh-RAH-jee-ah)

Bleeding from the ear

AU

Both ears

Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) (oh-toh-rye-noh-lair-in-GOL-oh-jee)

Branch of medicine involving diagnosis and treatment of conditions and diseases of the ear, nose, throat.

Cerumin/o

Cerumen; Ear Wax

Cochle/o

Cochlea

ot/o

Combining form for ear

Macrotia (mah-KROH-she-ah)

Condition of having abnormally large ears

Microtia (my-KROH-she-ah)

Condition of having abnormally small ears

Deafness

Inability to hear or having some degree of hearing impairment

Myringitis or Tympanitis (mir-ing-JYE-tis / tim-pan-EYE-tis)

Inflammation of the tympanic membrane

Otoscope (OH-toh-scope)

Instrument to view inside the ear canal

AS

Left ear

Labyrinthitis (lab-ih-rin-THIGH-tis)

May affect both the hearing and equilibrium portions of the inner ear. Also referred to as an inner ear infection.

Tympanometry

Measurement of the movement of the tympanic membrane

Cochlear Implant (KOK-lee-ar)

Mechanical device surgically placed under the skin behind the out ear (pinna) that converts sound signals into magnetic impulses to stimulate the auditory nerve.

Hearing Aide

Mechanical device used by person with impaired hearing to amplify sound

Audiology (aw-dee-OL-oh-jee)

Medical speciality involved with measuring hearing function and identifying hearing loss.

Antiemetics (an-tye-ee-mit-tiks)

Medications effective in treating the nausea associated with vertigo

Tympanic membrane

Membrane between the external ear canal and the middle ear

Presbycusis (pres-bih-KOO-sis)

Normal loss of hearing that can accompany the aging process

AD

Right ear

Tinnitus (tin-EYE-tus)

Ringing in the ears

-rrhexis

Rupture

Anacusis (an-ah-KOO-sis)

Total absence of hearing; Inability to perceive sound. Also called deafness.