Chapter 15 Ears, Nose, Mouth and Throat
● Air conduction- transmission of sound through the tympanic membrane
● Auricle- also known as the pinna, the outer portion of the ear
● Bone conduction- conduction of sound through the bones of the skull to the cochlea
and auditory nerve
● Cerumen-yellow brown wax that lines the canal of the ear (RED OR GREEN ABNORMAL)
● Cochlea- a spiraling chamber that contains the receptors for hearing. Portion of the
inner ear, also responsible for equilibrium
● Cold sore- also known as a fever blister, a lesion or blister on the lip
● Eustachian tube- auditory tube that connects the middle ear with the nasopharynx.
Helps to equalize air pressure on both sides of the tympanic membrane
● Fever blister- see cold sore
● Helix- the external large rim of the auricle
● Lobule- earlobe
● Mastoiditis- refers to the inflammation or infection of the mastoid bone Can be caused
by middle ear infection or throat infection. Difficult to treat. Spreads to the brain. (or
can)
● Nasal polyps- smooth, pale, benign growths found in many patients with chronic
allergies
● Ossicles- bones of the middle ear (malleus, incus, stapes)
● Otitis externa- infection of the outer ear that causes redness and swelling of the auricle
and ear canal and scanty drainage (swimmer’s ear)
● Otitis media- infection of the middle ear (red bulging eardrum, fever, hearing loss)
● Palate- anterior portion of the roof of the mouth
● Paranasal sinuses- mucus-lined, air-filled cavities that surround the nasal cavity and
perform the air-processing functions of filtration, moistening, and warming
● Pinna- see Helix
● Tragus- stiff projection that protects the anterior meatus of the auditory canal (if painful
when pressed, ABNORMAL)
● Tympanic membrane- thin translucent membrane is pearly gray in color and lies
obliquely in the canal. It separates the external and middle ear
● Uvula- fleshy pendulum that hangs from the edge of the soft palate in the back of the
mouth.
Focused questions, review pages 270-273. Remember to ask questions like “do you work in a
noisy environment? Do you wear hearing protection or get hearing tests?”
“Any change in your hearing? Describe your hearing”
-CSF can be determined through the presence of glucose. This is an abnormal clear drainage of
the ear suspicious of head injury
-Hearing loss in 1 ear only can be suggestive of a ruptured ear drum.
- Tophi: small white nodules on the helix or antihelix that contain uric acid crystals and are a sign
of GOUT
- Remember how to check for a perforated septum and that it could indicate a drug problem
-Know the difference between rhinitis and sinusitis
-Remember her story about tonsil stones. (BLECH)