SS Lecture 8 Review- Ear Assessment & Diagnostic Tests

Lecture 8 Review

Ear Assessment& Diagnostic Tests

Ear Assessment/Physical Exam

Diagnostic Tests

Common Therapeutic Interventions

ASSESSMENT - Recognize & Analyze Cues

SUBJECTIVE DATA

OTOTOXIC MEDICATIONS

MEDICAL/SURGICAL HISTORY

ASSESSMENT - Physical Exam

External Ear Assessment

• Redness
• Swelling

• Drainage
• Lymph node enlargement
• Palpate Auricle & Mastoid Process for tenderness
• Penlight to inspect external ear canal
• Look for Cerumen (ear wax) and signs of infection

ASSESSMENT - Otoscopic Exam

Otoscopic Exam

• Visualizes the external ear canal and Tympanic Membrane

• Tympanic Membrane healthy appearance:
• Pearl gray with a reflective light (tympanic reflex)
• Tympanic Reflex= wedge shape light reflection toward the nose

• Infection symptoms:
• Reddened
• Cloudy
• Fluid behind eardrum
• Drainage in external ear canal

ASSESSMENT - Hearing Function

Audiometry

• Performed by an Audiologist.
• Evaluates hearing ability and diagnoses the type and severity of hearing loss.
• Cranial Nerve VIII (Vestibulocochlear Nerve): responsible for transmitting sound and balance information from the inner ear to the brain.

DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

CALORIC TEST

TUNING FORK TESTS

used to test for disorders of the vestibular system

• ear is irrigated with a warm solution, followed by a cold solution
• Normal result= nystagmus is present equally with irrigation
• abnormal result= little to no nystagmus present

USED TO ASSESS CONDUCTION OF SOUND BY AIR AND BONE

• WEBER TEST
• RINNE TEST

Common therapeutic interventions

Irrigating the External Ear Canal

• Solution should be body temperature to decrease patient pain/discomfort.
• Place a basin beneath the ear for fluid to drain into.
• Effective for clearing obstructions of cerumen (ear wax) from the ear canal.
• Never irrigate an external ear canal if the Tympanic Membrane (eardrum) is not intact.

Ear Drops Administration

• Warm the ear (otic) drops to body temperature by rolling the medication bottle between the palms.
• Straighten the patient's ear canal (use guidelines in picture above).
• Administer the number of prescribed drops and maintain position to allow medication to be absorbed.
• Abbreviations for ear drop administration: AD (Right Ear), AS (Left Ear), AU (Both Ears)

Lecture 8 Review Completed!Excellent job!

Video discussing Weber & Rinne Test

Subjective Data

• Ear pain (otalgia)
• Tinnitus, echoes
• Dizziness
• Vertigo
• N/V
• Balance problems
• Hearing loss (unilateral or bilateral)
• Pressure in ear, drainage, or itching

Ototoxic Medications

Examples:

• Gentamicin
• Aspirin
• Erythromycin
• Furosemide
• Vancomycin

Past Medical & Surgical History

• Frequent sinus infections
• Dental problems
• Allergies
• Upper respiratory infections
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Congenital Hypothyroidism
• Head trauma
• Occupational exposure to loud noises
• Use of hearing devices
• Surgeries on the ear or throat