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Ear Anatomy and Hearing Basics
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1
Question
What is the external ear also called?
Answer
Auricle or pinna
2
Question
What is the external auditory canal?
Answer
The ear canal funneling sound into the tympanic membrane
3
Question
What produces cerumen and what is its function?
Answer
Cerumen; lubricates and protects ear
4
Question
Which parts of the canal are cartilage vs bone?
Answer
Outer one third cartilage; inner two thirds bone
5
Question
Where does lymphatic drainage from the external ear go?
Answer
Parotid, mastoid, and superficial cervical nodes
6
Question
What is the tympanic membrane (TM)?
Answer
The eardrum separating external and middle ear
7
Question
Describe the appearance of the TM.
Answer
Translucent, pearly gray, oval and concave
8
Question
What structures of the malleus are visible through the TM?
Answer
Umbo, manubrium, short process
9
Question
What is the annulus?
Answer
Outer fibrous rim of the TM
10
Question
What is the middle ear, and what does it contain?
Answer
Tiny air-filled cavity containing ossicles: malleus, incus, stapes
11
Question
What is the purpose of the Eustachian tube?
Answer
Connects middle ear to nasopharynx for air pressure equalization
12
Question
When does the Eustachian tube normally open?
Answer
Swallowing or yawning
13
Question
What are the three main functions of the middle ear?
Answer
Transmit vibrations, protect inner ear by damping loud sounds, equalize pressure via Eustachian tube
14
Question
Where are hair cells for hearing located?
Answer
Along the basilar membrane of the cochlea (organ of Corti)
15
Question
What cranial nerve carries auditory information to the brain?
Answer
Cranial nerve VIII (vestibulocochlear)
16
Question
What are the three levels of the auditory system?
Answer
Peripheral, brainstem, cerebral cortex
17
Question
What does amplitude refer to in hearing?
Answer
Loudness
18
Question
What does frequency refer to in hearing?
Answer
Pitch or cycles per second
19
Question
What is the normal hearing pathway?
Answer
Air conduction (AC)
20
Question
What is the alternative route for hearing?
Answer
Bone conduction (BC)
21
Question
Why do the bones of the skull vibrate in BC?
Answer
Transmit vibrations directly to inner ear and nerve VIII
22
Question
What is conductive hearing loss?
Answer
Mechanical dysfunction of external or middle ear
23
Question
Name common causes of conductive hearing loss.
Answer
Cerumen impaction, foreign bodies, perforated TM, middle ear pus/serum, otosclerosis
24
Question
What is sensorineural hearing loss?
Answer
Pathology of inner ear, cranial nerve VIII, or auditory cortex
25
Question
What often accompanies presbycusis?
Answer
Gradual sensorineural loss and difficulty localizing sound
26
Question
What is mixed hearing loss?
Answer
Combination of conductive and sensorineural loss in the same ear
27
Question
What is the labyrinth’s role in equilibrium?
Answer
Feeds information about body position in space to the brain
28
Question
When does inner ear development begin?
Answer
Fifth week of gestation
29
Question
Why is infants’ Eustachian tube more at risk for middle ear infections?
Answer
Shorter, wider, more horizontal angle facilitates pathogen migration
30
Question
What is otosclerosis?
Answer
Hardening of stapes footplate causing conductive hearing loss