Deck 9: Ear Disorders

Question 1

Which of the following parts of the outer ear is composed of fat and subcutaneous tissue?

A) Lobule
B) Sebaceous glands
C) Posterior muscles
D) Tragus

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is true of the eustachian tube in infants?

A) The tube is more vertical compared to that of the adult.
B) The bony portion is never open.
C) The cartilaginous portion lies higher compared to that of the adult.
D) The bony portion is relatively longer and wider compared to that of the adult.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is most likely associated with BPPV?

A) An unsettled/unbalanced sensation lasting for hours at a time
B) Brief episodes of dizziness associated with head movement
C) Clear discharge
D) Otalgia

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which form of otorrhea is most likely associated with physical trauma?

A) Clear, watery fluid
B) Yellow fluid
C) Clear, mucoid fluid
D) Brown fluid

Question 5

Which of the following syndromes or illnesses is not associated with ear conditions?

A) Stickler syndrome
B) Leukemia
C) Trisomy 13
D) CHARGE association

Question 6

A patient arrives complaining of significant vertigo, which began after a sneezing fit and is persisting. Before the fit, the patient had not experienced notable ear problems. What most likely happened?

A) The mastoid bone, deteriorated by anaerobic infection, broke.
B) The patient is showing early symptoms of Meniere's disease.
C) The patient aggravated latent otitis media.
D) The patient ruptured the round window in one or both inner ears.

Question 7

The physician observes the patient and notes that his head is not rotated toward either side, his head is tilted toward the left ear, and he shows no reluctance to move his head in various directions. What does this most likely suggest?

A) A well patient
B) Otalgia in the left ear
C) Hearing loss in the right ear
D) Vertigo

Question 8

During the physical examination, the physician notices visible blood vessels in the center of the patient's tympanic membrane. What is the likeliest diagnosis?

A) Acute or chronic otitis
B) Bone exostoses
C) A normal, healthy tympanic membrane
D) Tympanosclerosis

Question 9

What hearing test is specifically designed to compare air conduction to bone conduction?

A) Rinne
B) Weber
C) Whisper
D) Tympanic

Question 10

Lateralization of intensity of tone in a tuning fork test to the patient's right ear is most likely symptomatic of what?

A) Normal functioning
B) Conductive hearing loss in left ear
C) Sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear
D) Conductive hearing loss in the right ear

Question 11

Which type of otalgia can be tested using a tympanogram?

A) Acute otitis media
B) Serous otitis
C) Chronic otitis media
D) Trauma

Question 12

Which of the following is typical or common in a geriatric patient?

A) Shortened pinna
B) Decreased amount and coarseness of hair growth on external ear canal
C) Decreasing prevalence of tinnitus
D) Presbycusis

Question 13

Sound waves affect and interact with the pars tensa, malleus, incus, stapes, and the fluid of the inner ear.

Question 14

Tinnitus affects nearly one-third of the adult population.

Question 15

Exposures to rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex in utero are linked to later hearing loss.

Question 16

A patient's pinnae are fully below the level of an imaginary line drawn from the outer canthus of her ipsilateral eye to the occiput. This may be associated with congenital hearing loss in the patient.

Question 17

The bulb of an otoscope is used to apply both positive and negative pressure to the tympanic membrane so its movement can be studied.

Question 18

Neonates can discriminate a full spectrum of sounds, but respond best to low and mid-range tones, or "brown noise."

Question 19

What are the six categories of questions to ask and information to gain in the health history of a patient whose chief complaint is vertigo?

Question 20

What behaviors and medical conditions in a pregnant patient are noted to cause ear abnormalities and problems in the developing fetus?