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Are there abnormalities on the ear examination? The ear examination may reveal severe otitis externa, an epithelioma of the pinna, a foreign body, or impacted wax. It may also show inflammation and bulging of the eardrum. A vesicular rash of the drum ... DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP
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Is it acute? Acute ear discharge suggests acute otitis media with rupture or an otitis externa, especially if it is painful. A chronic discharge would suggest cholesteatoma, chronic otitis media, and ... DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP
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Hearing loss affects about 10% of the U.S. population. Two broad categories of hearing loss exist, conductive and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss results from any process that prevents sound from reaching the inner ear. Sensorineural hearing loss refers to nerve-type... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Otorrhea, or ear discharge, usually results from an inflammatory process in the ear canal, middle ear, or mastoid. A thorough cleaning of the ear canal (with suction if possible) is essential to determine the source of the otorrhea. Ear lavage should be avoided in the presence of... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Ear pain is an extremely common presenting complaint in both primary care and otolaryngology practices. The description of the onset, character, and location of pain, along with a careful physical examination, identify most common causes of ear... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Otorrhea often arises from the external ear; in the setting of a nonintact tympanic membrane, the middle and even inner ears may be sources as well. Suctioning the otorrhea out of the canal to visualize the tympanic membrane is both therapeutic and diagnostically... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Not all ear pain is otologic; the ears have rich sensory innervation from multiple nerves, and secondary pain is common. Most otologic ear pain has some associated physical findings; if none is present, a complete head and neck examination, including imaging, may be required to search... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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All patients with suspected hearing loss require formal audiologic testing to characterize the nature (conductive, sensorineural, mixed) and extent of the loss. Early treatment is essential, as is early habilitation for those in whom the hearing loss is not reversible... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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About one-third to one-half of congenital hearing loss is genetic, of which 15–30% may be syndromic. Universal newborn hearing screening programs allow diagnosis, and thereby habilitation, of deaf children at a much younger age, dramatically increasing the likelihood... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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... The analysis of earache is much like that of dysuria: It is anatomic and inflammation accounts for the vast majority of causes. Thus, otitis externa would be like urethritis and otitis media like cystitis, and so forth.
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... The differential diagnosis of a nonbloody discharge of the ear can best be done by using anatomy. Visualize the components of the ear apparatus. A discharge may arise from the external canal, the middle ear, the mastoids and petrous bone, the inner ear, or the
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Earaches usually result from disorders of the external and middle ear associated with infection, obstruction, or trauma. Their severity ranges from a feeling of fullness or blockage to deep, boring pain. At times, it may be difficult to determine the precise location of... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pictures
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... Affecting nearly 16 million Americans, hearing loss may be temporary or permanent and partial or complete. This common symptom may involve reception of low-, middle-, or high-frequency tones. If the hearing loss doesn’t affect speech frequencies, the patient may... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pictures
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... Otorrhea — drainage from the ear — may be bloody (otorrhagia), purulent, clear, or serosanguineous. Its onset, duration, and severity provide clues to the underlying cause. This sign may result from disorders that affect the external ear canal or the middle ear, including... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers
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... Hearing loss results from a mechanical or nervous impediment to the transmission of sound waves. The major forms of hearing loss are classified as conductive loss (interrupted passage of sound from the external ear to the junction of the stapes and oval window), ... Causes and incidence ... Signs and symptoms ... Diagnosis ... Treatment ... Special considerations
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... Benign tumors may develop anywhere in the ear canal. Common types include keloids, osteomas, and sebaceous cysts; their causes vary. (See Causes and characteristics of benign ear tumors.) These tumors seldom become malignant; with proper... Signs and symptoms ... Diagnosis ... Treatment ... Special considerations ... Pictures
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... Ear, nose, and throat disorders rarely prove fatal (except for those resulting from neoplasms, epiglottitis, and neck trauma), but they may cause serious social, cosmetic, and communication problems. Untreated hearing loss or deafness can drastically impair ability to interact with... The ear ... Assessment ... Audiometric testing ... The nose ... Assessment ... The throat ... Assessment ... Pictures
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... Affecting nearly 16 million Americans, hearing loss may be temporary or permanent and partial or complete. This common symptom may involve reception of low-, middle-, or high-frequency tones. If the hearing loss doesn’t affect speech frequencies, the patient may be unaware of it. ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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... Otorrhea—drainage from the ear—may be bloody (otorrhagia), purulent, clear, or serosanguineous. Its onset, duration, and severity provide clues to the underlying cause. This sign may result from disorders that affect the external ear canal or the middle ear, including... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Patient counseling
... READ EXCERPTS »
... Earaches usually result from disorders of the external and middle ear associated with infection, obstruction, or trauma. Their severity ranges from a feeling of fullness or blockage to deep, boring pain. At times, it may be difficult to determine the precise... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
... Mark Knudson
Approximately 28 million Americans have hearing loss. Among individuals aged more than 65 years, 7% to 8% report hearing loss, yet close to 20% will have evidence of hearing loss if screened (1).
... History ... Physical examination ... Testing ... Diagnostic assessment
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... Differential Overview
Sensorineural
❑ Presbyacusis
❑ Noise-induced loss
❑ Drugs
❑ Méni... Diagnostic Approach ... Clinical Findings ... Pictures
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... Differential Overview
Ear Pain
❑ Acute otitis media
❑ Acute otitis externa
❑ Eustachian dysfunction
❑ Temporomandibular joint... Diagnostic Approach ... Clinical Findings
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... Loss of hearing results from a mechanical or nervous impediment to the transmission of sound waves. Hearing loss is classified into three major forms:
❑ Conductive loss is the interrupted passage of sound from the external ear to the... Causes ... Signs and symptoms ... Diagnosis ... Treatment ... Special considerations
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... Also known as otalgia, earaches usually result from disorders of the external and middle ear that are associated with infection, obstruction, or trauma. Their severity ranges from a feeling of fullness or blockage to deep, boring pain. It may be difficult... History ... Physical assessment ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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... Affecting nearly 16 million Americans, hearing loss may be temporary or permanent and partial or complete. This common symptom may involve reception of low-, middle-, or high-frequency tones. If the hearing loss doesn’t affect speech frequencies, the patient may be... History ... Physical assessment ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
... Otorrhea — drainage from the ear — may be bloody (otorrhagia), purulent, clear, or serosanguineous. Its onset, duration, and severity provide clues to the underlying cause. This sign may result from disorders that affect the external ear canal or the middle ear... History ... Physical assessment ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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... Can be causedby external or middle ear pathology or by referred pain from another source. According to Potsic (1997), 85% ofchildren with ear pain have infection; 7%, referred pain; 5%,middle ear effusion; and 3%, miscellaneous causes. ... Clinical Features and Diagnosis ... Diagnostic Approach ... References
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... Hearingis the perception and interpretation of sound. Because normal hearing is importantin development of language and social interaction, moderate-to-severehearing loss during first 3 yrs of life may seriously impair thisdevelopment. ... Principal Causes of Hearing Loss and Deafness ... Clinical Features and Diagnosis ... Diagnostic Approach ... Table 26.1. Indications of Possible Hearing Loss or Deafness ... References
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... Affecting nearly 16 million Americans, hearing loss may be temporary or permanent and partial or complete. This common symptom may involve reception of low-, middle-, or high-frequency tones. If the hearing loss doesn't affect speech frequencies,... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
... Otorrhea—drainage from the ear—may be bloody (otorrhagia), purulent, clear, or serosanguineous. Its onset, duration, and severity provide clues to the underlying cause. This sign may result from disorders that affect the external ear canal or the middle ear,... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching
... READ EXCERPTS »
... Earaches usually result from disorders of the external and middle ear associated with infection, obstruction, or trauma. Their severity ranges from a feeling of fullness or blockage to deep, boring pain. At times, it may be difficult to determine the precise location of the... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
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The analysis of earache is much like that of dysuria: It is anatomic, and
inflammation accounts for the vast majority of causes.
Thus, otitis externa would be like urethritis and otitis media like
cystitis, and so forth.
Like cystitis,... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
...
The differential diagnosis of a nonbloody discharge of the ear can best
be done by using anatomy. Visualize the components of the ear
apparatus. A discharge may arise from the external canal, the middle ear,
the mastoids... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
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