Glossary of Terms

  • ACETIC ACID: Mild acid, also known as vinegar
  • ACIDIC: An acid pH
  • ACUTE: A current process
  • ACUTE OTITIS MEDIA: An Ear infection of short duration
  • ADHESIVE OTITIS: Severely retracted ear drum
  • ADENOIDS: Lymphoid tissue in the nasopharynx (Back of the nose)
  • AILMENT: An illness
  • ALLERGIES: A person’s reaction to a foreign substance
  • ANTIBIOTIC: Medication used to kill bacterial infections
  • ANTIFUNGAL: Medication used to kill fungal infections
  • ANTIHISTAMINE: Medication used to block allergic reactions
  • ASPERGILLUS NIGER: A black type of fungus commonly seen in the ear
  • BACTERIA: Micro-organism which causes infections
  • BAROTITIS: Blocked ear, seen after flying or scuba diving
  • BASILAR SKULL FRACTURE: Fracture through the base of skull
  • BATTLE’S SIGN:Bruising of the skin behind the ear, seen with base of skull fractures
  • BORIC ACID: A mild acid
  • BULLOUS MYRINGITIS: Infection of the ear drum, which produces blisters
  • CERUMEN: Ear wax
  • CHOLESTEATOMA: Sack like growth in the ear
  • CHRONIC: Long standing problem
  • CHRONIC OTITIS MEDIA: Draining ear for a long period of time
  • CHRONIC SUPPURATIVE OTITIS MEDIA: Infected, draining ear, same as Chronic Otitis Media
  • COCHLEAR IMPLANT: Electronic hearing device implanted in the ear
  • COMPLIANCE: The flexibility of an object (ear drum) to pressure
  • CONDUCTIVE HEARING LOSS: Hearing loss caused by the blockage of the sound waves.
  • CONGENITAL: A problem present from birth
  • DEBRIS: Collection of discarded material
  • DECIBEL: Unit of measurement of sound
  • DECONGESTANT: Medication used to dry up the nose
  • DERMATITIS: Inflammation of the skin
  • DIABETES: A disease in which glucose (sugar) is not utilized correctly
  • DEXAMETHASONE: A steroid used to decrease swelling and inflammation
  • EUSTACHIAN TUBE: Tube which runs from the middle ear to the back of the nose
  • ENT: Abbreviation for Ears, Nose and Throat
  • EXTERNAL OTITIS: Infection of the outer ear
  • GLUE EAR: Thick fluid in the middle ear
  • GRANULATION TISSUE: Reddish tissue which develops after chronic infection
  • HEMATOMA: A bruise with a collection of blood
  • HEMOTYMPANUM: Blood behind the ear drum
  • IMMOBILE: Decreased or absent movement
  • INCUS: Small bone in the middle ear
  • INFECTION: Inflammation caused by bacteria, virus or fungus
  • INTRAVENOUS: To put drugs directly into the vein
  • LABYRINTH: The balance portion of the inner ear
  • LYMPHOID: Tissue which helps to fight off infection
  • MALLEUS: Small bone in the middle ear
  • MASTOIDECTOMY: An operation on the mastoid air cells
  • MIDDLE EAR BONES: Malleus, incus, stapes, also called the Ossicles
  • MIXED HEARING LOSS: A combination of conductive hearing loss and neurosensory loss
  • NEUROSENSORY: Refers to the nerves involved with hearing
  • NEUROSENSORY HEARING LOSS: Hearing loss due to nerve damage
  • NYSTAGMUS:Side to side movement of the eyes causing dizziness sensation
  • OTOSCLEROSIS: Ear Disease which causes hearing loss
  • OTOSCOPE: Instrument used to look into the ear
  • OSSICLES: Bones of the middle ear; malleus, incus and stapes
  • P.E. TUBE: Pneumatic Equalizing tubes, ear tubes
  • PERFORATION: A hole
  • PHYSICIAN: A doctor
  • PNEUMATIC EQUALIZING TUBE: Middle ear ventilation tubes
  • PROSTHESIS: An artificial device used to replace a missing part of the body
  • PSORIASIS: A scaly skin condition
  • PURULENT: Greenish or yellow drainage from a bacterial infection
  • PUS: The same as purulent, drainage of infection
  • ROUND WINDOW: A membrane covered opening into the inner ear
  • SINUSITIS: Infection of the sinuses
  • SENSORY NEURAL HEARING LOSS:Loss due to nerve damage. Same as neurosensory hearing loss
  • SEROUS OTITIS MEDIA: Fluid in the ears
  • STAPEDECTOMY: An operation on the stapes bone
  • STAPES: A small bone in the middle ear
  • STEROIDS: Medication used to decrease swelling and allergic reactions
  • SYMPTOM: Ailment
  • TOYNBEE MANEUVER: Method of popping the ears
  • TRAVELER’S EAR: Fluid in the ear after flying
  • TYMPANIC MEMBRANE: Ear drum
  • TYMPANOGRAM: Graph of middle ear pressure
  • TYMPANOPLASTY: Operation to correct an eardrum perforation
  • TYMPANOMETRY: Measurement of pressure in the ear
  • VALSALVA MANEUVER: Method of popping the ears
  • VENTILATION TUBE: Small tube put through the ear drum
  • VERTIGO: Dizziness, a spinning sensation