HEALTH ASSESSMENT ON EAR, NOSE AND THROAT
Critical Exercises 2
1. Identify the different structures of the ears, nose, and throat and their
functions
Structure of the Ears
External Ear
• Auricle (pinna)- is the portion of the external ear visible
without any tools. It is composed of a thin plate of yellow
elastic cartilage covered by tight-fitting skin and is shaped
with hollows, furrows, and ridges that form an irregular
funnel to conduct sound waves into the external auditory
canal.
• External auditory canal- is S shaped in the adult. The outer
part of the canal curves up and back; the inner part of the
canal curves down and forward.
Middle Ear
The middle ear, or tympanic cavity, is a small, air-filled
chamber in the temporal bone. It is separated from the
external ear by the tympanic membrane (eardrum) and from
the inner ear by a bony partition containing two openings,
the round and oval windows.
The tympanic membrane, or eardrum, has a translucent,
pearly gray appearance and serves as a partition stretched
across the inner end of the auditory canal, separating it from
middle ear.
Tympanic Membrane include:
- Handle and short process of malleus
- Umbo
- Cone of light
- Pars flaccida
- Pars tensa
The middle ear contains three auditory ossicles: the
malleus, incus and the stapes. These tiny bones are
, responsible for transmitting sound waves from the eardrum
to the inner ear through the oval window.
Inner Ear
The inner ear, or labyrinth, is fluid filled and made u of the
bony labyrinth and inner membranous labyrinth. The bony
labyrinth has three parts: the cochlea, vestibule and the
semicircular canals.
• Inner cochlear duct- contains the spiral organ of
Corti, which is the sensory organ for hearing.
• Sensory receptors- located in the vestibule and in
the membranous semicircular canals, sense position
and head movements to help maintain both static and
dynamic equilibrium.
• Vestibular Nerve- connects with the cochlear nerve
to form the eighth cranial nerve.
Structure of the Nose
• External Nose- consist of a bridge (upper portion), tip, and two
oval openings called nares.
• Nasal Cavity- located between the roof of the mouth and the
cranium. It extends from the anterior nares (nostrils) to the posterior
nares, which open into the nasopharynx.
• Nasal Septum- separates the cavity into two halves. Contains a
rich supply of blood vessels and is known as Kiesselbach area.
This is a common site for nasal bleeding.
• Superior, middle and inferior turbinates- are bony lobes,
sometimes called conchae, it increase the surface are that is
exposed to incoming air
• Meatus- underlies each turbinate and receives drainage from the
paranasal sinuses and the nasolacrimal duct.
Structure of the Throat
• Tonsils and adenoids- made up of lymph tissue. Tonsils are located at
the back and sides of the mouth and adenoids are located behind the
nose. They both help to fight infections.
• Pharynx- is the muscle-lined space that connects the nose and mouth to
the larynx and esophagus (eating tube).
• Larynx- also known as the voice box, the larynx is a cylindrical grouping
of cartilages, muscles and soft tissue that contains the vocal cords. The
Critical Exercises 2
1. Identify the different structures of the ears, nose, and throat and their
functions
Structure of the Ears
External Ear
• Auricle (pinna)- is the portion of the external ear visible
without any tools. It is composed of a thin plate of yellow
elastic cartilage covered by tight-fitting skin and is shaped
with hollows, furrows, and ridges that form an irregular
funnel to conduct sound waves into the external auditory
canal.
• External auditory canal- is S shaped in the adult. The outer
part of the canal curves up and back; the inner part of the
canal curves down and forward.
Middle Ear
The middle ear, or tympanic cavity, is a small, air-filled
chamber in the temporal bone. It is separated from the
external ear by the tympanic membrane (eardrum) and from
the inner ear by a bony partition containing two openings,
the round and oval windows.
The tympanic membrane, or eardrum, has a translucent,
pearly gray appearance and serves as a partition stretched
across the inner end of the auditory canal, separating it from
middle ear.
Tympanic Membrane include:
- Handle and short process of malleus
- Umbo
- Cone of light
- Pars flaccida
- Pars tensa
The middle ear contains three auditory ossicles: the
malleus, incus and the stapes. These tiny bones are
, responsible for transmitting sound waves from the eardrum
to the inner ear through the oval window.
Inner Ear
The inner ear, or labyrinth, is fluid filled and made u of the
bony labyrinth and inner membranous labyrinth. The bony
labyrinth has three parts: the cochlea, vestibule and the
semicircular canals.
• Inner cochlear duct- contains the spiral organ of
Corti, which is the sensory organ for hearing.
• Sensory receptors- located in the vestibule and in
the membranous semicircular canals, sense position
and head movements to help maintain both static and
dynamic equilibrium.
• Vestibular Nerve- connects with the cochlear nerve
to form the eighth cranial nerve.
Structure of the Nose
• External Nose- consist of a bridge (upper portion), tip, and two
oval openings called nares.
• Nasal Cavity- located between the roof of the mouth and the
cranium. It extends from the anterior nares (nostrils) to the posterior
nares, which open into the nasopharynx.
• Nasal Septum- separates the cavity into two halves. Contains a
rich supply of blood vessels and is known as Kiesselbach area.
This is a common site for nasal bleeding.
• Superior, middle and inferior turbinates- are bony lobes,
sometimes called conchae, it increase the surface are that is
exposed to incoming air
• Meatus- underlies each turbinate and receives drainage from the
paranasal sinuses and the nasolacrimal duct.
Structure of the Throat
• Tonsils and adenoids- made up of lymph tissue. Tonsils are located at
the back and sides of the mouth and adenoids are located behind the
nose. They both help to fight infections.
• Pharynx- is the muscle-lined space that connects the nose and mouth to
the larynx and esophagus (eating tube).
• Larynx- also known as the voice box, the larynx is a cylindrical grouping
of cartilages, muscles and soft tissue that contains the vocal cords. The
