Foundations and Adult Health Nursing Test Bank Related

Review Foundations and Adult Health Nursing Test Bank related questions and content

A patient presents with a sensation of fullness and pressure in the left ear, along with hearing loss and occasional tinnitus. Otoscopic examination reveals a retracted tympanic membrane with decreased mobility on pneumatic otoscopy. Which of the following conditions is most likely responsible for this presentation?

  • A. Acute otitis media
  • B. Otitis externa
  • C. Serous otitis media (otitis media with effusion)
  • D. Cholesteatoma
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The presentation described with a sensation of fullness and pressure in the left ear, along with hearing loss and occasional tinnitus, and the findings of a retracted tympanic membrane with decreased mobility on pneumatic otoscopy are most consistent with serous otitis media, also known as otitis media with effusion (OME). OME is characterized by the presence of non-infected fluid in the middle ear space, leading to symptoms such as ear fullness, hearing loss, and occasionally tinnitus.