1. Medical Careers Eden Area ROP
Special Senses
Medical Careers
Eden Area ROP

2. The 5 Special Senses
Sight
Hearing
Taste
Smell
Touch

3. Knowledge of the environment requires 3 factors:
The sense organ to perceive (nose, eye, etc.)
Intact cranial nerve to transmit message
Functioning area of the brain to receive stimulus
Stimulus: anything the body is able to detect by means of its receptors
Receptors: the peripheral nerve endings of sensory nerves that respond to stimulus

4. Types of receptors
Chemoreceptors: detect chemical changes (smell, taste)
Mechanoreceptors: detect touch, vibrations (sound)
Photoreceptors: detect light (sight)
Thermoreceptors: detect changes in temperature (heat/cold)
Nociceptors: detect pain

5. The Eye

6. The Eye

7. Conditions Myopia: nearsightedness; difficulty with distance vision
Hyperopia: farsightedness; difficulty with near vision
Presbyopia: “old eye” increase in farsightedness and loss of elasticity needed for accommodation due to aging.
Astigmatism: uneven curvature of cornea or lens causing a scattering of light rays

8. Conjunctivitis “pink eye”
Inflammation of the conjunctiva caused by a bacteria.

9. Cataract
Lens loses transparency and becomes cloudy due to changes in the proteins.

10. Glaucoma
Increase of intraocular pressure due to a build up of aqueous humor.

11. The Ear Responsible for hearing and equilibrium (balance)
Divided into 3 parts:
External ear
Middle ear
Inner ear

12. The Ear

13. Conditions
Otitis Media: middle ear infection; usually caused by bacteria
External otitis: outer ear infection
Also called “swimmers ear”
Buildup of fluid and inflammation of tympanic membrane

14. The Tongue Over 10,000 taste buds are special receptors for taste.
There are four basic flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter

15. The Nose
Olfactory receptors in nasal cavity recognize different smells
Olfactory nerve sends message to brain

16. The Skin
The most common receptors in the skin detect: heat, cold, pain and pressure

17. Abbreviations HEENT: head, eyes, ears, nose & throat
gtt, gtts: drop, drops
OD: right eye
OS: left eye
OU: both eyes
AD: right ear
AS: left ear
AU: both ears
PERRLA: pupils equal, round and reactive to light and accommodation