|
Anatomy of the
Ear
Your ear has three sections. These
are the Outer Ear, the Middle Ear, and the Inner Ear. These sections
work together to send sound signals to the brain.
The Outer Ear consists of a large
and visible flap of cartilage called the Auricle. The purpose of the
Auricle is to collect sound and funnel it into the Auditory Canal. The
Auditory Canal is the small opening we have at the bottom of the ear.
It directs sound down to the eardrum.
The Middle Ear begins at the
eardrum. The sound hits the eardrum and causes it to vibrate back and
forth. This vibration is transmitted to the bones in the Middle Ear.
These bones, called the Malleus, Incus, and Stapes, are the smallest
bones in the human body. The Malleus is directly attached to the
eardrum on one side and to the Incus on the other. The Incus connects
to the Stapes, which is responsible for sending the sound to the Inner
Ear.
The Inner Ear contains
"hair-like" fibers called cillia. These cillia are attached
to a membrane which moves, like an ocean wave, in response to the
vibration of the Stapes. As the membrane is moved by the sound
vibration, the cillia for those frequencies which make up the sound,
are activated. When the cillia are activated, an electrical signal is
sent to the brain telling it which frequencies are being heard.
Exposure to loud noise will
eventually cause the cillia wihin the Inner Ear to break off. Once
broken, they can not be repaired. When the cillia break off, the ear is
no longer aware of the sounds that those cillia would represent.
AUDIOLOGY SPECIALISTS, LLC
211 South Main Street
Laconia, New Hampshire 03246
(603)528-7700
(800)682-2338
info@audiologyspecialists.com
©Copyright 2005 Audiology
Specialists, LLC - All Rights Reserved
|
