A Hearing Center Adventure - Explorations of the Ear

Aug 9
08:23

2012

Andrea Avery

Andrea Avery

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Have you ever considered how many tiny parts need to work together in order for you to hear a single sound? At a hearing center, you'll explore charts and information on how your ear works, and how you can hear better.

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If you've ever visited a hearing center,A Hearing Center Adventure - Explorations of the Ear Articles you've probably seen scores of different charts featuring the various parts of the ear. Have you ever wondered how all those little parts are used to allow sounds from the outside to be interpreted by your intelligent brain on the inside? The Parts of the Ear The ear is an amazing and complicated organ. It allows us to experience the world through the sounds that we hear every day. Waking up to the singing of birds, hearing the noise of city traffic as we drive to work, listening to our boss lay out plans for a new project during the morning meeting, and communicating with coworkers as we pass in the hall. All these everyday activities would be impossible if it weren't for our ears. Three major sections comprise the ear - the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. We see most of the outer ear. The part that we can see on the side of our head is known as the pinna or auricle in technical medical terminology. The ear canal connects the pinna to the eardrum. These three (pinna, ear canal, and eardrum) are the three main parts of the outer ear. The middle ear contains three tiny bones - the malleus, the incus, and the stapes. Those of us who aren't medically inclined may also refer to them as the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup, for these are the shapes they resemble! Finally, the inner ear, also known as the cochlea, is the primary hearing part of the ear. You may see a detailed chart of the cochlea when you visit the hearing center. It is filled with fluid and covered with small hairs called cilia. So, What Do These Parts Do? The outer ear's shape and size is perfect for collecting sounds. As you've probably experienced, when you cup your hand around the back of the ear (extending its size), you'll notice that you can hear sounds even more loudly! So, the sound is collected by the pinna, travels down the ear canal, and hits the eardrum. As the eardrum vibrates, it turns those sound waves to energy. The bones of the middle ear also vibrate in response to the movement of the eardrum. When the oval "window" of the stapes (or the stirrup) vibrates, it causes the fluid in the inner ear to ripple - now the vibrations have traveled to the inner ear. The ripples within the inner ear (or cochlea) fluid bend the microscopic hairs. These hairs (also known as the cilia) provide the final step in hearing. As they vibrate, they stimulate the auditory nerve. These nerve impulses are then passed to the brain where they are translated into the sounds that we recognize. When Hearing Issues Arise The doctors at a hearing center have taken years to study the intricate workings of the ear and all its amazing parts. Their goal is to assist those who are experiencing hearing loss - finding the problem and offering solutions.

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