About the ears and hearing

The ear is divided into three distinct sections: the inner ear, the middle ear, and the outer ear. Working together, these sections enable us to hear by capturing sound waves and sending them to the brain as electrical nerve impulses. The brain then converts and translates these impulses into sound.

The outer and middle ear
The outer ear captures sounds with the ear flap and funnels them down the ear canal to the eardrum in the middle ear. The eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane, is a very thin membrane that reacts to the sound waves by vibrating. The vibrations of the eardrum are picked up by three tiny bones known as the malleus, incus, and stapes. These bones tranport the vibrations to the cochlea, which is part of the inner ear.

The inner ear
The cochlea is a fluid-containing chamber shaped like a snail shell. The vibrations it picks up stimulate thousands of tiny hair cells. When these cells move, they create electrical impulses that are transmitted to the brain by the auditory nerve. The brain interprets these impulses into the sounds we know and understand.

Pressure
The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat and acts as a pressure equalizer. If the eardrum has pressure on either side of it, it cannot vibrate effectively and you can’t hear very well. The eustachian tube alleviates the pressure by opening up when you yawn or swallow.

Balance
Another important function of the ear has to do with balance. Inside the inner ear, is the vestibular labyrinth. It consists of three semicircular tubes that give us our sense of balance.