Ear structures and function
eardrum (tympanic membrane)
; a thin membrane that vibrates when sound waves reach it
ear ossicles
made up of three main bones in the middle ear known at the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil) and stapes (stirrup)
sensorineural hearing loss
occurs when there is damage to the cochlea or nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. CANNOT be medically or surigically corrected. the most common type is permanent hearing loss.
outer ear canal
the tube through which sound travels to the eardrum
semicircular canals
three loops of fluid filled tubes that are attached to the cochlea in the inner ear. they help us to maintain our sense of balance.
pinna (auricle)
visible part of the outer ear, collects sound and directs it into the outer ear canal
conductive hearing loss
when sound is not conducted efficiently through the outer ear canal through the eardrum and the ossicles of the middle ear. Involves a reduction in sound level or ability to hear faint sounds. this type of loss can be medically or surgically corrected.
round window
situated just below the oval window that acts like a piston to transfer the vibration from the oval window to the fluid in the inner ear
oval window
small thin membranes situated between the middle ear and the inner ear that receives vibrations from the tympanic membrane via the ossicles
auditory nerve
a bundle of nerve fibers bound together that send electrical signals to the brain to be interpreted
eustachian tubes
a long narrow tube that opens in the middle ear which leads to the pharynx . Equalizes the pressure between the outer and inner ear
cochlea
a spiral shaped fluid filled inner ear structure; it is lined with cilia (tiny hairs) that move when vibrated and cause a nerve impulse to form
stirrup (stapes)
a tiny U shaped bone that passes vibrations from the stirrup (stapes) to the cochlea . this is the smallest bone in the human body
hammer (malleus)
a tiny bone that passes vibrations from the eardrum to the anvil
anvil (incus)
a tiny bone that passes vibrations from the hammer(malleus) to the stirrup (stapes)