How Does The Ear Work?
Your ears are what allow you to hear the world around you. They’re a dual organ that detects and processes sound waves. But how do they work exactly?
Understanding the different parts of the ear, how they help you maintain your sense of balance, and how they detect and analyze sound will give you a deeper understanding of how important your ears are and how hearing loss occurs.
This is the visible part of your ear, called the pinna. It’s where sound waves enter and are amplified. When sound waves are detected, they travel down the ear canal to the eardrum. The sound waves cause your eardrum to vibrate, and the vibrations continue to the next part of the ear.
Tiny bones called ossicles in this part of the ear help amplify the sound from the vibrations. There are three bones in the middle ear, and they’re named after their shapes.
- The malleus (hammer)
- The incus (anvil)
- The stapes (stirrup)
They are attached to an oval window that connects the middle and inner ear. Inside the middle ear are your hearing tubes, or eustachian tubes. These help equalize the pressure between the outside and the middle ear. They also drain fluid and protect your ear from viruses and bacteria, reducing your risk of infections.
Inside the inner ear is a snail-shaped organ called the cochlea, filled with fluid that responds to the vibrations from the oval window. There’s also the vestibular organ that handles your sense of balance. As sound waves pass through the inner ear and into the cochlea, the fluid moves and stimulates 25,000 nerve endings. These then turn the vibrations into electrical signals that travel along the auditory nerve to the brain, which interprets the signals. This final step is what gives you your sense of hearing.
The ears take in transmitting sound waves and transform them, allowing you to hear. But how do your ears know what sound is coming from the waves?
The pitch of the sound is crucial in its detection. Pitch is detected by the hair cells in the cochlea. High-pitched sounds are detected by hairs near the opening of the cochlea, while lower pitches are detected by hairs in the center of the cochlea. Pitch and loudness are different. The typical person can hear a range of decibels, between 250-6000 hertz. However, sounds between 2000-5000 hertz can cause hearing sensitivity or damage.
When sound enters the ear, these hairs are triggered by the incoming waves. Sounds that are too loud cause them to bend irreparably, causing permanent damage, which can cause hearing loss. If any part of the ear is damaged, the brain cannot correctly interpret the signals sent, which means you cannot hear them properly.
Issues with your ears can affect more than just your hearing. As the part of your body that houses your vestibular system, they are responsible for maintaining your sense of balance and even help with your spatial awareness.
Here are some common issues that can affect your ears:
- Ear infections develop due to bacteria or viruses becoming trapped in your middle or inner ear. They are usually treated with antibiotics though frequent infections can indicate other issues.
- Ruptured eardrums can occur for a variety of reasons. Trauma, loud noises, infections, or foreign objects in your ears can cause this hole in the tympanic membrane. While it can heal independently, surgery is sometimes necessary to repair the damage.
- Hearing loss can occur for various reasons, but the type of hearing loss depends on what part of the ear is affected. It can be caused by age or frequent exposure to loud noises. Certain medications or medical conditions can cause hearing loss as well. A build-up of ear wax can also affect your hearing.
There are Symptoms that May Indicate an Ear or Hearing Issue
Looking out for these warning signs can help you know when it’s time to consult a hearing care professional.
- Clogged ears
- Fullness in the ears
- Muffled sounds
- Pain in the ear
- Ringing in the ear (tinnitus)
- Nausea/vomiting
- Feeling unsteady
- Dizziness/lightheadedness
Your ears play an important role in processing the world around you. As one of your five senses, protecting your hearing is a vital part of taking care of your well-being. Making sure that you have and seeing a professional whenever issues arise can help keep your hearing in good condition.
If you find yourself struggling with hearing loss, the experts at Beltone DFW offer hearing care solutions across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We offer hearing tests and other services as well as a full range of hearing aids and accessories so you can restore your hearing.
