Your Hearing
Anatomy of the Ear
Our ears are among the most complex organs. The ear is composed of four general areas that pick up sound waves and translate them into sounds in our brain. Our ability – or lack thereof – to hear has an impact on all aspects of our lives.
Outer ear
The Concha captures sounds in the form of vibrations in the air. The vibrations are carried through the Ear Canal to the Tympanic Membrane, which vibrates and thereby passes the sound into the middle ear.
Middle ear
The three bones of the Hammer, Anvil and Stirrup are put into motion by the vibrations in the Tympanic Membrane and transmit the sound to the inner ear.
Inner ear
In the cochlea tiny hair cells convert the vibrations into nerve impulses.
Central auditory pathway
The nerve impulses are carried to brain by the Central Auditory Pathway. The brain recognizes the impulses as sounds.