By printing and/or reading this article, you agree that you accept all terms and conditions of use, as specified online.
The ability to hear is something we may take for granted. But our ability to listen to, enjoy and comprehend the sounds around us is nothing to take lightly. Hearing actually depends on a complex series of events. Basically, sound waves in the air translate into electrical impulses, which are carried to the brain along the auditory nerve. (Read about "The Brain" "Nervous System")
Here's what happens, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD):
First, sound enters the ear, which consists of three major parts: the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. Sound waves enter the outer ear and travel through the ear canal to the eardrum. The eardrum vibrates from the incoming sound waves and transmits these vibrations through three tiny bones called the ossicles (the malleus, incus and stapes) in the middle ear. These tiny bones amplify the sound and send it to the inner ear and into the fluid-filled hearing organ called the cochlea. Here, the vibrations create ripples in the fluid that bend projections from tiny hair cells in the cochlea, causing electrical impulses that the auditory nerve or eighth cranial nerve, sends to the brain. The brain then translates these impulses into what we experience as sound.
Because of the complexity of both our ears and the process that leads to hearing and comprehension, many things can go wrong. The following links will take you to some of the more common problems that affect our sense of hearing.
Acoustic neuroma: see Balance Disorders Balance disorders: see Balance Disorders Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: see Balance Disorders Earache: see Earache Glossary: see Speech/Hearing/Smell/Taste Glossary Hearing loss: see Hearing Loss Hearing aids: see Hearing Loss Labyrinthitis see Balance Disorders Ménière's Disease see Balance Disorders Meningitis: see Encephalitis & Meningitis Noise and hearing: see Noise and Hearing Otitis externa: see Otitis Externa Otitis media: see Otitis Media Otosclerosis: see Hearing Loss Presbycusis: see Hearing Loss Rubella: see Childhood Illnesses Ruptured eardrum: see Ruptured Eardrum Tinnitus: see Tinnitus Turner syndrome: see Turner Syndrome Usher syndrome: see Usher Syndrome Vertigo see Balance Disorders Vestibular schwannoma see Balance Disorders |
All Concept Communications material is provided for information only and is neither advice nor a substitute for proper medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional who understands your particular history for individual concerns.
© Concept Communications Media Group LLC
Online health topics reviewed/modified in 2023 | Terms of Use/Privacy Policy
By printing and/or reading this article, you agree that you accept all terms and conditions of use, as specified online.