The outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, and the brain’s central auditory pathways are the four components that make up the hearing system.
- The pinna, which is visible, and the ear canal make up the outer ear. The pinna collects sound and channels it into the ear canal.
- The eardrum and three tiny bones make up the middle ear. The eardrum is a thin membrane that lines the ear canal’s interior. The three tiny bones of the malleus, incus, and stapes move when the eardrum vibrates due to sound. The oval window, which is the membrane that separates the middle and inner ear, is then connected to the stapes bone.
- Inner ear structures include the cochlea and semicircular canals. Hearing is controlled by the cochlea, and balance is controlled by the semicircular canals. The cochlea is a bony structure that looks like a snail’s shell. It is filled with fluid and has thousands of tiny hair cells. The stapes on the oval window move, which causes the fluid in the cochlea to move. The tiny hair cells bend as a result of the fluid movement. The hearing nerve, which transports sound to the brain, is stimulated when hair cells bend.