ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF

THE EAR

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 Main Components of the
Hearing Mechanism:
 Outer Ear
 Middle Ear
 Inner Ear
 Central Auditory Nervous System

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Structures of the Outer Ear
 Auricle (Pinna)
– Collects sound
– Localization
– Amplifies sound
(approx. 5-6 dB)

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External Auditory Canal:
 Approx. 1 inch in
length
 “S” shaped
 Lined with cerumen
glands
 Outer 1/3 surrounded
by cartilage
 Inner 2/3’s surrounded
by mastoid bone

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 Mastoid Process
 Bony ridge behind the
auricle
 Provides support to
the external ear and
posterior wall of the
middle ear cavity

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Tympanic Membrane:
 Thin membrane
 Forms boundary
between outer and
middle ear
 Vibrates in response to
sound
 Changes acoustical
energy into mechanical
energy

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 The Ossicles:
 A: Malleus
 B: Incus
 C: Stapes
– Smallest bones in the body
– Acts as a lever system
– Footplate of stapes enters oval
window of the cochlea
 Stapedius Muscle
– Connects stapes to wall of middle
ear
– Contracts in response to loud
sounds (called the Acoustic Reflex)

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 Eustachian Tube
(AKA: “The Equalizer”)
 Lined with mucous
membrane
 Connects middle ear
to nasopharynx
 “Equalizes” air
pressure

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 Structures of the Inner Ear
 Cochlea
– Snail shaped organ with a
series of fluid-filled tunnels
– Converts mechanical energy
to electrical energy

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 Hair Cells:
 Frequency specific
– High pitches= base of
cochlea
– Low pitches= apex of
cochlea

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Vestibular System
 Consists of three semi-
circular canals
 Shares fluid with the
cochlea
 Controls balance

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 Central Auditory System
 VIIIth Cranial nerve or “Auditory Nerve”
– Carries signals from cochlea to brain
 Auditory Cortex
– Temporal lobe of the brain where sound is
perceived and analyzed

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 How Sound Travels Through
The Ear...
1. Acoustic energy, in the form of sound waves, is channeled into the ear canal by
the pinna
2. Sound waves hit the tympanic membrane and cause it to vibrate, like a drum,
changing it into mechanical energy
3. The malleus, which is attached to the tympanic membrane, starts the ossicles into
motion
4. The stapes moves in and out of the oval window of the cochlea creating a fluid
motion
5. The fluid movement causes membranes in the Organ of Corti to shear against
the hair cells
6. This creates an electrical signal which is sent up the Auditory Nerve to the brain
The brain interprets it as sound!

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EXTERNAL EAR
DEFORMITIES

OTALGIA

FOREIGNBODIES IN THEEAR

TUMOUR

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