Ear & Hearing

Hearing, or Auditory Perception, is the ability to perceive sounds by detecting vibrations, changes in the pressure of the surrounding medium through time, through an organ such as the ear. The academic field concerned with hearing is auditory science.

How Do We Hear

Human Ear is Divided into Three Parts-

Outer Ear- It Comprises of Pinna (Auricle) and Ear Canal (External Auditory Canal)

Role of Outer Ear in Hearing

Sound Enters through Auricle and passes via the ‘S Shaped’ Ear canal and Hit the Tympanic Membrane and sets TM into Vibration

Middle ear - It comprises of Ear Drum (Tympanic Membrane), Ossicular Chain (Malleus, Incus and Stapes), Eustachian Tube (Connects Middle ear to Naspharynx).

Role of Middle Ear in Hearing

Vibrating Ear Drum transfers this Vibration to the Ossicular Chain which is connected to the Inner Ear (Cochlea)

Inner Ear- it comprises of Fluid Filled Cochlea (Responsible for changing Acoustic Vibrations received from Outer and Middle ear to Electrical Energy) and Vesibular System (Responsible for Balance). This converted Electrical energy is taken to the Central Audiotory System in the Brain Via VIIIth Cranial Nerve i.e Vestibulo-Cochlear Nerve or called as Auditory Nerve

Role of Inner Ear in Hearing

Vibration from Ossiciular Chain transferred to the fluid filled Cochlea. Then this vibration is carried over to thousands of tiny HAIR CELLS (Outer and Inner Hair Cells).

The movement of the Cochlear Fluids vibrates these Tiny Hair Cells and this in turn releases the Neurotransmitter material and this is picked up by the Auditory Nerve and the Signal is Carried to the Brain via the Auditory Nerve, which turns it to the sound that we Recognize and Understand.

“SO ITS THE BRAIN WHICH HELPS IN UNDERSTANDING OF SPEECH SOUNDS NOT THE EAR”