THIS IS YOUR EAR
The way it is structured to allow us to hear is a bit complicated, but in a nutshell:
Sound waves enter the outer ear and travel through the external auditory canal to the tympanic membrane (ear drum).Â
The incoming sound waves then cause the tympanic membrane to vibrate. These vibrations are sent to three tiny bones in the middle ear- the malleus, incus and stapes- which amplify the sound and send it to the cochlea. The cochlea is a snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that is filled with fluid. It is here where the sound vibrations get converted from mechanical energy into nerve impulses sent to the brain via the cochlear, or auditory, nerve.
(NIDCD, 2018)
HEARING LOSS
There are two main types: conductive and sensorineural.
A conductive hearing loss is due to damage to the outer or middle ear. This prevents sounds from ever reaching the inner ear. Some causes of this type of hearing loss include; ear infections, tumors, object obstructions, fluid or wax build up, etc. Conductive hearing losses may be treated with medicine or surgery.
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A sensorineural hearing loss is due to damage either to the inner ear or the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. Causes may include; genetics, aging, drugs, illnesses, etc. or it could be a noise-induced hearing loss. Usually, medicine and surgery cannot fix a sensorineural hearing loss, but hearing aids may help.
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(Schow & Nerbonne, 2018)