Ears are a part of the body that people rarely give thought to when going about their daily lives. Ears, actually, are two of the most intricate organs of the human body with the ear being made up of many different very important parts. For the basics, there is the External Ear, the Middle Ear, and the Inner Ear. However, the ear is much more complex than that.
On the External part of the ear, there is the Antihelix which is the area of the outer ear and the Lobule is the bottom portion of the External Ear. The External Ear, or what some call the Outer Ear, there is an area that is called The Crest of Helix and is the side area of the outside of the ear. The inside of the ear is called the External Auditory Canal and is the area in which sound will travel from the outside of the ear to the middle of the ear.
The Tympanic membrane is found at the end of the External Ear Canal which is merely a thin layer of skin and is probably better known as the Eardrum. There are three little bones which are commonly referred to as the Anvil, Stirrup and the Hammer. These three little bones are connected to each other and together they are called the ossicular chain. The ossicular chain also enables people to hear sounds. Humans also have the Oval Window which is a small opening between the bones between the air filled portion of the middle ear and the fluid filled portion of the inner ear it is slightly encased by a very thin layer of skin.
Inside of the ear is the Cochlea which is the home for all of the organs needed for hearing. Research has discovered that for individuals that cannot hear doctors can use what is called “Cochlear Implant” and the success rate has been phenomenal and it is used quite often. The portion of the ear that adds balance to the inner ear is called the Semicircular Canal. Here is where you will find the Eighth Nerve which is what sends messages from the inner ear to the brain. There is a tube that connects the middle part of the ear to the back of the throat which remains closed until people cough or swallow which opens the Eustachian Tube to equalize any air inside the middle cavity of the ear.
