Ear Flashcards
Hearing (Audition)
Detecting sound waves and converting them to nerve impulses
Equilibrium (Balance)
Detect position of our head and make positional adjustments as necessary
Auricle (Pinna)
Outer mass of tissue
Auricle Function
Collects sound waves and directs them into the auditory canal
External Acoustic Meatus Location
Between auricle and tympanic membrane
External Acoustic Meatus Function
Directs sound waves to tympanic membrane
Tympanic Membrane Function
Moves/Vibrates auditory ossicles when sounds vibrate the Tympanic Membrane
Lateral (External) Boundary is the..
Tympanic Membrane
Medial (Internal) boundary is..
Oval window and Round Window of Inner ear
Auditory Ossicles
Malleus
Incus
Stapes
Malleus
Looks like a hammer
Incus
Looks like an anvil
Stapes
Looks like a stirrup
Connects with oval window of the inner ear
Oval Window
This is where sound waves are transmitted to the inner ear
Auditory (Eustachian) Tube
Connects middle ear with the nasopharynx
Auditory (Eustachian) Tube Function
Equalize air pressure in the middle ear
When an airplane descends to a lower altitude, you may feel greater pressure in your ears, followed by a ‘popping’ sensation, before more normal pressure resumes.
Nasopharynx is open, causing eustachion tubes to move and air to move around
Otitis Media (Middle ear Infection)
Infection from the throat that moves to the middle ear via the auditory tube. The middle ear fills with fluid/pus
External Ear
Auricle
External Acoustic Meatus
Tympanic Membrane
Middle Ear
Malleus
Incus
Stapes
Auditory Tube
Inner Ear
Vestibule Semicircular Canals Cochlea Utricle Saccule Semicircular Ducts Cochlear Ducts
Bony Labyrinth
Spaces/Cavities inside temporal bone