INTRODUCTION:
It is also known as Acoustica-vestibular-apparatus.
It is an organ of hearing and balancing in both static and kinetic conditions.
It consists of three parts:
It is an organ of hearing and balancing in both static and kinetic conditions.
It consists of three parts:
1. External Ear.
2. Middle Ear.
3. Internal Ear.
1. EXTERNAL EAR:
It is consist of:- Pinna or auricle- It is the outer part of the ear.
- External auditory canal or tube: It is the tube that connects the outer ear to the middle ear.
- Tympanic membrane (eardrum)- It is a thin transparent membrane that divides the external ear from the middle ear.
2. MIDDLE EAR:
It is consist of:
a. Ossicles:
Ossicles are the small bones that are
connected and transmit the sound waves to the inner ear. They are:
- Malleus.
- Incus.
- Stapes.
b. Eustachian tube:
- It is the canal that links the middle ear with the back of the nose.
- It helps to equalize the pressure in the middle ear that is essential for the proper transfer of sound waves.
- It is lined with mucous, just like the inside of the nose and throat.
3. INNER EAR:
The inner ear lies within the temporal
bone in a complex cavity called the bony labyrinth. It is consists of:
- Cochlea- It is responsible for the sense of hearing.
- Vestibule- It contains receptors for balance.
- Semicircular canals- It is the organ responsible for dynamic balance.