Ear MI

Pinna

The curved flap of cartilage that captures sound waves and helps determine sound direction.

External Auditory Meatus

The tube that carries sound from the pinna to the eardrum and produces earwax.

Tympanic Membrane

Also known as the eardrum, it vibrates in response to sound and amplifies it.

Ossicles

Three tiny bones (malleus, incus, stapes) in the middle ear that amplify sound vibrations.

Malleus

Also known as the hammer, it strikes the incus when the tympanic membrane vibrates.

Incus

Also known as the anvil, it transmits vibrations from the malleus to the stapes.

Stapes

Also known as the stirrup, it increases pressure of sound vibrations before passing them to the cochlea.

Otosclerosis

An abnormal bone growth that fuses the stapes, preventing it from vibrating, leading to conductive hearing loss.

Cochlea

A fluid-filled snail-shaped structure that converts sound vibrations into electrical signals.

Semicircular Canals

Three fluid-filled loops that assist in balance by detecting head movement.

BPPV

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, caused by calcium crystals in the semicircular canals leading to dizziness.

Auditory Nerve

Also known as the vestibulocochlear nerve, it carries hearing signals from the cochlea to the brain.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Hearing loss due to blockage in the outer or middle ear, often fixable.

Sensorineural Loss

Hearing loss caused by damage to cochlear hair cells or the auditory nerve, often permanent.

Mixed Loss

Hearing loss that involves both conductive and sensorineural components.

Tinnitus

A ringing or buzzing sound in the ears that is a symptom of cochlear or neural damage.