The ear is, of course, the organ that conducts hearing; however, as mammals, we also use our ears for balance. The ear consists of three major parts: the outer ear, which is the part we can see; the middle ear, which transfers sound waves from the ear drum; and the inner ear, which sends vibrations to the brain to be interpreted as sound. The relationship between the ears and the brain is what causes us to perceive sound and sense balance.
Ear Surgery
Ear surgery is performed to treat diseases, injuries and deformations of the ear. There are many types of ear surgeries because there are many problems that can affect the ear. Common ear surgeries include stapedotomy to treat hearing loss, myringoplasty or tympanoplasty to reconstruct damaged eardrums, mastoidectomy to eliminate disease or infection, ear tube surgery,…
Hearing Loss
More than 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. There are three major types of hearing loss, but every individual’s experience is affected by different factors, such as genetics, age and exposure to noise. The three types of hearing loss are conductive, sensorineural and mixed. Conductive hearing loss is maybe due to problems…
Hearing Aids
On average, adults wait seven years before they seek help for their hearing loss. In most cases, hearing aids can be a solution to improve symptoms. Hearing aids are electronic devices that bring sound into the ear and amplify it to a level that the damaged ear can recognize. Though there may be differences in…
Ear Infections
Ear infections can occur when fluid becomes trapped in the middle ear behind the eardrum. They usually occur during or after a cold, infection or allergic reaction when the immune system is compromised. Ear infections can be acute (painful but short in duration) or chronic (recurring infections or a single infection that does not heal).…
Other Ear Conditions
Earwax Removal Earwax, also called cerumen, is produced by glands in the ears to clean, lubricate and protect the ears from bacteria. It is important that the ear produces earwax, but sometimes it produces too much. When this happens, people sometimes stick foreign objects like cotton swabs or bobby pins into the ear canal to…