How We Hear

Your ear has three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.

The outer ear is the part of the ear you can see. The shape of your outer ear collects sound and helps you localize where it’s coming from.

Your middle ear is the space behind your eardrum and is where three bones called the ‘ossicles’ are located. These are the smallest bones in the body. The middle ear connects to your throat via the ‘eustachian tube’, which allows pressurization to equalize when you pop your ears as well as allows fluid to drain when needed. Ear infections can occur due to a buildup of fluid in this part of your ear.

The inner ear, called the ‘cochlea’, is a tiny snail-shaped and fluid-filled chamber that’s encased in skull bone. Here, the vibratory sound signal is converted into a neural signal and sent to your brain. The inner ear also has three fluid-filled chambers, called the ‘semi-circular canals’, which detect your movements and enable you to maintain your balance.