The human ear does a lot more than merely allow you to hear clearly. Each ear is part of a larger system that helps maintain equilibrium and stability. Men’s ears are normally larger than women’s, but they vary in different forms and sizes and serve the same tasks. So, how many bones do you think are in a human ear?
The human ear is made up of three bones called ossicles. The incus, stapes, and malleus are the names of the three ossicles, which are named for their shapes. The anvil, stirrup, and hammer are other names commonly given to them.
To generate sound, the ossicle bones are all joined together. These 3 bones vibrate and transfer sound to the inner ear in harmony. The bones generate fluid membrane waves to transform the compression sound waves of the eardrum.
The 3 Ear Bones Explained
The Incus
The incus, malleus, and stapes are the three bones that make up the middle ear. The ossicles are made up of all three bones together. After passing from the external ear, via the inner ear, and beyond the eardrum, sound waves cause movement in these bones.
The vibrations then go to the cochlea, where they are converted into central nervous impulses and relayed to the brain. The incus connects the malleus towards the stapes and is located in the centre of the ossicles. The bone is formed like an anvil, which is why it is commonly referred to as “the anvil.”
There are several main zones on the bone. The tip of one of its faces makes a junction with the malleus ossicle. The shorter and longer crus are the 2 expansions of the incus. The lenticular process, a hooked portion of the incus that creates a junction with the top of the stapes, is found at the back of the long crus. The ossicles are housed in the middle ear canal, and the short crus joins to the rear wall. The body refers to the middle of the incus.
The Stapes
The smallest bone in the human body is the stapes. Because it impacts the incus, the malleus is frequently compared as a hammer. After that, the vibrations pass through the stapes. Because of its semi – circle shape, the stapes can be likened to a tuning fork. In Latin, the term means “stirrup.”
The two divisions of the stapes transmit sound waves to the flat bottom of the bone. The vibrations then pass into the inner ear, where they will be converted into neuronal information and then sent to the brain through the cochlear and auditory nerves. A human’s capacity to hear may be impaired if the stapes is destroyed, such as by severe head injuries.
The Malleus
The malleus is the biggest and outermost of the three tiny bones found in the middle ear, measuring around 8 millimetres in diameter in an adult person. Because it is a hammer-shaped ossicle or tiny bone that is linked to the ear, it is known as a hammer unofficially. It is made up of the skull, neck, anterior, lateral, and manubrium processes.
The malleus sends sound waves from the eardrum towards the incus, and from there to the stapes, which would be linked to the circular aperture, when audio enters the tympanic membrane (eardrum). The malleus is doubtful to be the source of hearing problems since it is directly related to the eardrum.
The ossicular link (malleus, incus, and stapes) is frequently damaged by aberrant tissue development in instances of atticoantral disease, an inflammatory illness of the eardrum. This can result in hearing problems. To eliminate all of the cholesteatomas, the malleus and/or inner ear may need to be removed. In situations such as these, a further operation for restoration may be required.
What are the 3 parts of the ear?
To make things easier to understand and identify, the ear is often broken down into 3 sections; the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. Here’s what happens in each of these parts:
The Outer Ear
An ear canal coated with hairs and pores that create wax can be found in the outer ear. This portion of the ear protects the eardrum while also channelling sound. The auricle, also known as the pinna, is the most visible component of the outer ear and is what most people think of when they say “ear.”
The Middle Ear
The middle ear is where you’ll find the three bones mentioned above; the malleus, the incus, and the stapes. The middle ear is significant because it has multiple air pockets via which diseases can spread.
The Eustachian tube, which equalises air pressure between both the inner and outer sides of the tympanic membrane, is likewise located here (eardrum).
The Inner Ear
The inner ear, commonly known as the labyrinth, controls bodily balance and houses the hearing organ. A sophisticated system of membrane cells is housed within a bone casing. Because of its complicated shape, the inner ear is known as the labyrinth.
The brittle labyrinth and the membranous labyrinth are the 2 main parts of the inner ear. The hearing organ, the cochlea, is found inside the inner ear. The cochlea is composed of three liquid chambers that coil around a bony center that houses the cochlear canal, a central tube. The major hearing function, the spiral-shaped Corti organ, is located within the cochlear duct.
Can You Break Your Ear?
The skull bones can be fractured (broken) as well as the eardrum torn by a direct impact to the ear or a serious head injury from something like an automobile accident. The pinna and external ear channel have been subjected to direct damage.The eardrum can be torn by a smack on the head with an outstretched palm or even other actions that put a lot of pressure on the ear.