There are many diseases that signal their development with pain in the ears. To determine what specific disease has affected the organ of hearing, you need to understand how the human ear works.
Auditory organ diagram
First of all, let's understand what an ear is. This is an auditory-vestibular paired organ that performs only 2 functions: the perception of sound impulses and is responsible for the position of the human body in space, as well as for maintaining balance. If you look at a person's ear from the inside, its structure suggests the presence of 3 parts:
- external (external);
- medium;
- internal.
Each of them has its own equally intricate device. When connected, they form a long tube that penetrates into the depths of the head. Let's consider the structure and functions of the ear in more detail (the diagram of the human ear demonstrates them best of all).
What is the outer ear
The structure of the human ear (its outer part) is represented by 2 components:
- auricular conch;
- external ear canal.
The shell is an elastic cartilage that completely covers the skin. It has a complex shape. In its lower segment there is a lobe - this is a small skin fold filled with a fatty layer inside. By the way, it is the outer part that has the highest sensitivity to all sorts of injuries. For example, for fighters in the ring, it often has a very far from its original form.
The auricle serves as a kind of receiver for sound waves, which, falling into it, penetrate deep into the organ of hearing. Since it has a folded structure, the sound enters the passage with little distortion. The degree of error depends, in particular, on the place where the sound comes from. Its location can be horizontal or vertical.
It turns out that the brain receives more accurate information about where the sound source is located. So, it can be argued that the main function of the shell is to catch sounds that should enter the human ear.
If you look a little deeper, you can see that the shell is extended by the cartilage of the external ear canal. Its length is 25-30 mm. Further, the cartilage zone is replaced by the bone one. The outer ear completely lines the skin, which contains 2 types of glands:
- sulfuric;
- greasy.
The outer ear, the structure of which we have already described, is separated from the middle part of the ear through a membrane (also called the eardrum).
How the middle ear works
If we consider the middle ear, its anatomy is:
- tympanic cavity;
- eustachian tube;
- mastoid process.
They are all interconnected. The tympanic cavity is a space outlined by the membrane and the area of the inner ear. Its location is the temporal bone. The structure of the ear here looks like this: in the front part, there is a union of the tympanic cavity with the nasopharynx (the function of the connector is performed by the Eustachian tube), and in the back of it - with the mastoid process through the entrance to its cavity. There is air in the tympanic cavity, which enters there through the Eustachian tube.
The anatomy of a person's (child's) ear under 3 years old has a significant difference from how an adult's ear is arranged. Babies do not have a bony passage, and the mastoid process has not yet grown. The children's middle ear is represented by only one bony ring. Its inner edge is grooved. This is where the drum membrane is located. In the upper zones of the middle ear (where this ring is absent), the membrane is connected to the lower edge of the temporal bone scales.
When the baby reaches 3 years of age, the formation of his ear canal is completed - the structure of the ear becomes the same as in adults.
Anatomical features of the internal department
The inner ear is the most difficult part of it. Anatomy in this part is very complex, so it was given a second name - "membranous labyrinth of the ear." It is located in the stony area of the temporal bone. It is attached to the middle ear with windows - round and oval. Comprises:
- vestibule;
- snails with a Corti organ;
- semicircular canals (filled with liquid).
In addition, the inner ear, the structure of which provides for the presence of the vestibular system (apparatus), is responsible for the constant holding of a person's body in a state of balance, as well as for the possibility of acceleration in space. The vibrations that occur in the oval window are transmitted to the fluid that fills the semicircular canals. The latter serves as an irritant for the receptors located in the cochlea, and this already becomes the cause of the triggering of nerve impulses.
It should be noted that the vestibular apparatus has receptors in the form of hairs (stereocilia and kinocilia), which are located on special elevations - macula. These hairs are located one opposite the other. When displaced, stereocilia provoke the onset of excitement, and kinocilia help inhibition.
Let's summarize
In order to more accurately imagine the structure of the human ear, the diagram of the organ of hearing should be in front of your eyes. It usually depicts a detailed structure of the human ear.
Obviously, the human ear is a rather complex system, consisting of many different formations, and each of them performs a number of important and really irreplaceable functions. The ear diagram illustrates this clearly.
Regarding the device of the outer part of the ear, it should be noted that each person has individual, genetically determined, features that in no way affect the main function of the hearing organ.
Ears need regular hygienic care. If you neglect this need, you can partially or completely lose your hearing. Also, lack of hygiene can lead to the development of diseases affecting all parts of the ear.
