The ossicles are the bones in the ears that allow us to hear. They are, by far, the smallest bones in the body. All three of the ossicles fit into a cavity in the skull about the size of a dime. The ossicles transmit sound between the external and...
Hearing is a complicated process involving many different structures, both mechanical and electrical. The human ear is divided into three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The three smallest bones in the body are found in the...
The smallest bones in the human body are the middle ear bones. There are three tiny bones that stretch across the middle ear. They are the malleus, incus and stapes. They're also called ossicles. Only one bone is seen in birds, amphibians and...
The ear has three sections: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. Within the middle ear are three tiny bones called the ossicles, which are held in place by two minute muscles. The three middle ear bones--the malleus, incus and stapes--...
The human ear has two different functions--to hear and to keep the body balanced. The ear is made up of three different sections including the inner ear, middle ear and outer ear. The middle ear section, located in an opening in the temporal bone...
The human body has 206 bones ranging in size from the femur, the longest, to the stapes, the smallest. Bones are differentiated as long, short, flat or irregular. Bones are made of layers--the periosteum, or outer surface, and the compact bone...
The ear is comprised of three sections: the outer, middle and inner ear. The outer ear captures sound and funnels it to the middle ear. The ear drum (or tympanic membrane) separates the outer ear from the middle ear. The middle ear contains...
Only the external portion of your ears are visible, but in total there are three sections--the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear--that work together to make sense of the sounds you hear. The ear is responsible not only for your ability to hear,...
Ear wax production is one of our body's natural processes. It is used to clean and protect the ear canal from debris and provides natural waterproofing. Your genetic makeup will determine the type of wax you produce as well as the quantity. Its...
The disease otosclerosis involves the abnormal growth of bones within the ear. The increase in bone mass disrupts the normal hearing process and can cause hearing loss over time. Estrogen, a sex hormone, helps regulate the formation and...
The ear is an anatomical organ that receives and detects sounds and plays an integral role in balance and body position. Vertebrates have a pair of ears placed symmetrically, on opposite sides of the face, allowing sources of sounds to be...
When your infant wakes up from the slightest squeak of your rocking chair, you can thank his middle ear for his quick reaction to sound. Although the ear seems like a relatively simple body part, a complex system actually lies behind the floppy...
Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is also referred to as sensorineural hearing loss. It happens in response to loud noise. It can occur suddenly or over time. Researchers now believe that the body forms free radicals in response to noise. Free...
