There are three main parts of your ear including the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. Your tympanic membrane (eardrum) separates your outer ear and middle ear.
The outer ear is the visible part of your ear which most people refer to as the “ear”. It consists of the pinna or auricle, funnel-shaped canal or external acoustic meatus which leads to your eardrum, or tympanic membrane.
The middle ear begins from the tympanic membrane other side including the ossicles and eustacian tubes. The ossicles is made up of three tiny bones, the malleus, incus and stapes, is responsible to transfer sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The eustacian tubes help equalize the air pressure in the ears.
Functions of the ear are
- Hearing
- Balance
- Cosmesis
- (Appearance)
Importance of Hearing
- Empower us and helps us lead our everyday lives without limitations.
- Enables us to socialize, work and communicate.
- Helps to stay connected to the outside world.
- Keep us safe by warning us of potential danger.
Hearing Loss Causes
External Ear
Middle Ear
External Ear
- Any obstruction in the ear canal, e.g. wax, foreign body, furuncle, acute inflammatory swelling, benign or malignant tumour or Trauma – blood clots, perforation of eardrum etc.
- Atresia of canal.
Middle Ear
- Perforation of Ear drum, Traumatic or infective.
- Fluid in the middle ear
- Mass in middle ear, e. g. benign or malignant tumour
- Disruption of ossicles, e,g. trauma to ossicular chain, chronic suppurative otitis media, cholesteatoma fixotion of ossicles, e.g. otosclerosis, tympanosclerosis, adhesive otitis media
- Eustachian tube blockage, e.g. retracted tympanic membrane , serous otitis media
Care of the Ear
The ear is actually SELF-CLEANING and most people ear canals do not need to be cleaned. The ear canal makes ear wax to protect the ear.
Ear wax actually plays a number of very important roles including:
- It protects the ear canal skin.
- It assists in cleaning and lubrication.
- Provides protection from bacteria, fungi, insects and water.
Keep your ears dry; use cotton wool to plug ears when bathing or washing the hair at the saloon. Putting sharp objects in the ear can cause trauma leading to bleeding or serious damage to the ear drum and middle ear.
STOP USING COTTON BUDS IN THE EAR:
- The ear canal makes ear wax to protect the ear.
- Use of cotton bud can push wax deeper into the ear, where it can get stuck.
- Irritating the ear canal with cotton bud can even lead a canal infection.
- Avoid noisy environment or use ear plugs around loud noises.
- Turn the volume down.
- Take medications only as prescribed.
- Manage stress levels
- Exercise
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