Auditory Nerve
Bundle of nerve fibers that carry electrical impulses between the inner ear and the brain.
Auditory Canal
Also called the ear canal, it conducts sound toward the eardrum.
Cochlea
Part of the inner ear, contains fluid and hair-like nerve cells that convert mechanical energy from the middle ear into electrical impulses.
Conductive Hearing Loss
Any hearing loss caused by damage or disease in the outer or middle ears.
Eustachian Tube
A tube that extends from the middle ear to the roof of the throat; it keeps the air pressure in the middle ear consistent with the air pressure in the immediate environment.
Incus
The anvil shaped bone; middle bone of the ossicular chain (the three tiny bones that connect the eardrum and the inner ear).
Inner Ear
Part of the ear that contains the cochlea, an organ of hearing, and the labyrinth, an organ of balance.
Mastoid
The section of the skull located behind the outer ear that houses the middle and inner ears.
Malleus
The hammer shaped bone; outermost of the ossicles, the three tiny bones that connect the eardrum and inner ear.
Middle Ear
The air-containing cavity of the ear; lying between the eardrum and the inner ear, it includes the eardrum and the ossicles, which are the three tiny bones called malleus, incus and stapes.
Ossicles
A linkage of three tiny bones – the malleus, incus and stapes, also known as the hammer, anvil and stirrup; they provide the mechanical coupling between the eardrum and the cochlea.
Outer Ear
The part of the ear that captures sound; it is composed of the visible parts of the ear and the canal leading to the eardrum.
Pinna, or Auricle
The portion of the ear that is visible from the outside, made up of cartilage and skin; it funnels sound into the ear canal and protects the rest of the ear.
Semicircular Canals
The body’s balance organs, they detect the body’s movement and communicate its position to the brain.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Hearing loss caused by damage or disease in the inner ear.
Stapes
The stirrup-shaped ossicle that transmits sound from the incus to the cochlea; the innermost of the ossicles.
Temporal Bone
The temporal bones form part of the base of the skull; among the hardest of all the bones, it includes the mastoid and protects the hearing and balance systems.
Tinnitus
The sensation of a ringing, roaring, or buzzing in the ears or head; it is often associated with many forms of hearing impairment and noise exposure.
Tympanic Membrane
Also called the eardrum, it separates the ear canal from the middle ear, vibrating when sound waves hit it.
Vertigo
A false sensation of motion or spinning that leads to dizziness and discomfort.