Roughly 1 person in 10,000 is born with a malformation of the auditory ossicles on one or both sides, limiting their ability to hear. The inner ear also contains the vestibular organ that is responsible for balance. Possible Conditions of the Auditory Ossicles Unfortunately, there are a number of things that can go wrong with this delicate network of bones, including natural anatomical variations. The brain then interprets these signals, and this is how we hear. These nerve endings transform the vibrations into electrical impulses that then travel along the eighth cranial nerve (auditory nerve) to the brain. As the fluid moves, 25,000 nerve endings are set into motion. When this happens, the bones can become stuck together, limiting their ability to move and thereby preventing proper hearing. The cochlea is filled with a fluid that moves in response to the vibrations from the oval window. Otosclerosis is a type of hearing loss resulting from abnormal bone growth in one or more of the ossicles. The sound waves enter the inner ear and then into the cochlea, a snail-shaped organ. Isolated congenital auditory ossicle malformation is a rare, congenital, middle ear anomaly characterized by, usually unilateral and. The Eustachian tube, which opens into the middle ear, is responsible for equalizing the pressure between the air outside the ear and that within the middle ear. The tiny stapes bone attaches to the oval window that connects the middle ear to the inner ear. Otosclerosis is a type of hearing loss resulting from abnormal bone growth in one or more of the ossicles. The three bones are named after their shapes: the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil) and stapes (stirrup). The ossicles are actually tiny bones - the smallest in the human body. The vibrations from the eardrum set the ossicles into motion. Sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate. The sound waves then travel toward a flexible, oval membrane at the end of the ear canal called the eardrum, or tympanic membrane. It collects sound waves and channels them into the ear canal (external auditory meatus), where the sound is amplified. The auricle (pinna) is the visible portion of the outer ear. Understanding the parts of the ear - and the role of each in processing sounds - can help you better understand hearing loss.
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