The human ear is actually pretty fascinating, although many people might not know why. Here are some interesting facts about your ears!
While everyone knows that you hear using your ears there is a lot more to the human ear than meets the eye. Here are some facts about the human ear you may not have heard before.
The Human Ear Does More Than Just Hear
While your ears help you hear, they are also responsible for your sense of equilibrium. This is why people with inner ear issues or congestion often suffer from vertigo or feel dizzy. Your ears also play a part in transmitting taste signals to your brain, meaning that your ears have a role in how you enjoy food. Nerves run through the middle ear that send taste signals from your tongue to your brain.
Your Ear Bones Are Surprisingly Small
There are actually only 3 bones in your ear. While they have the composition of any other bone in the human body, their size is very notable. All 3 of these bones can fit inside a penny. The smallest bone in the entire body is the stirrup bone, one of the 3 bones in the human ear.
Your Ears Are Hairy
The internal portion of your ear is narrow and tiny, roughly the size of a pencil eraser. However, this passage contains more than 20,000 hairs! These hairs are meant to help protect your eardrum from debris and help move wax out of the ear. This is all to protect your eardrum, which is less than .7 inches wide.
Your Ears Never Stop Working
Even when you are asleep, you are still hearing all of the sounds around you. Even though you are not conscious of it, your ears are still hard at work. This is why sometimes noises can disturb your sleep and wake you up.
Your Ears Clean Themselves
Many people use Q-Tips to clean their ears, which is actually not necessary and can even damage your ears. Ears actually clean themselves thanks to the ear canal’s pores and cilia, or thousands of tiny hairs. While too much earwax can cause hearing problems, the right amount actually does a lot to keep an ear healthy and clean.
Bay Area Audiology Has Hearing Solutions for You
If you are concerned about hearing loss or seeking hearing evaluations, tinnitus evaluations, or hearing aid assistance, our doctors are ready to help. We are passionate about helping all of our patients improve their quality of life through better hearing. We also believe that patient education is critical, so you won’t be lead through endless sales pitches at our office. If you are interested in hearing how we can help you hear even better, contact us at (410) 838-4327 or online. For more hearing tips and articles, follow Bay Area Audiology on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.