HealthTree Blog

The ability to hear is a precious sense and the system responsible for this gift is the auditory system. It includes not only the ear, which is visible, but structures that include certain areas of the brain. This system also has a function that has nothing to do with hearing. It helps to control balance. Problems with the auditory system can occur with any of its structures, but there are many options available to help with these problems.

The parts of the ear are the outer, middle, and inner. The outer part is the area that is visible and the outer canal. The middle contains the eardrum and the ossicles, which are three small bones. The middle ear is where most infections originate. The inner ear is where the cochlea is located. Problems with balance are usually found in the inner ear. These three parts work together to send the sounds that we hear into the auditory nerve where they are converted to an electrical impulse and sent to the brain.

Having hearing loss does not mean that a person cannot hear at all, just that their ear has lost the ability to transmit sound. A person may have mild hearing loss or it can be so profound that they suffer deafness, which is a loss of functional hearing. To say a person is deaf does not mean that they cannot hear anything they may be able to hear some sounds, however they may not be able to use sound in the learning system. They may also have problems with speech as sound is needed to process and learn words.

There are several methods available to persons with hearing loss. Hearing aids are often used by persons with mild hearing loss. Cochlear implants can be useful for more severe hearing loss. Persons with profound hearing loss may chose to use sign language as their main form of communication.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons