The coordinated ear parts functions are necessary for proper hearing. The parts of the external, middle, and inner ears work together to translate sound into nerve messages that can be understood by the brain. How does the human ear function?

The external ear, sometimes called the outer ear, includes the external parts of the ear and the ear canal. The external ear parts function to funnel sound to the eardrum or tympanic membrane. The sound waves hit the tympanic membrane and create vibrations.

The middle ear parts functions by passing the vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear. The middle ear is made up of three tiny bones that sit in an air-filled cavity against the back of the tympanic membrane. The tiny bones are called ossicles. The names of the ossicles are the stirrup, anvil, and hammer. The part of the middle ear called the stapes delivers sound vibrations into the inner ear.

The purpose of the inner ear is to take the sound vibrations and turn them into neural messages that can be delivered by the auditory nerve to the brain. The inner ear has a bony exterior called the bony labyrinth. The inside surface of the bony labyrinth is a membrane that is called the membranous labyrinth.

The inner ear is filled with fluid similar to intercellular fluid in the rest of the body. The sound vibrations from the stapes cause movement of the fluid. Small hair-like structures in the scala media of the cochlea move due to the movement of the fluid. This movement is translated into nerve, or neural, messages.

The auditory nerve, also called the eighth nerve, connects to the base of the cochlea. The eighth nerve carries the auditory nerve messages to the brain for processing. The brain deciphers the nerve messages and allows the individual to understand what is being heard.

As involved as the process of hearing is, it obviously happens very quickly. An interruption in how does the human ear function normally can cause hearing loss or deafness. A malfunction of the outer or middle ear can cause conductive hearing loss. A problem with the functioning of the inner ear or eighth nerve causes sensorineural hearing loss.