How the Ear Works

How the Ear Works | FAQs | Hearing Protection | Hearing Testing | Hearing & Readiness
Combat Arms Earplugs | Hearing Health Education | Hearing Main Page

OUTER EAR
The outer ear directs sound waves into the ear canal to the eardrum. The eardrum vibrates and sets the middle ear into motion.

MIDDLE EAR
The middle ear contains the three smallest bones in your body-the hammer, anvil, and stirrup. These bones vibrate and pass the sound waves to the inner ear.

INNER EAR
The inner ear contains fluid that moves because of the sound waves. Thousands of tiny hair cells respond to the vibrations in the fluid by passing information along the hearing nerve to the brain.

Damage to your hair cells caused by intense noise could be seen in your next audiogram when your hearing is checked.

Hearing problems in the outer and middle ears are usually medically treatable. However, there is no proven cure for noise-caused hearing loss in the inner ear.

Noise does not have to cause pain or bleeding to cause damage.

How the Ear Works | FAQs | Hearing Protection | Hearing Testing | Hearing & Readiness
Combat Arms Earplugs | Hearing Health Education | Hearing Main Page