Topic: “Structure of Ear”

“Assignment of Anatomy and Histology”

Name:
Department:
Semester: 1st

Table of Contents
Topic: “Structure of Ear”.........................................................................................................................0
“Diagram of Structure of Ear”..................................................................................................................2
About Structure Of Ear:...............................................................................................................................2
“Structure of Ear”....................................................................................................................................3
Human Ear Parts..................................................................................................................................3
Function of Ear........................................................................................................................................4
Hearing:...............................................................................................................................................4
 1

Balance................................................................................................................................................5
Blood:..........................................................................................................................................................5
Blood types:................................................................................................................................................5
Nerve Supply of Inner Ear:..........................................................................................................................5
How does the system work?....................................................................................................................6
Nerve Supply of Outer Ear:.........................................................................................................................6
“Ear infection”.........................................................................................................................................7
Inner ear infection:...............................................................................................................................8
Middle ear infection:...........................................................................................................................8
Outer ear infection...............................................................................................................................8
“Causes”..................................................................................................................................................9
Middle ear infection:...........................................................................................................................9
Outer ear infection...............................................................................................................................9
“Treatment”............................................................................................................................................9
Treating middle ear infections:............................................................................................................9
Treating outer ear infections:.............................................................................................................10
“Outlook”..............................................................................................................................................10
“Prevention”..........................................................................................................................................10
Completed.............................................................................................................................................11

“Diagram of Structure of Ear”

Anatomy & Histology Assignment

 2

About Structure Of Ear:

The ear is a sensitive organ of the human body. It is mainly concerned with
detecting, transmitting and transducing sound. Maintaining a sense of balance is
another important function performed by the human ear.
Let us have an overview of the structure and functions of the human ear.

“Structure of Ear”
The human ear consists of three parts:

 External ear
 Middle ear

Anatomy & Histology Assignment

 3

 Internal ear

Human Ear Parts

The human ear parts are explained below:
External Ear:
The external ear is further divided into the following parts:
Auricle (Pinna):
The auricle comprises a thin plate of elastic cartilage covered by a layer of skin. It
consists of funnel-like curves that collect sound waves and transmits them to the
middle ear. The lobule consists of adipose and fibrous tissues supplied with blood
capillaries.
External Auditory Meatus:
It is a slightly curved canal supported by bone in its interior part and cartilage in
the exterior part. The meatus or the canal is lined with stratified epithelium and
wax glands.
Tympanic Membrane:
This membrane separates the middle ear and the external ear. This part receives
and amplifies the sound waves. Its central part is known as the umbo.
Middle Ear:
The middle ear comprises the following parts:
Tympanic Cavity:
It is a narrow air-filled cavity separated from the external ear by tympanic
membrane and from inner ear by the bony wall. The tympanic cavity has an
auditory tube known as the eustachian tube in its anterior wall.

Eustachian Tube:
The eustachian tube is a 4cm long tube that equalizes air pressure on either side of
the tympanic membrane. It connects the tympanic cavity with the nasopharynx.
Ear Ossicles:
These are responsible for transmitting sound waves from the eardrum to the middle
ear. There are three ear ossicles in the human ear:

Anatomy & Histology Assignment

 4

 Malleus: A hammer-shaped part that is attached to the tympanic membrane

through the handle and incus through the head. It is the largest ear ossicle.
 Incus: An anvil-shaped ear ossicle connected with the stapes.
 Stapes: It is the smallest ossicle and also the smallest bone in the human
body.
Inner Ear:
It comprises two parts:

 Bony labyrinth
 Membranous labyrinth
Bony Labyrinth:
The bony labyrinth comprises a vestibule, three semi-circular canals, and spirally
coiled cochlea. It is filled with perilymph.
Membranous labyrinth:
The bony labyrinth surrounds the membranous labyrinth. It comprises sensory
receptors responsible for balance and hearing. The membranous labyrinth is filled
with endolymph and comprises three semi-circular ducts, cochlear duct, saccule
and utricle. The sensory receptors include cristae, an organ of corti, and ampullaris
maculae.

Function of Ear
Following are the important function of the ear:

Hearing:
The mechanism of hearing involves the following steps:

 The sound waves pass through the auditory canal and reach the eardrum.
 The vibrations produced pass through the tympanic membrane to the
tympanic cavity.
 The ear ossicles in the tympanic cavity receive the vibrations and the stapes
pushes the oval window in and out.
 This action is passed on to the organ of corti, the receptor of hearing that
contains tiny hair cells that translate the vibrations into an electrical impulse
that are transmitted to the brain by sensory nerves.

Anatomy & Histology Assignment

 5

Balance
The eustachian tube and the vestibular complex are the important parts of the ear
responsible for the balance.

 The eustachian tube equalizes the air pressure in the middle ear and
maintains the balance.
 The vestibular complex contains receptors that maintain body balance.

Blood:
“Blood is actually a tissue. It is thick because it is made up of a variety of
cells, each having a different job. In fact, blood is about 80% water and 20%
solid.”

Blood types:

There are 4 different blood types: A, B, AB, and O. Genes that you inherit from
your parents (1 from your mother and 1 from your father) determine your blood
type.

Blood is always being made by the cells inside your bones, so your body can
usually replace any blood lost through small cuts or wounds. 

Nerve Supply of Inner Ear:

Next to the middle ear in the bone of the skull is a small compartment which
contains the hearing and balance apparatus known as the inner ear. The inner ear
has two main parts. The cochlea , which is the hearing portion, and the
semicircular canals is the balance portion.

The cochlea is shaped like a snail and is divided into two chambers by a
membrane. The chambers are full of fluid which vibrates when sound comes in and
causes the small hairs which line the membrane to vibrate and send electrical
impulses to the brain.

The semi-circular canals are also known as the labyrinthine. These little canals are
lined up at right angles (90°) to each other. This allows the brain to know in which

Anatomy & Histology Assignment

 6

direction the head is moving. These semi-circular canals are filled with fluid and
have some small calcium crystals embedded in the lining.

Coming from the inner ear and running to the brain is the eighth cranial nerve, the
auditory nerve. This nerve carries both balance and hearing information to the
brain. Along with the eighth cranial nerve runs the seventh cranial nerve. The
seventh cranial nerve is also known as the facial nerve because it supplies nerve
impulses to the muscles of the face.

How does the system work?

The outer ear captures sound waves. The sound travels down the ear canal and hits
the ear drum. The ear drum vibrates which causes the ossicles (middle ear bones)
to vibrate. A piston action of the ossicles creates a wave in the fluid in the inner
ear. The fluid wave stimulates the hair cells in the cochlea and an electrical
impulse is sent through the eighth cranial nerve to the brain.

The balance system works by sending continuous electrical impulses to the brain.
Moving the head causes the fluid in the semi-circular canals to shift. This in turn
changes the electrical impulses to the brain. The brain uses this information to
make any adjustments the body needs for balance.

Nerve Supply of Outer Ear:

The outer ear comes in all types of shapes and sizes. This structure helps to give
each of us our unique appearance. The medical term for the outer ear is the auricle
or pinna.

The outer ear is made up of cartilage and skin. There are three different parts to the
outer ear; the tragus, helix and the lobule.

EAR CANAL:
The ear canal starts at the outer ear and ends at the ear drum. The
canal is approximately an inch in length. The skin of the ear canal is very sensitive
to pain and pressure. Under the skin the outer one third of the canal is cartilage and
inner two thirds is bone.

EAR DRUM:
The ear drum is about the size of a dime and is the same size in

Anatomy & Histology Assignment

 7

the new born baby as in the adult. The medical term for the ear drum is the
tympanic membrane. The ear drum is a transparent gray membrane. Attached to
the center part of the drum is the middle ear bone (the malleus).

MIDDLE EAR:
The space inside the ear drum is called the middle ear. Three of
the smallest bones of the body are found in the middle ear; they are called the
malleus, the incus and the stapes. These bones are also known as the hammer, anvil
and the stirrup. The medical term for all three bones together is the middle ear
ossicles.

“Ear infection”

Ear infections can be either bacterial or viral infections. They can occur in your
middle ear, the part of your ear just behind your eardrum, as well as the outer and
inner ear. They often clear up on their own but can be painful due to inflammation
or fluid buildup.

Ear infections can be chronic or acute. Acute ear infections are painful but short in
duration. Chronic ear infections either don’t clear up or recur many times. They
can cause damage to the middle and inner ear, which is infrequently permanent.

Keep reading to learn about ear infections, including causes, symptoms, and
treatment options.

There are three main types of ear infections. They correspond to the three main
parts of the ear: inner, middle, and outer.

Inner ear infection:

A condition diagnosed as an inner ear infection may actually be a case of
inflammation, and not an actual infection. In addition to ear pain, symptoms
include:

 dizziness
 nausea
 vomiting

Anatomy & Histology Assignment

 8

Inner ear trouble may be a sign of a more serious condition, such as meningitis.

Middle ear infection:

The middle ear is the area right behind your eardrum.

A middle ear infection is also known as otitis media. It’s caused by fluid trapped
behind the eardrum, which causes the eardrum to bulge. Along with an earache,
you may sense fullness in your ear and have some fluid drainage from the affected
ear.

Otitis media can come with a fever. You may also have trouble hearing until the
infection starts to clear.

Outer ear infection

The outer ear is that part of your ear that extends out from your eardrum to the
outside of your head.

An outer ear infection is also known as otitis externa. An outer ear infection often
starts as an itchy rash. The ear may become:

 painful
 tender
 red
 swollen

“Causes”

Ear infections are often caused by bacterial infections. But whether you get an
outer or middle ear infection depends on how you become infected.

Anatomy & Histology Assignment

 9

Middle ear infection:

A middle ear infection often originates from a cold or other respiratory problem.
The infection moves to one or both ears through the eustachian tubes. These tubes
regulate air pressure inside your ear. They connect to the back of your nose and
throat.

An infection can irritate the eustachian tubes and cause them to swell. Swelling can
prevent them from draining properly. When fluid inside these tubes can’t drain, it
builds up against your eardrum.

Outer ear infection

An outer ear infection is sometimes called swimmer’s ear. That’s because it often
starts as a result of water that remains in your ear after swimming or bathing. The
moisture becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. If your outer ear is scratched or
if you irritate the outer lining of your ear by putting your fingers or other objects in
your ear, a bacterial infection can occur.

“Treatment”

The type of ear infection you have will determine the type of treatment. In many
cases of middle and outer ear infections, antibiotics are necessary.

Treating middle ear infections:

You may be prescribed antibiotics. Some antibiotics may be taken orally. Others
can be applied directly to the site of the infection with ear drops. Medications for
pain, such as over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs may also
be used to manage your symptoms.

If you’re still experiencing cold or allergy symptoms, you may be advised to take
decongestant, nasal steroids, or an antihistamine.

Another helpful technique is called autoinsufflation. It’s meant to help clear your
eustachian tubes. You do this by squeezing your nose, closing your mouth, and

Anatomy & Histology Assignment

 10

very gently exhaling. This can send air through the eustachian tubes to help drain
them.

Treating outer ear infections:

The outer ear should be carefully cleaned. That should be followed by the
application of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory medications on your ear.

Antibiotics may be prescribed if your doctor determines that the infection is

bacterial.

If you have a viral infection, you may simply need to tend to the irritation on your
ear and wait for the infection to resolve itself. Depending on the type of virus
involved, more specialized treatment may be necessary.

“Outlook”

Proper treatment for your ear infection should eliminate any complications. If you
let an ear infection go too long without treatment, you risk permanent hearing loss
and possibly having the infection spread to other parts of your head. If you suspect
that you may have an ear infection, have it checked out by our doctor.

“Prevention”

To help prevent an ear infection of any kind, follow these tips:

 Keep your ears clean by washing them and using a cotton swab carefully.
Make sure you dry your ears completely after swimming or taking a shower.
 Don’t smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke as much as you can.
 Manage your allergies by avoiding triggers and keeping up with allergy
medications.
 Wash your hands thoroughly, and try to avoid people who have colds or
other upper respiratory problems.
 Make sure your vaccines are up to date.

Anatomy & Histology Assignment

 11

Completed

Anatomy & Histology Assignment