The structure of the outer and inner ear. The structure of the human ear - a diagram with a description, anatomy. The structure of the human inner ear

The human ear is a unique, rather complex organ in its structure. But, at the same time, the method of its work is very simple. The organ of hearing receives sound signals, amplifies them and converts them from ordinary mechanical vibrations into electrical nerve impulses. The anatomy of the ear is represented by many complex constituent elements, the study of which is singled out as a whole science.

Everyone knows that the ears are a paired organ located in the region of the temporal part of the human skull. But, a person cannot see the device of the ear in full, since the auditory canal is located quite deep. Only the auricles are visible. The human ear is capable of perceiving sound waves up to 20 meters long, or 20,000 mechanical vibrations per unit time.

The organ of hearing is responsible for the ability to hear in the human body. In order for this task to be performed in accordance with the original purpose, the following anatomical components exist:

human ear

The outer ear, presented in the form of an auricle and auditory canal;
The middle ear, consisting of the tympanic membrane, a small cavity of the middle ear, the ossicular system, and the Eustachian tube;
The inner ear, formed from a transducer of mechanical sounds and electrical nerve impulses - snails, as well as systems of labyrinths (regulators of balance and position of the human body in space).

Also, the anatomy of the ear is represented by the following structural elements of the auricle: curl, antihelix, tragus, antitragus, earlobe. The clinical auricle is physiologically attached to the temple by special muscles called rudimentary.

Such a structure of the hearing organ has the influence of external negative factors, as well as the formation of hematomas, inflammatory processes, etc. Ear pathologies include congenital diseases that are characterized by underdevelopment of the auricle (microtia).

outer ear

The clinical form of the ear consists of the outer and middle sections, as well as the inner part. All these anatomical components of the ear are aimed at performing vital functions.

The human outer ear is made up of the auricle and the external auditory meatus. The auricle is presented in the form of elastic dense cartilage, covered with skin on top. Below you can see the earlobe - a single fold of skin and adipose tissue. The clinical form of the auricle is rather unstable and extremely sensitive to any mechanical damage. Not surprisingly, professional athletes have an acute form of ear deformity.

The auricle serves as a kind of receiver for mechanical sound waves and frequencies that surround a person everywhere. It is she who is a repeater of signals from the outside world to the ear canal. If in animals the auricle is very mobile and plays the role of a barometer of dangers, then in humans everything is different.

The ear shell is lined with folds that are designed to receive and process distortion of sound frequencies. This is necessary so that the head part of the brain can perceive the information necessary for orientation in the area. The auricle acts as a kind of navigator. Also, this anatomical element of the ear has the function of creating surround stereo sound in the ear canal.

The auricle is capable of picking up sounds that propagate at a distance of 20 meters from a person. This is due to the fact that it is directly connected to the ear canal. Next, the cartilage of the passage is converted into bone tissue.

The ear canal contains sulfur glands, which are responsible for the production of earwax, which is necessary in order to protect the organ of hearing from the influence of pathogenic microorganisms. Sound waves that are perceived by the auricle penetrate the ear canal and hit the eardrum.

To avoid rupture of the eardrum during flights, explosions, high noise levels, etc., doctors recommend opening your mouth to push the sound wave away from the eardrum.

All vibrations of noise and sound come from the auricle to the middle ear.

The structure of the middle ear

The clinical form of the middle ear is presented as a tympanic cavity. This vacuum space is localized near the temporal bone. It is here that the auditory ossicles are located, referred to as the hammer, anvil, stirrup. All these anatomical elements are aimed at converting noise in the direction of their outer ear into the inner.

The structure of the middle ear

If we consider in detail the structure of the auditory ossicles, we can see that they are visually represented as a series-connected chain that transmits sound vibrations. The clinical handle of the malleus of the sense organ is closely attached to the tympanic membrane. Further, the head of the malleus is attached to the anvil, and that to the stirrup. Violation of the work of any physiological element leads to a functional disorder of the organ of hearing.

The middle ear is anatomically connected to the upper respiratory tract, namely the nasopharynx. The connecting link here is the Eustachian tube, which regulates the pressure of the air supplied from outside. If the surrounding pressure rises or falls sharply, then the person's ears are naturally blocked. This is the logical explanation for the painful sensations of a person that occur when the weather changes.

A severe headache, bordering on a migraine, suggests that the ears at this time are actively protecting the brain from damage.

A change in external pressure reflexively causes a reaction in the form of a yawn in a person. To get rid of it, doctors advise swallowing saliva several times or blowing sharply into a pinched nose.

The inner ear is the most complex in its structure, therefore in otolaryngology it is called a labyrinth. This organ of the human ear consists of the vestibule of the labyrinth, the cochlea, and the semicircular canaliculi. Further, the division goes according to the anatomical forms of the labyrinth of the inner ear.

inner ear model

The vestibule or membranous labyrinth consists of the cochlea, uterus and sac, connected to the endolymphatic duct. There is also a clinical form of receptor fields. Next, you can consider the structure of such organs as the semicircular canals (lateral, posterior and anterior). Anatomically, each of these canals has a stalk and an ampullar end.

The inner ear is represented as a cochlea, the structural elements of which are the scala vestibuli, the cochlear duct, the scala tympani, and the organ of Corti. It is in the spiral or Corti organ that the pillar cells are localized.

Physiological features

The organ of hearing has two main purposes in the body, namely the maintenance and formation of body balance, as well as the acceptance and transformation of environmental noises and vibrations into sound forms.

In order for a person to be in balance both at rest and during movement, the vestibular apparatus functions 24 hours a day. But, not everyone knows that the clinical form of the inner ear is responsible for the ability to walk on two limbs, following a straight line. This mechanism is based on the principle of communicating vessels, which are presented in the form of hearing organs.

The ear contains semicircular canals that maintain fluid pressure in the body. If a person changes the position of the body (state of rest, movement), then the clinical structure of the ear "adjusts" to these physiological conditions, regulating intracranial pressure.

The presence of the body at rest is ensured by such organs of the inner ear as the uterus and sac. Due to the constantly moving fluid in them, nerve impulses are transmitted to the brain.

Clinical support for body reflexes is also provided by muscle impulses delivered by the middle ear. Another complex of organs of the ear is responsible for focusing attention on a specific object, that is, it takes part in the performance of the visual function.

Based on this, we can say that the ear is an indispensable priceless organ of the human body. Therefore, it is so important to monitor his condition and contact specialists in time if there are any hearing pathologies.

The ear has two main functions: the organ of hearing and the organ of balance. The organ of hearing is the main of the information systems that take part in the formation of the speech function, and therefore, the mental activity of a person. Distinguish between outer, middle and inner ear.

Outer ear - auricle, external auditory canal

Middle ear - tympanic cavity, auditory tube, mastoid process

Inner ear (labyrinth) - cochlea, vestibule and semicircular canals.

The outer and middle ear provide sound conduction, and the receptors for both auditory and vestibular analyzers are located in the inner ear.

Outer ear. The auricle is a curved plate of elastic cartilage, covered on both sides with perichondrium and skin. The auricle is a funnel that provides optimal perception of sounds in a certain direction of sound signals. It also has significant cosmetic value. Such anomalies of the auricle are known as macro- and microotia, aplasia, protrusion, etc. Disfigurement of the auricle is possible with perichondritis (trauma, frostbite, etc.). Its lower part - the lobe - is devoid of a cartilaginous base and contains fatty tissue. In the auricle, a curl (helix), an antihelix (anthelix), a tragus (tragus), an antitragus (antitragus) are distinguished. The curl is part of the external auditory meatus. The external auditory meatus in an adult consists of two sections: the external one is membranous-cartilaginous, equipped with hairs, sebaceous glands and their modifications - earwax glands (1/3); internal - bone, not containing hair and glands (2/3).

Topographic and anatomical ratios of the parts of the ear canal are of clinical importance. front wall - borders on the articular bag of the lower jaw (important for external otitis media and injuries). Bottom - the parotid gland is adjacent to the cartilaginous part. The anterior and lower walls are pierced with vertical fissures (santorini fissures) in the amount of 2 to 4, through which suppuration can pass from the parotid gland to the auditory canal, as well as in the opposite direction. rear – borders on the mastoid process. In the depths of this wall is the descending part of the facial nerve (radical surgery). Upper – borders on the middle cranial fossa. Upper back – is the anterior wall of the antrum. Its omission indicates purulent inflammation of the cells of the mastoid process.

The outer ear is supplied with blood from the external carotid artery system due to the superficial temporal (a. temporalis superficialis), occipital (a. occipitalis), posterior auricular and deep ear arteries (a. auricularis posterior et profunda). Venous outflow is carried out in the superficial temporal (v. temporalis superficialis), external jugular (v. jugularis ext.) and maxillary (v. maxillaris) veins. Lymph is drained to the lymph nodes located on the mastoid process and anterior to the auricle. Innervation is carried out by branches of the trigeminal and vagus nerves, as well as from the ear nerve from the superior cervical plexus. Due to the vagal reflex with sulfur plugs, foreign bodies, cardialgic phenomena, cough are possible.

The boundary between the outer and middle ear is the tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane (Fig. 1) is approximately 9 mm in diameter and 0.1 mm thick. The tympanic membrane serves as one of the walls of the middle ear, tilted forward and down. In an adult, it is oval in shape. B / p consists of three layers:

external - epidermal, is a continuation of the skin of the external auditory canal,

internal - mucous lining the tympanic cavity,

the fibrous layer itself, located between the mucous membrane and the epidermis and consisting of two layers of fibrous fibers - radial and circular.

The fibrous layer is poor in elastic fibers, so the tympanic membrane is not very elastic and can rupture with sharp pressure fluctuations or very strong sounds. Usually, after such injuries, a scar subsequently forms due to the regeneration of the skin and mucous membrane, the fibrous layer does not regenerate.

In b / p, two parts are distinguished: stretched (pars tensa) and loose (pars flaccida). The stretched part is inserted into the bony tympanic ring and has a middle fibrous layer. Loose or relaxed attached to a small notch of the lower edge of the scales of the temporal bone, this part does not have a fibrous layer.

On otoscopic examination, the color is b / n pearly or pearl gray with a slight sheen. For the convenience of clinical otoscopy, the b/p is mentally divided into four segments (antero-superior, anterior-inferior, posterior-superior, posterior-inferior) by two lines: one is a continuation of the malleus handle to the lower edge of the b/p, and the second passes perpendicular to the first through the navel b/p.

Middle ear. The tympanic cavity is a prismatic space in the thickness of the base of the pyramid of the temporal bone with a volume of 1-2 cm³. It is lined with a mucous membrane that covers all six walls and passes behind into the mucous membrane of the cells of the mastoid process, and in front into the mucous membrane of the auditory tube. It is represented by a single-layer squamous epithelium, with the exception of the mouth of the auditory tube and the bottom of the tympanic cavity, where it is covered with ciliated cylindrical epithelium, the movement of the cilia of which is directed towards the nasopharynx.

External (webbed) the wall of the tympanic cavity for a greater extent is formed by the inner surface of the b / n, and above it - by the upper wall of the bone part of the auditory canal.

Internal (labyrinth) the wall is also the outer wall of the inner ear. In its upper section there is a vestibule window, closed by the base of the stirrup. Above the window of the vestibule is a protrusion of the facial canal, below the window of the vestibule - a round-shaped elevation, called the cape (promontorium), corresponds to the protrusion of the first whorl of the cochlea. Below and behind the cape is a snail window, closed by a secondary b/p.

Upper (tire) the wall is a rather thin bony plate. This wall separates the middle cranial fossa from the tympanic cavity. Dehiscences are often found in this wall.

Inferior (jugular) wall - formed by the stony part of the temporal bone and is located 2-4.5 mm below the b / p. It borders on the bulb of the jugular vein. Often there are numerous small cells in the jugular wall that separate the bulb of the jugular vein from the tympanic cavity, sometimes dehiscences are observed in this wall, which facilitates the penetration of infection.

Anterior (sleepy) the wall in the upper half is occupied by the tympanic mouth of the auditory tube. Its lower part borders on the canal of the internal carotid artery. Above the auditory tube is a semi-channel of the muscle that strains the eardrum (m. tensoris tympani). The bone plate separating the internal carotid artery from the mucous membrane of the tympanic cavity is permeated with thin tubules and often has dehiscences.

Posterior (mastoid) the wall borders on the mastoid process. The entrance to the cave opens in the upper section of its back wall. In the depths of the posterior wall, the canal of the facial nerve passes, from this wall the stirrup muscle begins.

Clinically, the tympanic cavity is conditionally divided into three sections: the lower (hypotympanum), middle (mesotympanum), upper or attic (epitympanum).

The auditory ossicles involved in sound conduction are located in the tympanic cavity. The auditory ossicles - hammer, anvil, stirrup - are a closely connected chain that is located between the tympanic membrane and the vestibule window. And through the vestibule window, the auditory ossicles transmit sound waves to the fluid of the inner ear.

Hammer - it distinguishes the head, neck, short process and handle. The handle of the malleus is fused with the b/p, the short process protrudes outwards the upper section of the b/p, and the head articulates with the body of the anvil.

Anvil - it distinguishes the body and two legs: short and long. The short leg is placed at the entrance to the cave. The long leg is connected to the stirrup.

stirrup - it distinguishes head, anterior and posterior legs, interconnected by a plate (base). The base covers the window of the vestibule and is strengthened with the window with the help of an annular ligament, due to which the stirrup is movable. And this provides a constant transmission of sound waves to the fluid of the inner ear.

Muscles of the middle ear. The tensing muscle b / n (m. tensor tympani), is innervated by the trigeminal nerve. The stirrup muscle (m. stapedius) is innervated by a branch of the facial nerve (n. stapedius). The muscles of the middle ear are completely hidden in the bone canals, only their tendons pass into the tympanic cavity. They are antagonists, they contract reflexively, protecting the inner ear from excessive amplitude of sound vibrations. Sensitive innervation of the tympanic cavity is provided by the tympanic plexus.

The auditory or pharyngeal-tympanic tube connects the tympanic cavity with the nasopharynx. The auditory tube consists of bone and membranous-cartilaginous sections, opening into the tympanic cavity and nasopharynx, respectively. The tympanic opening of the auditory tube opens in the upper part of the anterior wall of the tympanic cavity. The pharyngeal opening is located on the side wall of the nasopharynx at the level of the posterior end of the inferior turbinate 1 cm posterior to it. The hole lies in a fossa bounded above and behind by a protrusion of tubal cartilage, behind which there is a depression - Rosenmuller's fossa. The mucous membrane of the tube is covered with multinuclear ciliated epithelium (the movement of cilia is directed from the tympanic cavity to the nasopharynx).

The mastoid process is a bone formation, according to the type of structure of which they distinguish: pneumatic, diploetic (consists of spongy tissue and small cells), sclerotic. The mastoid process through the entrance to the cave (aditus ad antrum) communicates with the upper part of the tympanic cavity - the epitympanum (attic). In the pneumatic type of structure, the following groups of cells are distinguished: threshold, perianthral, angular, zygomatic, perisinus, perifacial, apical, perilabyrinthine, retrolabyrinthine. At the border of the posterior cranial fossa and mastoid cells, there is an S-shaped recess to accommodate the sigmoid sinus, which drains venous blood from the brain to the bulb of the jugular vein. Sometimes the sigmoid sinus is located close to the ear canal or superficially, in this case they speak of sinus presentation. This must be borne in mind during surgical intervention on the mastoid process.

The middle ear is supplied by branches of the external and internal carotid arteries. Venous blood drains into the pharyngeal plexus, bulb of the jugular vein, and middle cerebral vein. Lymphatic vessels carry lymph to the retropharyngeal lymph nodes and deep nodes. The innervation of the middle ear comes from the glossopharyngeal, facial and trigeminal nerves.

Due to the topographic and anatomical proximity facial nerve to the formations of the temporal bone, we trace its course. The trunk of the facial nerve is formed in the region of the cerebellopontine triangle and is sent along with the VIII cranial nerve to the internal auditory meatus. In the thickness of the stony part of the temporal bone, near the labyrinth, its stony ganglion is located. In this zone, a large stony nerve branches off from the trunk of the facial nerve, containing parasympathetic fibers for the lacrimal gland. Further, the main trunk of the facial nerve passes through the thickness of the bone and reaches the medial wall of the tympanic cavity, where it turns posteriorly at a right angle (the first knee). The bone (fallopian) nerve canal (canalis facialis) is located above the window of the vestibule, where the nerve trunk can be damaged during surgical interventions. At the level of the entrance to the cave, the nerve in its bone canal goes steeply down (the second knee) and exits the temporal bone through the stylomastoid foramen (foramen stylomastoideum), splitting fan-shaped into separate branches, the so-called goose foot (pes anserinus), innervating the facial muscles. At the level of the second knee, the stirrup departs from the facial nerve, and caudally, almost at the exit of the main trunk from the stylomastoid foramen, there is a tympanic string. The latter passes in a separate tubule, penetrates the tympanic cavity, heading anteriorly between the long leg of the anvil and the handle of the malleus, and leaves the tympanic cavity through the stony-tympanic (glazer) fissure (fissura petrotympanical).

inner ear lies in the thickness of the pyramid of the temporal bone, two parts are distinguished in it: the bone and membranous labyrinth. In the bony labyrinth, the vestibule, cochlea, and three bony semicircular canals are distinguished. The bony labyrinth is filled with fluid - perilymph. The membranous labyrinth contains endolymph.

The vestibule is located between the tympanic cavity and the internal auditory canal and is represented by an oval-shaped cavity. The outer wall of the vestibule is the inner wall of the tympanic cavity. The inner wall of the vestibule forms the bottom of the internal auditory meatus. It has two recesses - spherical and elliptical, separated from each other by a vertically running crest of the vestibule (crista vestibule).

The bony semicircular canals are located in the posterior inferior part of the bony labyrinth in three mutually perpendicular planes. There are lateral, anterior and posterior semicircular canals. These are arcuate curved tubes in each of which two ends or bone legs are distinguished: expanded or ampullar and non-expanded or simple. The simple bony pedicles of the anterior and posterior semicircular canals join to form a common bony pedicle. The canals are also filled with perilymph.

The bony cochlea begins in the anteroinferior part of the vestibule with a canal, which spirally bends and forms 2.5 curls, as a result of which it was called the spiral canal of the cochlea. Distinguish between the base and the top of the cochlea. The spiral canal winds around a cone-shaped bone rod and ends blindly in the region of the top of the pyramid. The bone plate does not reach the opposite outer wall of the cochlea. The continuation of the spiral bone plate is the tympanic plate of the cochlear duct (basic membrane), which reaches the opposite wall of the bone canal. The width of the spiral bone plate gradually narrows towards the apex, and the width of the tympanic wall of the cochlear duct increases accordingly. Thus, the shortest fibers of the tympanic wall of the cochlear duct are at the base of the cochlea, and the longest at the apex.

The spiral bone plate and its continuation - the tympanic wall of the cochlear duct divide the cochlear canal into two floors: the upper one is the scala vestibuli and the lower one is the scala tympani. Both scalas contain perilymph and communicate with each other through an opening at the top of the cochlea (helicotrema). The scala vestibuli borders on the vestibule window, closed by the base of the stirrup, the scala tympani borders on the cochlear window, closed by the secondary tympanic membrane. The perilymph of the inner ear communicates with the subarachnoid space through the perilymphatic duct (cochlear aqueduct). In this regard, suppuration of the labyrinth can cause inflammation of the meninges.

The membranous labyrinth is suspended in the perilymph, filling the bony labyrinth. In the membranous labyrinth, two apparatuses are distinguished: vestibular and auditory.

The hearing aid is located in the membranous cochlea. The membranous labyrinth contains endolymph and is a closed system.

The membranous cochlea is a spirally wrapped canal - the cochlear duct, which, like the cochlea, makes 2½ turns. In cross section, the membranous cochlea has a triangular shape. It is located in the upper floor of the bony cochlea. The wall of the membranous cochlea, bordering the scala tympani, is a continuation of the spiral bone plate - the tympanic wall of the cochlear duct. The wall of the cochlear duct, bordering the scala vestibulum - the vestibular plate of the cochlear duct, also departs from the free edge of the bone plate at an angle of 45º. The outer wall of the cochlear duct is part of the outer bony wall of the cochlear canal. A vascular strip is located on the spiral ligament adjacent to this wall. The tympanic wall of the cochlear duct consists of radial fibers arranged in the form of strings. Their number reaches 15000 - 25000, their length at the base of the cochlea is 80 microns, at the top - 500 microns.

The spiral organ (Corti) is located on the tympanic wall of the cochlear duct and consists of highly differentiated hair cells supporting them with columnar and supporting Deiters cells.

The upper ends of the inner and outer rows of columnar cells are inclined towards each other, forming a tunnel. The outer hair cell is equipped with 100 - 120 hairs - stereocilia, which have a thin fibrillar structure. The plexuses of nerve fibers around the hair cells are guided through tunnels to the spiral knot at the base of the spiral bone plate. In total, there are up to 30,000 ganglion cells. The axons of these ganglion cells connect in the internal auditory canal to the cochlear nerve. Above the spiral organ is an integumentary membrane, which begins near the place of discharge of the vestibulum wall of the cochlear duct and covers the entire spiral organ in the form of a canopy. The stereocilia of hair cells penetrate the integumentary membrane, which plays a special role in the process of sound reception.

The internal auditory meatus begins with an internal auditory opening located on the posterior face of the pyramid and ends with the bottom of the internal auditory meatus. It contains the perdoor-cochlear nerve (VIII), consisting of the upper vestibular root and the lower cochlear. Above it is the facial nerve and next to it is the intermediate nerve.

Hearing is one of the important sense organs. It is with the help of it that we perceive the slightest changes in the world around us, we hear alarm signals warning of danger. is very important for all living organisms, although there are those who do without it.

In humans, the auditory analyzer includes the external, middle, and from them, along the auditory nerve, information goes to the brain, where it is processed. In the article we will dwell in more detail on the structure, functions and diseases of the outer ear.

The structure of the outer ear

The human ear consists of several sections:

External.
Middle ear.
Internal.

The outer ear includes:

Starting with the most primitive vertebrates, which developed hearing, the structure of the ear gradually became more complicated. This is due to the general increase in the organization of animals. For the first time, the outer ear appears in mammals. In nature, there are some species of birds with an auricle, for example, a long-eared owl.

Auricle

The outer ear of a person begins with the auricle. It consists almost entirely of cartilaginous tissue with a thickness of about 1 mm. It does not have cartilage in its structure, only it consists of adipose tissue and is covered with skin.

The outer ear is concave with a curl at the edge. It is separated by a small depression from the internal antihelix, from which the auricle cavity extends towards the ear canal. A tragus is located at the entrance to the ear canal.

ear canal

The next department, which has the outer ear, - ear canal. It is a tube 2.5 centimeters long and 0.9 cm in diameter. It is based on cartilage, resembling a gutter in shape, opening up. There are santorian fissures in the cartilaginous tissue, which border on the salivary gland.

Cartilage is present only in the initial section of the passage, then it passes into bone tissue. The ear canal itself is slightly curved in a horizontal direction, so when examining a doctor, the auricle is pulled back and up in adults, and back and down in children.

Inside the ear canal there are sebaceous and sulfuric glands, which produce its removal is facilitated by the process of chewing, during which the walls of the passage vibrate.

The ear canal ends with the tympanic membrane, which blindly closes it.

Eardrum

The tympanic membrane connects the outer and middle ear. It is a translucent plate with a thickness of only 0.1 mm, its area is about 60 mm 2.

The tympanic membrane is located slightly obliquely relative to the auditory canal and is drawn in the form of a funnel into the cavity. It has the greatest tension in the center. Behind her is already

Features of the structure of the outer ear in infants

When a baby is born, his hearing organ is not yet fully formed, and the structure of the outer ear has a number of distinctive features:

The auricle is soft.
The earlobe and curl are practically not expressed, they are formed only by 4 years.
There is no bony part in the ear canal.
The walls of the passage are located almost nearby.
The tympanic membrane is located horizontally.
The size of the tympanic membrane does not differ from that of adults, but it is much thicker and covered with a mucous membrane.

The child grows, and with it the additional development of the organ of hearing occurs. Gradually, he acquires all the features of an adult auditory analyzer.

Functions of the outer ear

Each department of the auditory analyzer performs its function. The outer ear is intended primarily for the following purposes:

Thus, the functions of the outer ear are quite diverse, and the auricle serves us not only for beauty.

Inflammatory process in the outer ear

Quite often, colds end with an inflammatory process inside the ear. This problem is especially relevant in children, since the auditory tube is short in size, and the infection can quickly penetrate the ear from the nasal cavity or throat.

For everyone, inflammation in the ears can manifest itself in different ways, it all depends on the form of the disease. There are several types:

You can cope at home only with the first two varieties, but internal otitis media requires inpatient treatment.

If we consider otitis externa, then it can also be of two forms:

Limited.
diffuse.

The first form occurs, as a rule, as a result of inflammation of the hair follicle in the ear canal. In a way, this is a common boil, but only in the ear.

The diffuse form of the inflammatory process covers the entire passage.

Causes of otitis media

There are a lot of reasons that can provoke an inflammatory process in the outer ear, but among them the following are often found:

bacterial infection.
Fungal disease.
Allergic problems.
Improper hygiene of the ear canal.
Self attempt to remove ear plugs.
Entry of foreign bodies.
Viral nature, although this happens very rarely.

Cause of outer ear pain in healthy people

It is not at all necessary that if there is pain in the ear, a diagnosis of otitis media is made. Often such pain can occur for other reasons:

Walking in windy weather without a hat can cause ear pain. The wind exerts pressure on the auricle and a bruise forms, the skin becomes cyanotic. This condition passes quickly enough after getting into a warm room, treatment is not required.
Swimmers also have a frequent companion. Because during exercise, water enters the ears and irritates the skin, it can lead to swelling or otitis externa.
Excessive accumulation of sulfur in the ear canal can cause not only a feeling of congestion, but also pain.
Insufficient excretion of sulfur by the sulfur glands, on the contrary, is accompanied by a feeling of dryness, which can also cause pain.

As a rule, if otitis media does not develop, all discomfort in the ear disappears on its own and does not require additional treatment.

Symptoms of otitis externa

If the doctor diagnoses damage to the ear canal and auricle, the diagnosis is otitis externa. Its manifestations may be as follows:

Pain can vary in intensity, from very subtle to disturbing sleep at night.
This condition can last for several days, and then subside.
In the ears there is a feeling of congestion, itching, noise.
During the inflammatory process, hearing acuity may decrease.
Since otitis media is an inflammatory disease, body temperature may rise.
The skin near the ear may acquire a reddish tint.
When pressing on the ear, the pain intensifies.

Inflammation of the external ear should be treated by an ENT doctor. After examining the patient and determining the stage and severity of the disease, medications are prescribed.

Therapy of limited otitis media

This form of the disease is usually treated with surgery. After the introduction of an anesthetic drug, the boil is opened and the pus is removed. After this procedure, the patient's condition improves significantly.

For some time, you will have to take antibacterial medicines in the form of drops or ointments, for example:

Normax.
"Candibiotic".
"Levomekol".
"Celestoderm-V".

Usually, after a course of antibiotics, everything returns to normal, and the patient recovers completely.

Therapy for diffuse otitis media

Treatment of this form of the disease is carried out only conservatively. All medications are prescribed by a doctor. Usually the course includes a set of measures:

Taking antibacterial drops, for example, Ofloxacin, Neomycin.
Anti-inflammatory drops "Otipaks" or "Otirelax".
Antihistamines ("Citrin", "Claritin") help relieve swelling.
To relieve pain, NPS are prescribed, for example, Diclofenac, Nurofen.
To increase immunity, the intake of vitamin-mineral complexes is indicated.

During treatment, it must be remembered that any warming procedures are contraindicated, they can only be prescribed by a doctor at the stage of recovery. If all the doctor's recommendations are followed and the full course of therapy is completed, then you can be sure that the outer ear will be healthy.

Treatment of otitis media in children

In babies, the physiology is such that the inflammatory process very quickly spreads from the nasal cavity to the ear. If you notice in time that the child is worried about the ear, then the treatment will be short and uncomplicated.

The doctor usually does not prescribe antibiotics. All therapy consists in taking antipyretic drugs and painkillers. Parents can be advised not to self-medicate, but to adhere to the doctor's recommendations.

Drops that are bought on the recommendation of friends can only harm your child. When a baby is sick, the appetite usually decreases. You can’t force him to eat by force, it’s better to give him more to drink so that toxins are eliminated from the body.

If the child is too often over ear infections, there is reason to talk to the pediatrician about vaccination. In many countries, such a vaccination is already being done, it will protect the outer ear from inflammatory processes that are caused by bacteria.

Prevention of inflammatory diseases of the external ear

Any inflammation of the external ear can be prevented. To do this, you need to follow only a few simple recommendations:

If the pain in the ear does not cause much concern, this does not mean that you should not see a doctor. Running inflammation can turn into much more serious problems. Timely treatment will allow you to quickly cope with otitis externa and relieve suffering.

The ear is a complex organ of humans and animals, due to which sound vibrations are perceived and transmitted to the main nerve center of the brain. Also, the ear performs the function of maintaining balance.

As everyone knows, the human ear is a paired organ located in the thickness of the temporal bone of the skull. Outside, the ear is limited by the auricle. It is the direct receiver and conductor of all sounds.

The human hearing aid can perceive sound vibrations with a frequency exceeding 16 Hertz. The maximum ear sensitivity threshold is 20,000 Hz.

The structure of the human ear

The human hearing aid consists of:

outdoor part
middle part
Inner part

In order to understand the functions performed by certain components, it is necessary to know the structure of each of them. Sufficiently complex mechanisms for transmitting sounds allow a person to hear sounds in the form in which they come from outside.

Inner ear. It is the most complex part of the hearing aid. The anatomy of the inner ear is quite complex, which is why it is often called the membranous labyrinth. It is also located in the temporal bone, or rather, in its petrous part.
The inner ear is connected to the middle ear by means of oval and round windows. The membranous labyrinth consists of the vestibule, cochlea, and semicircular canals filled with two types of fluid: endolymph and perilymph. Also in the inner ear is the vestibular system, which is responsible for the balance of a person, and his ability to accelerate in space. The vibrations that have arisen in the oval window are transferred to the liquid. With the help of it, the receptors located in the cochlea are irritated, which leads to the formation of nerve impulses.

The vestibular apparatus contains receptors that are located on the canal cristae. They are of two types: in the form of a cylinder and a flask. The hairs are opposite each other. Stereocilia during displacement cause excitation, while kinocilia, on the contrary, contribute to inhibition.

For a more accurate understanding of the topic, we bring to your attention a photo diagram of the structure of the human ear, which shows the complete anatomy of the human ear:

As you can see, the human hearing aid is a rather complex system of various formations that perform a number of important, irreplaceable functions. As for the structure of the outer part of the ear, each person may have individual characteristics that do not harm the main function.

Hearing aid care is an essential part of human hygiene, as hearing loss can occur as a result of functional impairment, as well as other diseases associated with the outer, middle or inner ear.

According to scientists, a person is more difficult to tolerate vision loss than hearing loss, because he loses the ability to communicate with the environment, that is, becomes isolated.

There are a lot of diseases that signal their development with pain in the ears. To determine what specific disease affected the organ of hearing, you need to understand how the human ear is arranged.

Diagram of the auditory organ

First of all, let's understand what an ear is. This is an auditory-vestibular paired organ that performs only 2 functions: the perception of sound impulses and responsibility for the position of the human body in space, as well as for maintaining balance. If you look at the human ear from the inside, its structure suggests the presence of 3 parts:

external (external);
average;
internal.

Each of them has its own no less intricate device. Connecting, they are a long pipe penetrating into the depths of the head. Let us consider the structure and functions of the ear in more detail (the diagram of the human ear demonstrates them best).

What is the outer ear

The structure of the human ear (its outer part) is represented by 2 components:

ear shell;
external ear canal.

The shell is an elastic cartilage that completely covers the skin. It has a complex shape. In its lower segment there is a lobe - this is a small skin fold filled inside with a fatty layer. By the way, it is the outer part that has the highest sensitivity to various kinds of injuries. For example, for fighters in the ring, it often has a form that is very far from its original form.

The auricle serves as a kind of receiver for sound waves, which, falling into it, penetrate deep into the organ of hearing. Since it has a folded structure, the sound enters the passage with little distortion. The degree of error depends, in particular, on the place where the sound comes from. Its location is horizontal or vertical.

It turns out that more accurate information about where the sound source is located enters the brain. So, it can be argued that the main function of the shell is to catch sounds that should enter the human ear.

If you look a little deeper, you can see that the shell extends the cartilage of the external ear canal. Its length is 25-30 mm. Next, the cartilage zone is replaced by bone. The outer ear completely lines the skin, which contains 2 types of glands:

sulfuric;
greasy.

The outer ear, the device of which we have already described, is separated from the middle part of the hearing organ by a membrane (it is also called the tympanic membrane).

How is the middle ear

If we consider the middle ear, its anatomy is:

tympanic cavity;
eustachian tube;
mastoid process.

All of them are interconnected. The tympanic cavity is a space outlined by the membrane and the region of the inner ear. Its location is the temporal bone. The structure of the ear here looks like this: in the anterior part, there is a union of the tympanic cavity with the nasopharynx (the function of the connector is performed by the Eustachian tube), and in its posterior part - with the mastoid process through the entrance to its cavity. Air is present in the tympanic cavity, which enters there through the Eustachian tube.

The anatomy of the ear of a person (child) up to 3 years old has a significant difference from how the ear of an adult is arranged. Babies do not have a bone passage, and the mastoid process has not yet grown. The children's middle ear is represented by only one bone ring. Its inner edge has the shape of a groove. It just houses the tympanic membrane. In the upper zones of the middle ear (where there is no this ring), the membrane is connected to the lower edge of the scales of the temporal bone.

When the baby reaches the age of 3, the formation of his ear canal is completed - the structure of the ear becomes the same as in adults.

Anatomical features of the internal department

The inner ear is the most difficult part of it. The anatomy in this part is very complex, so she was given a second name - "webbed labyrinth of the ear." It is located in the stony zone of the temporal bone. It is attached to the middle ear with windows - round and oval. Comprises:

vestibule;
snails with the organ of Corti;
semicircular canals (filled with fluid).

In addition, the inner ear, the structure of which provides for the presence of the vestibular system (apparatus), is responsible for constantly keeping the body in a state of balance by a person, as well as for the possibility of accelerating in space. The vibrations that occur in the oval window are transmitted to the fluid that fills the semicircular canals. The latter serves as an irritant for the receptors located in the cochlea, and this already becomes the cause of the launch of nerve impulses.

It should be noted that the vestibular apparatus has receptors in the form of hairs (stereocilia and kinocilia), which are located on special elevations - maculae. These hairs are located one opposite the other. By shifting, stereocilia provoke the occurrence of excitation, and kinocilia help inhibition.

Summing up

In order to more accurately imagine the structure of the human ear, the diagram of the organ of hearing should be in front of the eyes. It usually depicts a detailed structure of the human ear.

Obviously, the human ear is a rather complex system, consisting of many different formations, each of which performs a number of important and truly irreplaceable functions. The diagram of the ear demonstrates this clearly.

Regarding the structure of the outer part of the ear, it should be noted that each person has individual genetically determined features that in no way affect the main function of the hearing organ.

Ears need regular hygienic care. If you neglect this need, you can partially or completely lose your hearing. Also, lack of hygiene can lead to the development of diseases affecting all parts of the ear.