The last time you visited our informative blog, we shared plenty of great information on the eustachian tube. Now that we have wrapped that up, we are moving onto other parts of the ear. Today, our Orlando hearing services doctors are sharing about the external ear starting with the ear canal.
The outer ear:
Your ears are extremely valuable, but we do not need to tell you that. You already know how important they are in your everyday life. Our ears help our bodies balance as we walk, and of course, they allow us to hear when properly functioning.
The ear can be divided into three parts. We call those three parts the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. The outer and middle ear aid in amplifying sound. The inner ear then converts the sound wave messages that are passed along to the brain.
The inner ear in particular is what senses the movement and position of the head and body. It allows us to maintain our balance which allows us to see clearly even when changing positions. Now, let’s break down the anatomy of the ear and name each part along with its function.
The outer ear is actually called the auricle or pinna. It is made of cartilage and skin. There are three main parts of the outer ear: the tragus, helix, and lobule. In normal conversation, you may often hear the lobule referred to as the ear lobe.
Ear piercing risks:
The tragus is outside of the ear making it visible. Many people get the tragus pierced, but ear piercing risks is heavily discussed especially for people with children. There are many heated discussions around this topic because of the damage the piercing may cause.
It is responsible for directing sound clearly into the ear, so it is important it functions well and is not altered. Even if the piercing itself goes smoothly, there is room for error. Infection and other factors can put your hearing at risk, so discuss the concerns with our hearing doctors, or ENT specialists, to avoid hearing loss.
The same goes for all the other small areas of the outer ear. The lobule is a squishy part of the outer ear and is usually far enough away from the canal to not cause any hearing damage. However, when using a piercing gun, the noise it makes can cause the real damage.
Something popping so loud right next to the ear canal poses a great threat to the future of your hearing. Do not take this risk. Discuss ear piercing with your Orlando ENT doctors. Many pediatricians and tattoo shops pierce earlobes, or lobules, with needles, so there is minimal to no damage to your hearing at all.
Visit an ENT specialist for a hearing test:
Come back next time as we dive in deeper! Make an appointment to discuss ear piercing risks and hearing tests. Our Orlando hearing services are thorough and highly respected. Call today if you have any questions.
Staff Writer
