The Inner Ear is the most complex component of the auditory system and is located in the tiny space of the hardest temporal bone and is inaccessible to direct examination or clinical manipulation. It comprises of three intimately related structures: the cochlea (ko-klee-ah), three semicircular canals and the vestibule system.
The cochlea is directly responsible for hearing. It contains nerves that are responsible for converting energy vibrations within the inner ear fluid into nerve impulses that transmit to the brain. The vestibular system and the semicircular canals function to maintain balance (by sensing motion). They also function to recover the body’s equilibrium.
When your body tries to recover your equilibrium (this happens when you are dizzy), your eyes twitch from side to side. This effect is called nystagmus. The age of an individual may affect how quickly they recover their equilibrium as a result of a loss of nerve endings whereas the gender of an individual doesn’t usually affect their recovery. This is because there is no such thing as a male or female ear!
The cochlea is directly responsible for hearing. It contains nerves that are responsible for converting energy vibrations within the inner ear fluid into nerve impulses that transmit to the brain. The vestibular system and the semicircular canals function to maintain balance (by sensing motion). They also function to recover the body’s equilibrium.
When your body tries to recover your equilibrium (this happens when you are dizzy), your eyes twitch from side to side. This effect is called nystagmus. The age of an individual may affect how quickly they recover their equilibrium as a result of a loss of nerve endings whereas the gender of an individual doesn’t usually affect their recovery. This is because there is no such thing as a male or female ear!