What healthy ears look like
Инструкция
In this topic you will learn what healthy ears look like and signs of ear health problems.
It is important to recognize what healthy and unhealthy ears look like as part of sensory screening.
Parts of the ear
There are three parts of the ear:
- Outer ear
- Middle ear
- Inner ear
Outer ear
The outer ear is made up of the:
- Pinna
- Ear canal
- Tragus.
The tragus is at the entrance to the ear canal.
The ear canal connects the outer and middle ear.
Middle ear
The middle ear is made up of the:
- Eardrum (tympanic membrane)
- Small hearing bones.
The eardrum separates the outer and middle ear.
Reflection
The middle ear is connected to the back of the nose by a tube. If you have a cold, you may have a feeling of being blocked up and have pain in your ear.
- Have you ever felt blocked in one or both of your ears when you have a cold?
- Did you experience pain in your ear?
Inner ear
The inner ear changes sounds into electrical signals, which travel from the hearing nerve to the brain.
It is not possible to see the inner ear during screening.
Healthy ears
Healthy outer ears (pinna) are slightly different shapes and sizes. All healthy ears have an ear canal.
Инструкция
Look at these examples of healthy pinna.
There are no signs of:
- Damage/injury
- Набухание
- Change in colour (red/purple)
- Discharge (blood, pus, fluid).
If a person’s pinna or ear canal is missing or has a very different shape, the person has more complex needs and should be referred to an ear and hearing professional.
Healthy ears have no signs of:
- Infection
- Blocked ear.
The eardrum should be:
- Clear (partially see-through)
- White/light grey colour
- No holes.
