The ear has two physiological functions: hearing and the maintenance of balance (see Chapter 12).
Physiology of Hearing
‘Hearing’ is a vital part of our communication; speech, conversation, music, traffic and a host of other sounds are an integral part of our lives. Hearing is a complex physiological process starting with sound energy vibrating a column of air in the external ear and the bones that surround the ear. This in turn causes the eardrum and the attached ossicles to move in a delicate sequence and set up fluid movements in the cochlea or inner ear (Figure 2.1).
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