ENT Lecture:

Physiology of Hearing

Dr. Tanveer Raza

Department of Ear, Nose and Throat
Department of Medical Education
Faculty of Medicine
University of Tabuk
De’An, Jiangxi
Dr. Tanveer Raza
traza@ut.edu.sa
Dr. Tanveer Raza
traza@ut.edu.sa
Function of Ear
 Hearing
 Balance

Dr. Tanveer Raza

traza@ut.edu.sa
Physiology of hearing
 Air Conduction

EAC TM OSSICLES COCHLEA AUDITORY

CORTEX

Conductive Neural

 Bone Conduction

Dr. Tanveer Raza

traza@ut.edu.sa
Physiology of Hearing

Dr. Tanveer Raza

traza@ut.edu.sa
Dr. Tanveer Raza
traza@ut.edu.sa
Physiology of hearing
 Air Conduction
 Bone conduction
 Sound transmitted through bone due to
vibration of skull

Direct bone conduction with the

BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aids)
system

Dr. Tanveer Raza

traza@ut.edu.sa
 Physiology of hearing
 Middle ear muscles
 Tensor tympani and Stapedius
 Protects inner ear from
damage due to high intensity
sounds
 Reflex stimulation causes
stiffness of ossicular chain
 Do not protect against sudden
explosive sounds
 Have latent period of
contraction

Dr. Tanveer Raza

*http://www.anatomyatlases.org/
traza@ut.edu.sa
Physiology of hearing
 Eustachian tube
 Aeration and equalization of pressure of middle
ear
 Required for proper functioning of tympanic
membrane and ossicles

Dr. Tanveer Raza

traza@ut.edu.sa
Impedance matching function of middle ear

 TM and ossicles also increase sound

pressure
 Sound is transmitted from air in middle
ear to fluid in cochlea
 Resistance is overcome by
impedance matching system

Dr. Tanveer Raza

traza@ut.edu.sa
Impedance matching function of middle ear

 Impedance matching system

1. Large effective surface area of TM
compared to small area of foot plate
of stapes
2. Greater length of handle of Malleus
compared to long process of Incus

Dr. Tanveer Raza

traza@ut.edu.sa
Dr. Tanveer Raza
traza@ut.edu.sa
Impedance matching function of middle ear

Dr. Tanveer Raza

traza@ut.edu.sa
Dr. Tanveer Raza
traza@ut.edu.sa
Thank You

De’An, Jiangxi