Hearing is one of the body’s most advanced and fascinating senses. Below are 10 interesting facts about our auditory system:
Fascinating facts about the ears and hearing that you may not know
- Our sense of balance lies in our ears: the vestibular system is located in the inner ear and is responsible for maintaining equilibrium. In fact, the cause of the majority of cases of vertigo lies within the auditory system.
Photo credit: Innovando salud
- The hardest bone: the temporal bone, which protects the inner ear, is the hardest in the human body.
- The smallest bone: the ear also houses the smallest bone in the body. The stapes, or the “stirrup” bone, in the middle ear forms part of the ossicles and is the smallest bone in the human organism.
- Our ears are always working: Did you know that our ears and hearing never rest? When we sleep, our brain is capable of ignoring sounds around us and only reacts to loud or unexpected noises as a defense mechanism that allows us to respond rapidly.
- The 10 most unpleasant noises to the human ear: a study by the University of Newcastle has identified the most unpleasant sounds, which include a knife scraping against a bottle, a fork scratching on a plate, chalk on a blackboard, a ruler on a bottle, nails on a blackboard, a baby crying, an electric drill, rusty swing chains, a person retching and two pieces of expanded polystyrene rubbing together.
- Wax is a natural protective agent: ear wax, or cerumen, is secreted by the body to protect the middle ear against dust, dirt and bacterial or fungal infections. However, when it is secreted in excessive amounts, it can cause buildup and blockages in the ears that affect our hearing.
- The inner ear creates electric impulses: sound waves are transmitted through the different parts of the ear before being converted into electric impulses by the cochlea and organ of Corti.
Photo credit: the worlds of David Darling
- A narrow tube unblocks our ears: the Eustachian tube is 3.5 cm in length and connected to the back of the nose. It helps to balance pressure levels in the middle ear and creates the feeling of unblocking or “popping” them.
- Hearing problems can be prevented with diet: Omega 3 fatty acids, which are found in fish such as salmon or tuna, strengthen the blood vessels in the inner ear. Additionally, antioxidants – folic acid in particular – and the consumption of leafy green vegetables such as spinach and romaine lettuce are beneficial in preventing hearing issues caused by exposure to noise.
- We hear music better on our left side: according to a study by the Universities of California and Arizona published in Science magazine, our right ear is more responsive to speech from birth, while the left side is more receptive to continuous tones and musical sounds.
Do you know any more interesting facts about our ears and hearing? If you do, feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us through our website or social media pages. 🙂
I like the way, how meticulously you extracted each and every point and mentioned it in the blog. Your research on the subject is thorough. Being an Audiologist myself, I really appreciate your efforts.
Thank you very much! 🙂
Fabulous!!! 🤗🤗😍
Hello! Thank you for your comment and greetings from Kiversal
Lovely 🌹
Thank you so much for your nice feedback, Nora! 🙂
Your blog was absolutely fantastic! Large amount of great information which is often attractive some and the other way.Thanks.
Very intresting information for all relative of this feild I very thankful go u for sharing me this knowledge i hope y eill remember us next further .thanks
Thank you for your comment, Abdul.
That’s Soo helpful
Thanks❤️
I am bleeding in my ear what should I do ?
Hello, Melissa. We recommend you see a medical specialist in order to study your case and get a proper diagnosis. Kind regards.
Really helpful article! My friend had a problem few months back and now he tried some remedies that really worked out! I must share this to him! Great facts! Thanks for the helpful information!
Thank you for your comment, Krishnan!
Thanks for pointing out that ear wax actually acts as a protective agent for the ears. I’m interested in finding places that offer kids’ hearing tests because my son is currently recovering form an ear infection. I’d like to make sure that his hearing wasn’t affected too much by that incident.
Thank you for sharing your experience. We recommend you to go to a specialist who can diagnose his case. Best regards.
I have gone through the blog post and I must admit it is very informative. I liked the writing style too. Keep up the good work and share more contents. Cheers!
Thank you for your comment. Best regards.
Hello, This Information is very useful!
If you want to know more about ENT doctors then visit our website.
Thank you for your comment, Jaipur. Best regards.
amazing fact about ear subscribed to your blog.
Thank you Arvind!
Thanks want more about ears
Thank you for your comment, Sunju Jaanu! 🙂 Stay tuned to find out more interesting facts about ears.
Hey, every once in a while, I’d hear a high pitched buzzing or some times, my ears would go deaf and then become hearable. Why do ears do that? Is it normal? Should I go see a doctor?
Good morning Jackson, yes absolutely! We highly recommend you to visit a specialist.
This is always right
Thank you for your feedback, Vivek!