Hearing begins when the outer ear collects sound waves and directs them through the auditory canal. This passage is lined with fine hairs and glands that produce earwax, which helps protect the canal while sound continues its path toward the deeper structures of the ear.
At the end of the auditory canal is the middle ear, which contains the eardrum and three small bones commonly known as the hammer, anvil, and stirrup. When sound waves reach the eardrum, it vibrates and sets these bones in motion. Their movement amplifies the vibrations and carries them into the inner ear, meaning that any disruption to these structures can influence how effectively sound is transmitted.
The inner ear contains the cochlea and the auditory nerve. Within the cochlea, tiny hair cells respond to vibration by generating nerve signals that travel along the auditory pathway to the brain. The brain interprets these signals as recognizable sound, completing a process that depends on the precise function of each part of the hearing system.