Our ears serve so many functions. They keep us safe by alerting us to dangerous sounds, help us stay balanced and upright, and let us enjoy our favorite sounds, like a night of live music at The Charleston Pour House.
Even though they play such an essential role in our lives, there’s likely a lot you don’t know about your ears and how hearing works. Let’s examine a few interesting facts about these fascinating structures.
Hearing With Hair 
No, the hair on your head doesn’t help you hear (that would be truly unusual!) It’s actually hair cells inside your inner ear, called stereocilia. These cells are located in the cochlea, to be precise, and work to send electrical signals to the auditory nerve and in the brain to process sound.
If these hair cells are damaged by loud noise, certain medications or other factors, they cannot be repaired. Once enough hair cells are damaged, permanent hearing loss will occur.
Earwax Protects Your Ears
Though you might think of earwax as something you need to clean out or rid your ears of, the opposite is actually true. Your ears do a good job of self-cleaning and regulating the amount of earwax they have. Earwax catches dirt, debris and certain bacteria from entering the ears and causing infection.
Too much earwax buildup can cause problems. However, one of the leading causes of earwax buildup is actually using a cotton swab to clean your ears. This can push wax deeper into your ear canal. If you think you have buildup, visit an ENT for safe earwax removal.
Gender May Affect Hearing
Women and men seem to have slightly different experiences when it comes to hearing, and in particular, hearing loss. Research has shown that women of all ages have a better ability to hear higher frequency or higher-pitched sounds (above 2000 Hz) than men. Conversely, as women age, they seem to struggle to hear lower frequency sounds more than men.
Hearing Music That Isn’t There
Some people can experience a condition known as Musical Ear Syndrome (MES), which causes them to hear music that isn’t actually playing. Though it’s considered an auditory hallucination, it’s not a psychological condition. Rather, it’s most likely to happen in people who already have hearing loss and is much more similar to experiencing tinnitus.
Keeping Your Ears Healthy
If you’re worried about your hearing or other ear-related issues, it’s important to get checked out as soon as possible. To speak to a professional or schedule an appointment for an evaluation, call Charleston ENT & Allergy today.