Patients are participating in ear and hearing disorders research around the world

The ear is important for hearing, balance, and coordination in humans and has three parts - the outer, middle, and inner ear. The outer ear is the external part that is visible and collects sound, funneling it down the ear canal to the eardrum and then to the middle ear. The middle ear converts the vibrations from the ear drum into waves and transfers them to the inner ear (which includes the cochlea). While ears are normally associated with hearing, it is not the ear itself that hears. Rather, the ear is the instrument that gathers sound, converts vibrations into waves, and transfers those waves through nerves to the brain where it then interprets them into what we “hear.” Similarly, it is not the part of the ear we can see that is associated with balance, but rather the inner ear where the fluid-filled loops respond to rotation of the head and then send signals to the brain for interpretation.

The ear, and subsequently hearing and balance, can be affected by disease, physical trauma, and other conditions which may cause hearing loss. Meniere’s disease is an example of a disease that affects the inner ear and affects balance. This disease can cause people to experience vertigo (a feeling as if the “world is spinning”), feeling dizzy and nauseous, and hearing a ringing, buzzing, humming, or roaring sound in their ears (Tinnitus). Another condition that can affect the ear happens when the ear canal becomes infected by bacteria, fungus, or viruses and can cause many symptoms including earache and fever.