1. Without your ears, you would lose your balance - Inside your ear there are three canals filled with fluid and small hair cells that detect the rotational movement of your head. Each semi-circular canal is at a different angle so that your brain can better judge where your head is moving. This system in known as the vestibular system the information is then sent to the brain (Head honcho in charge) and then the brain sends the info out to the areas that need the info such as the eyes and muscles that allow us to remain balanced and know what position our body is in. When you get dizzy or nauseous it is because the eyes are sending a contradictory message than your ears are to the brain.
2. Your ears keep "growing" with age - Not quite true on this one our ears and nose are not the only parts of our body that continue to grow with age. This is just GRAVITY over time our ear cartilage breaks down and that mixed with gravity makes our ears elongate.
3. Ears are self-cleaning - Ear wax always gets a bad rap and it blamed for a lot. It actually is a very essential and needed. (Yes, everybody has ear wax). Normal ear wax production is a sign that your ears are doing a great cleaning themselves. This self-cleaning keeps the ears moisturized and protected. (Please do not put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.)
4. Ears never sleep - Our ears still hear 100% of the sounds around us when we are asleep. We just are not aware of it. Our brain is responsible for processing the sounds around us and making sense of them. We are just put into "Standby" mode, so we don't notice them, but the brain is still monitoring for relevant signals.
5. Your ears have very important hairs that don't grow back - The ear has tiny fibers aka hair cells that help us keep balance, but they also help us hear (they are very busy). These delicate hair fibers are very sensitive and can easily be damaged to the point where they break. The main reasons for this hair cell loss are sound exposure, natural aging, and ear infections. To avoid the risk of hearing loss it is important to take care of your ears by avoiding loud noises and using ear protection when you can't avoid load noise.
6. Sound exposure is the second leading cause of hearing loss - Sound exposure is a sensorineural hearing loss. It can be the result of one load impulsive sound, or from continual exposure to loud sounds over time. It can happen to anyone, at any time and any age! (We do have a great selection of semi-Custome ear protection for all sorts of activities stop in to see- wink wink)
7. Ears help regulate pressure changes - What makes my ears "pop" on a plane? our middle ear has a certain amount of pressure around it, and a small tube call the Eustachian tube that connects our ear to the back of our throat that keeps the air pressure on both sides of the eardrum equal. When air pressure builds up (example high altitude or on a plane) the eustachian tubes open up to relieve some of the pressure when we swallow, which equalizes the pressure inside and outside our ear. That is what makes them "POP."
8. Ears are connected to the nose and throat - The ears, nose & throat are all connected, that is why one Doctor for all these parts your ENT. A problem in one can cause a problem in others. If you have an infection in your throat it can travel to the ears because the Eustachian tube connects them together. (All these parts being connected is also why sometimes you have to push your hearing aid back in a bit after eating.)
9. Hearing loss may cause cognitive decline - From the above you can see that the Brain in charge of a lot of very important functions. So therefore, we what to keep it healthy. Even a mild hearing loss can increase the risk of cognitive decline. This could be because hearing loss leads to lower mental stimulation, isolation and depression. (If you don't use it you lose It) Sound blunt but it is true. The more active we stay mind, body and soul the better our golden years will be La Dolce Vita!
10. We have two ears for a reason - (Not just for symmetry) Having two ears helps us determine where sounds are coming from. If you have a loss in two ears it is important to aid both ears. This will assist you in locating where sounds are coming from for safety concerns example a horn beeping.
Your EARS are way cooler than you thought and
are a huge part of enjoying the world around you!
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