The ear has external, middle, and inner portions. The outer ear is called the pinna and is made of ridged cartilage covered by skin. Sound funnels through the pinna into the external auditory canal, a short tube that at the eardrum (tympanic membrane).
Sound causes the eardrum and its tiny attached bones in the middle portion of the ear to vibrate, and the vibrations are conducted to the nearby cochlea. The spiral-shaped cochlea is part of the inner ear; it transforms sound into nerve impulses that travel to the brain.
The fluid-filled semicircular canals (labyrinth) attach to the cochlea nerves in the inner ear. They send information on balance and head position to the brain. The eustachian (auditory) tube drains fluid from the middle ear into the throat (pharynx) behind
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How long do grommets stay in the ear?
It depends on the type of grommet, but those commonly used last between eight months and a year before they fall out.
After several sets of grommets, an ENT might offer longer-term grommets or T-tubes, which stay in for longer.
Can kids swim with grommets in their ears?
A child with grommets should avoid putting his head under the surface of dirty or soapy water, for example the bath, public pools, rivers or dams. Diving under the surface without earplugs must be avoided. This is to stop water going through the grommet into the middle ear where it will cause pain and possible infection. Earplugs can be specially made for the child by an audiologist, or bought from a pharmacy. Be careful of Prestick and silicon wax plugs because these can get stuck in the ear canal and require another general anaesthetic for removal. No other activities pose problems.
Insertion of Grommets in Adults:
~ Deafness due to fluid in the middle ear is common.
~ Grommets/T-tubes are usually placed into the eardrum after middle ear fluid has been