Korva

Korva is the organ of hearing and balance in humans and most vertebrates. In Finnish, korva literally means “ear.” The ear converts sound into neural signals and helps maintain balance and spatial orientation. The organ comprises three main regions: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.

The outer ear includes the auricle (pinna) and the external auditory canal, ending at the tympanic membrane (eardrum). The auricle collects sound and funnels it into the canal; cerumen, or earwax, protects and lubricates the canal.

The middle ear contains the tympanic membrane and three small bones, the auditory ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes), which amplify and transmit vibrations to the inner ear. The Eustachian tube helps equalize pressure between the middle ear and the throat.

The inner ear houses the cochlea for hearing and the vestibular system for balance. Hair cells along the basilar membrane transduce mechanical motion into electrical signals carried by the auditory nerve (cranial nerve VIII) to the brain. The vestibular apparatus detects head movement and position, contributing to balance and gaze stabilization.

Function and health: Normal hearing depends on intact structures, while common problems include otitis externa (outer ear infection), otitis media (middle ear infection), and perforated tympanic membrane, as well as various forms of hearing loss (conductive or sensorineural). Assessment uses audiometry and tympanometry; treatment ranges from medication to devices such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, depending on cause.