Stapesvälityksellä

Stapesvälityksellä, commonly referred to as stapes vibration or stapes movement, is a crucial part of the auditory process in the human ear. It describes the mechanical action of the stapes, the smallest bone in the human body, which is part of the ossicular chain in the middle ear. This bone is shaped like a stirrup and plays a vital role in transmitting sound vibrations from the incus (anvil) to the oval window, an opening in the cochlea of the inner ear.

When sound waves reach the eardrum, they cause it to vibrate. These vibrations are then amplified and transferred through the malleus (hammer) and incus to the stapes. The stapes, in turn, vibrates and pushes against the oval window. This pressure fluctuation in the fluid-filled cochlea initiates the process of converting mechanical vibrations into electrical signals that are sent to the brain for interpretation as sound. The precise and efficient movement of the stapes is essential for hearing. Any disruption to its vibration, such as fixation of the stapes (otosclerosis), can lead to conductive hearing loss.