miðeyra

Miðeyra is the Icelandic word for the middle ear. This is the part of the ear that separates the outer ear from the inner ear. It is an air-filled cavity within the temporal bone of the skull. The middle ear is crucial for hearing as it transmits sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.

The primary components of the middle ear are the tympanic membrane (eardrum) and three tiny bones called ossicles: the malleus, incus, and stapes. The malleus is attached to the eardrum and receives its vibrations. These vibrations are then passed to the incus, and finally to the stapes. The stapes is connected to the oval window, an opening that leads into the cochlea, the main organ of hearing in the inner ear.

The middle ear also contains the Eustachian tube, a narrow passage that connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat. The Eustachian tube's function is to equalize the air pressure in the middle ear with the external air pressure. This equalization is important for the proper functioning of the eardrum and ossicles. Infections of the middle ear, commonly known as otitis media, can impair hearing and cause pain.