Öron

Öron is Swedish for ears; they are the paired organs of hearing and balance in humans and many vertebrates. The outer ear consists of the pinna (the visible part) and the external auditory canal, which collect sound and funnel it to the tympanic membrane (eardrum). The middle ear contains the tympanic cavity and three small bones—the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup)—which transmit and amplify vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx and helps equalize pressure on either side of the eardrum.

The inner ear houses the cochlea, where mechanical vibrations are transformed into neural signals by hair cells and transmitted via the auditory nerve (cranial nerve VIII) to the brain. The inner ear also includes the vestibular apparatus, consisting of semicircular canals and otolithic organs, which detect head movement and contribute to balance and spatial orientation.

Normal hearing generally covers a frequency range from about 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with sensitivity diminishing with age and exposure to loud sounds. The auditory system processes timing and intensity differences to identify sound location and meaning, while the vestibular system maintains balance and gaze stabilization during movement.

Common conditions affecting öron include otitis media (middle-ear infection), conductive or sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and Ménière’s disease, which can affect both hearing and balance. Protection of hearing—such as avoiding prolonged loud noise, using hearing protection in noisy environments, and seeking medical advice for persistent hearing problems—supports ear health.