Jump to content
Science Forums

Seeing The Ear Drum


hazelm

Recommended Posts

When you go to your doctor for a "once-over-lightly" checkup  he shines a light into your ear and declares it clean - or not.  Can he see the ear drum with this kind of looking?  Isn't the ear drum hidden behind a membrane?  Thanks.

The ear drum is the membrane. It separates the outer ear from the middle ear, where the bones are that transmit the sound to the cochlea. So yes indeed, the doctor can see the ear drum - as those of us who suffered with middle ear infections as children know quite well :) .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The ear drum is the membrane. It separates the outer ear from the middle ear, where the bones are that transmit the sound to the cochlea. So yes indeed, the doctor can see the ear drum - as those of us who suffered with middle ear infections as children know quite well :) .

Hmmm?  Interesting.  I had been misinformed.  Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

When you face any problem in ear then Otoscope is used by doctors. A doctor can be able to see the tiny bones of the middle ear from this instrument.

Really is interesting because it was a doctor who said "no" when I asked him if he could see into the middle ear.  But, nowadays, nothing in the medical world surprises me. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When you face any problem in ear then Otoscope is used by doctors. A doctor can be able to see the tiny bones of the middle ear from this instrument.

This sounds incorrect to me as well.

 

An otoscope is for viewing the outer ear and cannot see past the eardrum. For looking at the middle ear, one would have pass an instrument up through the eustachian tube.  

 

But your reply is odd. You may just be a spammer, so I'll report you to be on the safe side. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This sounds incorrect to me as well.

 

An otoscope is for viewing the outer ear and cannot see past the eardrum. For looking at the middle ear, one would have pass an instrument up through the eustachian tube.  

 

But your reply is odd. You may just be a spammer, so I'll report you to be on the safe side. :)

Pass an instrument up my eustachian tube?  OUCH.  No way!  I'll just enjoy being deaf in one ear.  I can sleep on the good ear and nothing will awaken me. :clap:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...