The Outer Hair Cells - Inner Ear Prisms

The outer hair cells (there are three rows) act as tiny inner ear amplifiers, and more specifically, act in pitch discrimination.  The visual equivalent would be having a built-in prism in the ear separating sound frequencies from noise.   Interestingly, the human eye cannot pick out individual frequencies in “white light” the same way the outer hair cells allow the ear to pick out frequencies in sound.

As you might expect, that is a very sensitive function built-in to the ear.  It is unfortunately not reparable once it is damaged.

Noise Damage

Remember the inner ear is an organ with some delicate features, such as the “prism” function.  Exposing the

ear to excessive levels of damaging noise (examples:  music, MP3, industrial sources, engine rooms) is the

same as using a delicate instrument like a jeweller’s screwdriver to open a can of paint.  That instrument becomes dull and useless when used inappropriately to perform gross functions on a repeated basis.

Robert Preston and Joseph Hawkins, Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Home                Tinnitus                Tinnitus Handicap Inventory                Software Solutions                Links                About Us                Support

Copyright 2010 Inner Ear Solutions