Overview
Sound waves travel from the external ear to the middle ear, pass through the eardrum and enter the inner ear where they are interpreted and communicate with neural structures.
Review Date 5/2/2024
Updated by: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.