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Ear anatomy

Image of ear anatomy

Sound waves pass through the outer ear and cause vibrations at your eardrum. The eardrum and three small bones of the middle ear — the hammer, anvil and stirrup — amplify the vibrations on their way to your inner ear. There, the vibrations pass through fluid in the cochlea, a snail-shaped structure in your inner ear. Most hearing loss results from damage to the cochlea.

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