The hearing process is a complex process that begins with the physical sound waves entering the ear. These sound waves travel through the ear canal and vibrate the eardrum. This vibration is transmitted to the ossicles (three small bones in the middle ear). The ossicles amplify the sound waves and send them to the cochlea. The cochlea is a snail-shaped structure filled with fluid. Hair cells lining the cochlea are stimulated by the sound waves and generate nerve impulses. These impulses travel through the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are interpreted and the sound is understood.
