An ear is like an iceberg – much of it is out of sight. The only visible part is the auricle – the seashell shaped structure made of bendy cartilage, covered in skin. Its main role is to act as a trumpet, filtering and funnelling sound waves down into the middle, then the inner ear, where they are converted into our sense of hearing.
A medical ear examination usually involves an inspection of the canal, using an instrument called an otoscope. This is usually to investigate more common ear conditions – an infection, or a clog of wax.
