The outer ear is the external part of the ear that collects sound and directs it toward the eardrum. It forms the first part of the usual air-conduction pathway by which sound reaches the inner ear.
The outer ear consists mainly of the pinna, also called the auricle, and the external auditory canal. The pinna helps collect sound waves, while the ear canal directs them toward the eardrum, causing it to vibrate.
The shape of the outer ear also helps the brain interpret the direction from which sounds originate, particularly whether they come from above, below, in front, or behind.
QUICK FACT
Conditions affecting the outer ear, including earwax blockage or inflammation of the ear canal, can interfere with air conduction and sometimes cause temporary conductive hearing loss.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Middle ear: The space behind the eardrum containing three tiny bones called ossicles. The outer ear collects and directs sound, while the middle ear transmits vibrations toward the inner ear.
- Air conduction: The process by which sound travels through the air and the usual pathway involving the outer and middle ear to reach the inner ear.
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