Structures of the Ear, Nose, Mouth, and Throat
EAR SINUSES
outer ear frontal
auricle (pinna) ethmoid
auditory canal sphenoid
middle ear maxillary
TYMPANIC MEMBRANE(eardrum) olfactory bulb
EUSTACHIAN TUBE olfactory nerve ending
inner ear MOUTH
malleus (hammer) lips
incus (anvil) cheeks
stapes (stirrup) tongue
oval window taste buds
COCHLEA palate
organ of Corti SALIVARY GLANDS
round window parotid
cochlearNERVE submandibular
bony labyrinth glossopharyngeal
membranous labyrinth lingual
semicircular canals sublingual
vestibule buccal
saccule labial
utricle THROAT
vestibular nerve uvula
NOSE pharynx
nasal cavity epiglottis
nasal septum hyoid bone
nostrils larynx
mucous lining VOCAL CORDS
nasal conchae
Functions of the Ear, Nose, Mouth, and Throat
The ears, nose, and mouth (along with the eyes)
are the primary features of the head and face.
They form the hallmarks of recognition and indi-
vidual identity throughout life. Yet the functions
of these features are far more than cosmetic. They
are important for survival as well as for refined
sensory perception, making it possible to compre-
hend and interact with the external environment.
Taste and smell, the chemosenses, provide the
combined sensation of flavor—a blend of the
mouth’s ability to perceive four distinct tastes and
the nose’s ability to detect thousands of odors.
Hearing allows the BRAINto register sounds across
a broad spectrum of frequency and volume.
The structures responsible for sensory percep-
tion begin to take shape as early as the third week
of embryonic development and function at a fairly
high level by birth. These senses—taste, smell,
and hearing—serve as basic survival mechanisms
for newborns, helping them identify their moth-
ers, food sources, and hazards until other senses
and cognitive abilities adequately develop. Sur-
vival also depends on the ability to suck or chew
and swallow, requiring coordinated movements of
the structures of the mouth and throat. The
brain’s temporal lobe, which processes hearing,
language, and speech as well as smell, takes a
developmental leap about three months after a
baby’s birth, vastly expanding sensory perceptions
and communication capabilities. Further cerebralTHE EAR, NOSE, MOUTH,
AND THROAT
The structures of the ear, nose, mouth, and throat carry out the functions of hearing, balance, smell, taste, speech, and
swallowing. Practitioners in the medical field of otolaryngology specialize in providing care for these structures. This
section, “The Ear, Nose, Mouth, and Throat,” presents a discussion of the structures and their functions, an overview
of otolaryngologic health and disorders, and entries about the health conditions that can affect them.
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