From health to sports – ears can say loads about you

An ear is like an iceberg – much of it’s out of sight. The only visible part is the auricle – the seashell shaped structure manufactured from bendy cartilage, covered in skin. Its predominant role is to act as a trumpet, filtering and funnelling sound waves down into the center, then the inner earwhere they’re converted into our sense of hearing.

A medical ear examination normally involves an inspection of the canal, using an instrument called an otoscope. This will likely be to research more common ear conditions – an infection, or a clog of wax.

But the auricle – also often known as the external ear – may also tell tales about your health, family traits and even whether you play high contact sports.

The shape of each ear is exclusive as a fingerprint and every part has a reputation. The fleshy, dangly bit at the underside is the lobule – or ear lobe. The folded top portion, which curves along the sting of the ear, is the helix – named for its shape – and the 2 outstanding areas that sit next to the canal are the tragus and antitragus.

The word “tragus” is derived from the Greek for goat. This is since the tragus will likely be covered in hairs, giving it an analogous appearance to a billygoat’s chin. Have a feel for yourself – you could not have realised the hairs were there.

Ear genetics

Earlobes feel different to the remainder of the ear. They lack cartilage so feel soft and squishy, moderately than firm and bendy.

But the appearance of the earlobe can vary in accordance with your genes – they’re either free (with a dangly bit) or attached (attached on to the pinnacle).

It was initially believed that the allele – a type of a gene – that codes totally free lobes is dominant, which suggests that you simply only need to have one copy of the gene, either out of your mother or your father. Attached lobes were understood to return from recessive alleles, which suggests that you have to inherit them from each parents. That made free lobes more common.

But we now comprehend it’s not that easy. A spectrum exists between free and attached lobes, coded by many alternative genes. Take a have a look at your personal lobes, the people you reside with, and a few people in the general public eye. They range in size and shape – from Charlize Theron and her free earlobes to Gwyneth Paltrow’s attached lobules.

Also, wearing heavy earrings can elongate lobes and alter their appearance, too.

Earlobes are wealthy with sensory nerve fibres, which provides them a repute for being an erogenous zone – sensitive to the touch, breath and nibbles.

Gout and tophi

Gout is on the rise. Not only a disease of the Georgian aristocracy, it’s a systemic condition that may affect the joints, heart, kidneys – and even ears.

It’s brought on by high levels of uric acid within the bloodstream, which turns into crystals. If these accumulate within the joints, they will inflame and erode them, causing painful swelling. High uric acid can be related to higher levels of “bad” cholesteroland is related to cardiovascular diseases, corresponding to hypertension and strokes.

Occasionally, uric acid crystals can develop under the skin. These can appear as little lumps called tophithat usually form within the tissue around joints, but additionally within the ears.

Tophi are firm and appear like pebbles, which is where they get their name from (the singular tophus is Latin for stone). If tophi break through the skin, or are removed surgically, they sometimes appear like chalk.

Tophi normally form over long periods of timeand are only ever related to gout.

Cauliflower ear

Stuck out on the edges of our heads, in various degrees of protrusion, our ears are exposed and potentially open to wreck. Earrings can easily tear through piercings in the event that they get caught. Ears are sometimes subjected to trauma during fights and sports.

Boxer Mike Tyson even bit off a bit of opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear during a match, as an illustration.

One of probably the most unmistakable traumatic conditions is cauliflower ear, also often known as wrestler’s ear or boxer’s ear. Its medical name is subperichondrial haematoma – a technical term to explain the construct up of blood across the ear’s cartilage consequently of mechanical damage, corresponding to a direct blow to the ear.

The problem is more severe than it may appear. The damage to the vessels, and the pressure of the amassed blood, can deprive the cartilage of oxygen causing it to degenerate. The body’s response is to provide a mass of lumpy connective tissue – and a “cauliflower” ear forms.

Cauliflower ears could be prevented by avoiding sports most related to the condition, corresponding to rugby, wrestling and martial arts. For those that love contact sports, protective headwear or a scrum cap can assist protect the ears. If a haematoma does occur, it’s vital to get it aspirated with a needle to guard the cartilage from harm.

The external, visible parts of our ears, then, are greater than just decorative. Their functions range from transmission of sound waves to sexual arousal. And changes in appearance can reflect the sports we wish to play to the form of jewellery we prefer.