Physio 11: Hearing & Equilibrium

Hearing and balance share a common origin: mechanical energy translated into neural meaning. Air vibrations become sound; head movement becomes orientation; acceleration becomes awareness of motion.In this episode, Medlock Holmes explores how the auditory and vestibular systems convert physical displacement into precise neural signals. We examine the mechanics of the middle and inner ear, the role of hair cells, frequency discrimination, and how the brain extracts timing and direction from vibration.Equally, we uncover how the vestibular system provides a constant, largely unconscious stream of information about head position and movement—allowing posture, gaze, and balance to remain stable even while the world shifts.This is physiology working quietly in the background.When it functions well, we barely notice it.When it fails, nothing feels anchored.Key Takeaways* Hearing and balance rely on mechanotransduction via hair cells* Frequency and intensity of sound are encoded by location and firing rate* The cochlea performs mechanical frequency analysis before neural processing* Vestibular inputs stabilise posture, gaze, and spatial orientation* Much of balance physiology operates below conscious awareness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drmanaankarray.substack.com/subscribe