Among other things, your sense of balance helps you stay upright, to move without falling, and to know where you are in relation to the direction of gravity. It also helps keep your eyes focused when you turn your head. To better understand the balance system, let us first study the structure of the inner ear. The ear is divided into three separate parts, each with its own functions. The outer ear consists of the visible ear, the ear canal, and the outside of the eardrum , a tough, flexible membrane also called the tympanic membrane .
Sound waves travel through the outer ear to the eardrum to get to the middle ear.
The middle ear , just behind the eardrum, is a hollow chamber which contains the three smallest bones of the body. These bones carry sound to the inner ear. A small tube leading from the back of the throat to the middle ear is called the eustachian tube . It keeps the middle ear cavity filled with air. The inner ear , the most complex part, contains the organs of hearing and balance.