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Ear health

How does your ear work? What are the ear conditions that can affect your hearing? And how you can protect your hearing from loud noise.

A diagram of an ear.

How the ear works

Our ears turn sound waves into electrical signals that are passed to the brain and recognised as different sounds.

An audiologist looking into a patient's ear.

Ear conditions

Common ear conditions can cause discomfort and hearing problems. They can usually be treated effectively.

A woman with short white hair with headphones on.

Protect your hearing

Protecting your ears from loud noise can help to prevent hearing loss and tinnitus caused by noise exposure.

Page last updated: 4 September 2025

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© RNID is the trading name of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID). Registered charity in England, Wales (207720) and Scotland (SC038926). Registered company in England and Wales (454169).

Registered address: Brightfield Business Hub, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6XU

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