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The eardrums move when the eyes move

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Re: The eardrums move when the eyes move

#31

Post by SCHiM »

taneq wrote: post #20
EGreg wrote: post #10

Ever notice when you chew the sound gets attenuated when you clamp down?

That's one of the automatic functions of the tensor tympani muscle. It also does it when you talk, and as part of your startle reflex. Fun fact: some people have conscious control of this muscle and can voluntarily "screw up their ears" (at least that's what it feels like, it also makes a roaring/rushing sound) to dampen sounds.

Haha that's what it is.

There's more tricks too, I'm able to close my nose by a muscle somewhere in the back of my throat. I've asked my friends if they could, but they al say they can't. Anyone else have that?

Re: The eardrums move when the eyes move

#32

Post by whatshisface »

yorby wrote: post #29

My sister can blow air by the corner of her eyes... it might all be connected.

Tears are set up to drain into the nasal cavity, so when she does that she's probably just forcing air back up the drain.

http://care.american-rhinologic.org/sinus_anatomy?print

Re: The eardrums move when the eyes move

#33

Post by wh313 »

lttlrck wrote: post #18
bcryptd wrote: post #12

Is this why people turn the radio down when trying to look for an address, parking space, etc?

If I listen to the radio (speech) and then start to read and try to simultaneously listen to the radio it becomes incomprehensible. Quite weird.

Funny, it still works for me. Could it be an attention thing instead?

Re: The eardrums move when the eyes move

#34

Post by stevenwoo »

matte_black wrote: post #19
rfdub wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As soon as I tried to sense it I could and now I can't stop.

This is torture, how do you stop it??? Don’t try this if you haven’t!!

It's not bad, once you stop concentrating on it. Since I'm working at home it's so quiet that it's immediately noticeable once I try to hear it, sometimes I can make my ears get close to that popping feeling of major altitude change.

Re: The eardrums move when the eyes move

#35

Post by Simon_says »

SCHiM wrote: post #31
taneq wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's one of the automatic functions of the tensor tympani muscle. It also does it when you talk, and as part of your startle reflex. Fun fact: some people have conscious control of this muscle and can voluntarily "screw up their ears" (at least that's what it feels like, it also makes a roaring/rushing sound) to dampen sounds.

Haha that's what it is. There's more tricks too, I'm able to close my nose by a muscle somewhere in the back of my throat. I've asked my friends if they could, but they al say they can't. Anyone else have that?

I can. Up til today I never thought it was the slightest bit unusual.

Re: The eardrums move when the eyes move

#38

Post by JabavuAdams »

This makes me wonder ... um ... this might be TMI, but I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced a sudden "clearing" of the sense of smell when washing the perineum. Do we have olfactory cells down there that kind of cancel out our own scent?

I'll start washing "downstairs" and experience a something analogous to clouds parting, but for smell. It's not the smell of the soap per-se, it's a sudden removal of some kind of dullness or dampening.

Always meant to ask about this, but was inhibited. Now you know.

Re: The eardrums move when the eyes move

#40

Post by taneq »

SCHiM wrote: post #31
taneq wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's one of the automatic functions of the tensor tympani muscle. It also does it when you talk, and as part of your startle reflex. Fun fact: some people have conscious control of this muscle and can voluntarily "screw up their ears" (at least that's what it feels like, it also makes a roaring/rushing sound) to dampen sounds.

Haha that's what it is. There's more tricks too, I'm able to close my nose by a muscle somewhere in the back of my throat. I've asked my friends if they could, but they al say they can't. Anyone else have that?

Is being able to close off your nose not normal? How do people blow up balloons (or otherwise blow air hard out of their mouths) without doing that?
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