Tag: auricle

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Fun Fact: Incisura

Anatomy Def: Notch between tragus and antitragus of the auricle. To understand the meaning of these words, read on!

Outlander Def: The ear cleft (red arrow) patiently awaiting Claire’s attention!

Learn about incisura in Anatomy Lesson #24  Hear, Here – The Ear! 

The auricle, part of the outer ear, is the visible, bendable flap situated on either side of the head. Like fingerprints or venous patterns on the back of hands, each auricle is unique to its owner.  The auricle has a cartilage core enveloped by thin skin. Auricular (adj.) anatomy is complex; it’s hollows, ridges, and whorls act to modify sounds waves of particular frequencies.

Near the base of the auricle and just above the ear lobe are two wee bumps: tragus is nearest the face; anti-tragus is nearest the outer rim. These bumps are separated by a notch, the incisura. Yay!

Incisura is also known as the intertragic notch.  An apropos name for that tragic moment when young Ian, Jamie’s beloved nephew, chooses to exchange himself for Roger Mac. Ian proves himself “a man of worth!”

Fun Fact: This is one good reason to know about the incisura. The incisura/intertagic notch is the point specified  in the U.S. Army’s regulation governing the length of sideburns in male soldiers. In other words, sideburns cannot be longer than the incisura. Who knew? Male soldiers, I presume! <G>

Try This: Find the notch near the base of your auricle. Insert finger. This is the incisura (intertragic notch), flanked on either side by the cartilaginous bumps, tragus and anti-tragus. Specific function of incisura is not known but likely aids in sound wave modification.

Otalgia: Some people experience incisural pain, generally known as otalgia, meaning “ear pain.” The most common causes of incisural pain are:

    • otitis externa or inflammation of outer ear (auricle/ear canal)
    • otitis media or inflammation of middle ear (between ear drum and inner ear)

Read about the auricle in Diana’s splendid big book, The fiery Cross. Many ear quotes to choose from, but in this one, Jamie’s wandering thumb comes verra close to Claire’s incisura! (cough, cough)

His fingers went under the mass of hair, and I felt his hand cup the base of my skull, holding my head like a chalice. 

“I saw my mother in her coffin,” he said at last. His thumb touched my ear, drew down the curve of helix and lobule, and I shivered at his touch. 

“The women had plaited her hair, to be seemly, but my father wouldna have it. I heard him. He didna shout, though, he was verra quiet… He undid her plaits and he spread out her hair in his two hands across the pillow…”

Sob!

See Jamie’s left incisura as he sadly ponders Ian’s decision to remain with the Mohawk in Starz Outlander episode 413, A Man of Worth! 

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo Credit:   Starz ep 413, A Man of Worth

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Fun Fact: Tragus

Anatomy def: Tragus is a small lump of cartilage on the external ear; it projects downward partially covering the opening of the ear canal. 

Outlander def: Ian’s tragus is definitely perked when he is captured during the night raid to save Roger-Dodger. He is mighty scart! 

Learn about the tragus in Anatomy Lesson #24, Hear, Here – The Ear.  

The outer ear, or auricle, is the visible, bendable flap situated at each side of the head. Like fingerprints or the venous pattern on the back of our hands, each auricle is unique.  Under its skin is a core of elastic cartilage. The anatomy is detailed, the tragus being one of several bumps, whorls or troughs acting to preferentially filter sounds in the frequency range of human speech.

The tragus projects downward over the opening of the external ear canal. Directly opposite the tragus is the antitragus which projects upward over the opening of the ear canal. Together, they help protect the entrance to the ear canal.

One may wonder why this bump was named tragus, a Greek word meaning “goat.” This references the tuft of hair resembling a goat’s beard that often adorns the tragi (pl.) of older men. Think Murtagh, not Ian! <G>

Try This: Place your L thumb in L ear canal, then pinch with L forefinger; this is your tragus. Now insert L index finger into same ear canal and pinch with thumb; this is your antitragus. Did you find both? Good job!

Fun Fact: Pinching the tragus, an action known as the fistula test, may induce vertigo or eye deviation in patients with the presence of an inner ear abnormality (fistula). If the pinch causes the response, the test is positive; if it doesn’t, the test is negative.

Read about ears in Drums of Autumn. Herself describes tidbits about Claire’s ears, Jamie’s ears, Haye’s ears, Byrnes ears, Ian’s ears and Rollo’s ears, and more, much more.  Best read the books! 

“Can ye speak Mohawk yourself, Mr. Myers?” 

Ian’s ears had been flapping all through the explanation. Fascinated by every rock, tree, and bird on our journey, Ian was still more fascinated by any mention of Indians. 

“Oh, a good bit.” Myers shrugged modestly. “Any trader picks up a few words here and there. Shoo, dawg.” 

Rollo, who had inched his nose within sniffing distance of Myers’s last trout, twitched his ears at the admonition but didn’t withdraw the nose.

See Ian’s tragus and its auricle turn bright pink in Starz, ep 413, A Man of Worth. Trapped like a rat! Ian doesna like gettin’ nabbed in the dark.  

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Fun Fact: Auricle

Anatomy def: The auricle is the visible part of an ear. 

Outlander def: Poor Father Ferigault’s missing head appendage!

Learn about the auricle and other features of the ear in Anatomy Lesson #24: Hear, Here – the Ear.

Because auricle sounds very much like oracle, these words are sometimes confused. The following may help keep them straight: we climb the mountain to seek wisdom from the oracle, but we listen to her wise words using our auricles. Got it?

The human ear is a composite of three ears: inner ear, middle ear and outer ear. Each auricle (pl. auricula) resides outside the skull and belongs to the outer ear. Middle and inner ears lie inside the skull.

Like many anatomical structures, the auricle bears more than one name. Thus, it is also known as the pinna (Latin meaning “feather” or “wing”).  Either term works for human anatomy.

Here’s a wee Fun Fact: Like our fingerprints and venous pattern, no two human auricula (pl.) are alike! Although the curved auricle bears 15+ named ridges and troughs, its collective appearance is unique to the owner.

The auricle is tasked with collecting and funneling sound waves toward the ear canal. But, recent studies reveal more: our auricula also amplify and filter sounds waves to preferentially select those in the frequency range of human speech! How awesome is that?

Humans also have three wee muscles that can move each auricle, although our abilities to do so vary greatly. Just compare our ear wiggling with some amazing mammals who can turn their auricula 180 degrees or even one at a time to collect, modulate and funnel sounds waves. We be whimps. <G>

Try This: Ask someone to take a photo of your auricle, then compare with that of another person. Check overall size, earlobe shape, earlobe attachment, ridges and valleys. They will likely be quite different.

Read about the Father’s grizzly wound in big book four, “Drums of Autumn.”  Diana’s description is truly riveting!

Alexandre stirred and moaned. Roger came quickly and knelt by him. He could smell fresh blood, a hot-copper smell he recognized from the slaughtering of the moose. 

“Are you hurt? What have they done?”

The answer to that was quick in coming. He turned the half-conscious priest over, to see blood streaming over face and neck in a shiny red glaze. He snatched the priest’s discarded robe to stanch the wound, pushed back the matted blond hair, and found that the priest’s right ear was missing. Something sharp had taken a patch of skin some three inches square from just behind the jaw, removing both ear and a section of scalp.

See Father Alexandre’s shocking wound sans auricle in Starz ep. 412, Providence. The good Father’s convincing whimpers and moans create a deeply moving scene. Help! Providence needed here! 

The deeply grateful, Outlander Anatomist

Photo credit: Starz