The Tiny Ear Muscle Some People Can Flex on Command

Some people can voluntarily flex a tiny middle-ear muscle called the tensor tympani and hear a low rumbling sound that only they can hear.

Medicine

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Deep inside the middle ear is a small muscle called the tensor tympani. It attaches to the malleus, one of the tiny bones that helps carry sound, and its contraction increases tension in the eardrum and reduces movement through the middle-ear bones. The muscle is involved in the way the ear responds to sound and other stimuli, although researchers still debate exactly how important each of its possible functions is. Most people do not consciously control it, but a small number of people can voluntarily contract it. When they do, they may hear a low internal rumble or feel a vibration that is not produced by an outside sound. Studies of voluntary contraction have found that tightening the muscle can temporarily change sound transmission, especially at lower frequencies. The ability appears to be unusual, and the full role of the tensor tympani in everyday hearing is still being studied.

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