What Is The Smallest Muscle In The Human Body?
The smallest muscle in the human body is the stapedius. It is a tiny strap which connects the bones of the ear (ossicles) to the skull. Its purpose is to tense when there is a loud noise and so act as a damper. It does this by reducing their movement. In this way it prevents damage to the delicate structures of the middle and inner ear.
The sound attenuation properties of the stapedius are incredibly important. Without them deafness would often occur after exposure to particularly loud noises. You may have also noticed noises around you becoming quieter when you speak. This is due to the stapedius tensing when you speak because otherwise your voice will be unpleasantly loud to you. Noise induced deafness is a very important cause of hearing loss. This is because of the indisputable fact that it is entirely preventable by wearing earplugs or other hearing protection. ZenPlugs are ideal for protecting the hearing because they have exemplary sound protection qualities. They are made from a high-density thermoplastic which blocks sound effectively and is easy to mould to the ears in a simple one stage process. This will save you huge sums of money if you compare it to visiting the grumpy audiologists down the road.
Dr Toby Bateson