No, physiology: Our hearing works by 2 mechanisms: air conduction (transmitted from external sounds) and bone conduction (transmitted from internal sounds). Normal anatomy: your carotid artery traverses the bone that makes up your inner ear. When you occlude your external auditory canal by lying down, you "turn off" air conduction allowing you to hear the always present but much softer bone conduction.
Answered 3/19/2014
4.3k views
15 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
2 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
A doctor has provided 1 answer
A doctor has provided 1 answer
A doctor has provided 1 answer
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more.
Ask your question