The Eustachian tube is the passageway that leads from the middle ear cavity to the nose and throat. The Eustachian tube serves to secure the proper atmospheric pressure in the middle ear.
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The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear cavity and the nose and throat. The tube, which is ordinarily closed, serves to equalise air pressure on both sides of the eardrum. The tube opens briefly during swallowing or heavy breathing through the nose, thus ensuring aeration of the middle ear.
Changes in middle ear air pressure can often be felt when you go up or down in a lift or during take-off or landing in an aeroplane.
One of the most common causes of middle ear disorder is faulty Eustachian tube function.
If the nose or throat swells due to, for example, a cold, the passage of air in the middle ear can be blocked. The air in the middle ear will then be absorbed by the mucosal lining, causing nega-tive pressure.
Negative air pressure in the middle ear will make the eardrum retract slightly inward and cause the middle ear sys-tem, including the hammer, anvil and stirrup, to become more rigid than nor-mal. The result may be a mild degree of conductive hearing loss.
This type of negative pressure can lead to inflammation of the middle ear because the ear is not aerated. In that case a higher degree of conductive hearing loss can occur.
Children are more prone to problems with poor aeration of the middle ear via the Eustachian tube than adults.
SEE ALSO:
Middle earConductive hearing lossHearingHearing, a tour of the ear
