The middle ear: the eardrum and ear bones (ossicles), plus the air spaces behind the eardrum and in the mastoid cavities behind the ear (vulnerable to air pressure). The outer ear: the part that you can see on the side of the head plus the ear canal leading down to the eardrum. Similar swelling can occur with environmental allergies as a consequence of nasal or sinus infection, or because of throat or tonsil/adenoid infection.Ĭhildren are especially vulnerable to blockages because their Eustachian Tubes are narrower than adults. A stuffy nose leads to stuffy ears because the swollen membranes block the opening of the Eustachian Tube.
Sinus infections and nasal allergies (hay fever, etc.) are also causes. The most common cause for a blocked Eustachian Tube is the common cold. This is called “fluid in the ear” or serous otitis. If the tube remains blocked, fluid (like blood serum) will seep into the area from the membranes in an attempt to overcome the vacuum. Such an eardrum cannot vibrate naturally, so sounds are muffled or blocked, and the stretching can be painful. The air already there is absorbed and a vacuum occurs, sucking the eardrum inward and stretching it. When that occurs, the middle ear pressure cannot be equalized. The Eustachian Tube can be blocked, or obstructed, for a variety of reasons. If and when the air pressure is not equal, the ear feels blocked. In this manner, air pressure on both sides of the eardrum stays about equal.
The air in the middle ear is constantly being absorbed by its membranous lining and resupplied through the Eustachian Tube. It passes through the Eustachian Tube, a membrane-lined tube about the size of a pencil lead that connects the back of the nose with the middle ear. This occurs because a small bubble of air has entered your middle ear, up from the back of your nose. Normally, each time (or each second or third time) you swallow, your ears make a little click or popping sound. It is the middle ear that causes discomfort during air travel because it is an air pocket inside the head that is vulnerable to changes in air pressure. Have you ever wondered why your ears pop when you fly on an airplane? Or why, when they fail to pop, you get an earache? Have you ever wondered why the babies on an airplane fuss and cry so much during descent?Įar problems are the most common medical complaint of airplane travelers, and while they are usually simple, minor annoyances, they occasionally result in temporary pain and hearing loss.
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