Eustachian Tube

Causes of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction and Ear Infections

The Eustachian tubes are the openings that connect the middle part of the ear to an area in the back of the nose called the nasopharynx. Their function is to help keep the pressure stable in the middle ear and drain extra fluid from behind the...

Causes of Ear Infections in Toddlers

Ear infections are common in children, especially during the toddler years through age 3, according to the Mayo Clinic. An occasional ear infection isn't anything to worry about, but recurring or persistent infections need medical treatment....

Ear Development in Babies

The ear is comprised of three sections: the outer, middle and inner ear. The outer ear captures sound and funnels it to the middle ear. The ear drum (or tympanic membrane) separates the outer ear from the middle ear. The middle ear contains...

Causes for Ear Infections

Otitis, or an ear infection, can affect adults and children. Though commonly a childhood and infant illness, it rarely becomes serious but it can cause moderate pain. Treatment can sometimes consist of an antibiotic, but eardrops or oral medicines...

My Ears Pop When I Exercise Hard

Ear popping during exercise can be a disruptive, aggravating side effect. The cause of your ear popping could stem from several sources. Allergies, sinuses, the common cold or Eustachian Tube Dysfunction, also known as ETD, could be the culprit....

My Ear Hurts & Feels Blocked When I Work Out

Ear pain and muffled hearing can interfere with your normal workout routine. Although a blocked ear that resolves itself promptly after your exercise session generally does not pose any serious medical concerns, schedule an appointment with your...

How Do I Unclog My Ears?

A clogged or blocked feeling in the ears is generally caused by a blockage of the eustachian tubes. The eustachian tubes connect the upper throat and back of the nose with the middle ear. They function to equalize the pressure in the middle ear...

Relief From Ear Congestion

Ear congestion is typically more of an annoyance than a serious condition, resulting in difficulty hearing and ear pressure. It usually disappears on its own without treatment or can be managed with over-the-counter medications. However, if your...

How to Unplug Your Ears When You're Sick

Narrow tubes, called Eustachian tubes, connect your middle ear with the back of your nose and upper throat. When these tubes are blocked due to inflammation or congestion, they are unable to equalize air pressure in the middle ear with...

Adenoids & Middle Ear Infections

Adenoids are clumps of lymphatic tissue, which help fight infections. They are positioned at the back of the nasal passages near the Eustachian tube. The tube connects the back of the nose to the middle ear. This tube helps ventilate the middle...

Ear Pressure Causes

The ear comprises a number of structures and a complex network of passageways that work together to allow hearing and maintain balance. Structures in the ear also open and close in response to pressure changes in an effort to maintain pressure...

Causes of Ear Infections in Infants

Aside from the common cold, ear infections are the most commonly diagnosed childhood illness in the U.S., according to KidsHealth, and more than 75 percent of kids have had at least one infection by their third birthday. There are many reasons why...

How to Unplug Your Ears When You Have a Cold

When battling an illness, pressure or pain in the ears or difficulty hearing often occurs as a result of congestion or inflammation. Sinus pressure constricts the Eustachian tubes that connect your middle ear to your nose and throat and creates a...

Ear Pressure & Working Out

Ear pressure is also known as aural fullness and is characterized by a feeling that your ear is blocked or that your hearing is impaired. If your symptoms worsen during or after exercise, it is likely that your ear pressure originates in your...

What Are the Causes of Chronic Ear Popping?

The air pressure inside of the ear should be equal to the air pressure outside the ear. The pressure is kept equal by a structure called the Eustachian tube. This tube runs from the middle ear through the back of the nose and ends in the upper...

Causes of Ear Pressure

The human ear has three main parts--the outer ear, the middle ear also known as the auditory canal, and the ear drum or tympanic membrane. The eustachian tubes connect the upper part of the throat to the middle ear. These tubes allow the pressure...

What Are the Treatments for Ear Pressure?

Sound waves vibrate the eardrum, which transmits the vibrations through the middle ear to the inner ear. The eustachian tube--a connecting duct between the nasal cavity and the middle ear--maintains equal pressure between the external environment...

What Causes Ear Infections in Babies?

Babies and children under 3 years of age are more prone to ear infections, also known as the disorder otitis media, than older children or adults. In fact, three out of four babies will develop an ear infection before they reach 3 years old. The...

Causes of Toddler Ear Infections

An ear infection, also known as otitis media, is a disease of the middle ear that is most commonly caused from a bacterial infection. According to PDRHealth, ear infections in children most often occur between the ages of 3 months and 3 years....

How to Get Rid of Fluid in the Ears

Fluid in the ear can lead to painful infection, hearing loss, balance disruption and even vomiting or diarrhea, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. It is one of the most commonly diagnosed childhood...

What Are the Causes of Glue Ear?

Glue ear is a condition in which the middle ear fills with glue-like fluid. It occurs more commonly in children than in adults. The fluid dampens sound waves, or the vibrations of the tiny bones in the middle ear. This decreases sound transfer to...

Adult Ear Infection Treatments

Ear infection, or otitis media, is more likely to impact children than adults. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains that there are many reasons for this, including an immature immune system in children and a smaller eustachian tube....

Causes of Ear Infections

MayoClinic.com explains that ear infections occur frequently in children, especially until the age of four or five. Adults rarely develop an ear infection. Symptoms include pain in the affected ear, low fever, and dizziness, feeling pressure in...

Head Congestion Complications

Head congestion typically occurs with the common cold, sinusitis, upper respiratory infections and nasal allergies. These conditions cause swelling of the lining tissues of the nose and sinuses, which obstructs normal airflow. Impaired mucus...

What Causes Ear Congestion?

The human ear consists of the external, middle and inner ear. The middle ear is an air-filled space with three tiny bones that transmit sound vibrations to the inner ear, the site of the hearing nerves. The middle ear connects to the nasal cavity...

Causes of Pressure in the Ears

The ear is an intricate part of the body that contains a structure called the Eustachian tube, which is responsible for maintaining correct pressure balance in the ear. Infections or ear blockages can disrupt the normal functioning of the...

What Causes Fullness in Ears?

The ear is a complex network of bones, passageways, cavities and fluid, called endolymph, that work together to allow for hearing and the maintenance of balance. When there are changes in the volume of fluid or pressure in the ear, it can result...

Reasons for Earaches

An earache can impact each person differently. Some individuals may report a sharp pain in the ear while others have a dull or burning pain. The earache can sometimes impact both ears depending on the cause. It can also be temporary or persistent....

Causes of Pain and Pressure in the Ears

Several different conditions can cause ear pain and pressure. Generally, most of the discomfort is caused by fluid accumulation in the middle part of the ear behind the ear drum. As the fluid accumulates, it pushes on the ear drum, which causes...

Ear Surgery Health Video (Video)

Ear surgery is a broad category that includes common surgeries such as otoplasty and myringotomy. In this video learn about different types of ear surgeries and their uses.