What is the anatomy behind an ear infection?
A healthy middle ear must contain air at the same atmospheric pressure as the outside of the ear so all these structures can vibrate freely and function normally to transmit sound. Air enters the middle ear through the Eustachian tube which passes from the back of the nose up into the ear. When you yawn or swallow and hear a pop (or click) in your ear, that means your eustachian tube has just sent a tiny little bubble of air up into your middle ear to equalize the air pressure. This happens automatically over 1,000 times a day. As viruses from a cold infect the nose and upper respiratory mucosa, they cause swelling in the eustachian tubes so that they cannot function to drain fluids or regulate pressure. Inflammatory fluid, mucus and respiratory bacteria/viruses reflux into the middle ear space. Otitis media forms. An overproduction of mucus from allergies can also occlude the Eustachian tube which may lead to otitis media as well. What are symptoms of an ear infection? Fever, crankine
