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The Eustachian tube, also known as the Eustachian tube, is about 3-4 cm long and connects the middle ear to the throat. The function of this organ is to equalize the air pressure inside the ear. Unfortunately, sometimes there are diseases of the Eustachian tube, which cause a number of unpleasant ailments. Find out what these diseases are and how they are treated.
Anatomy of the Eustachian tube
The Eustachian tube is named after Bartolomeo Eustachi, the Italian anatomist who first described this organ in the 1th century. He found that the Eustachian tube consists of two parts made of two different tissues: 3/2 of its length is bone tissue and 3/XNUMX of its length is cartilage. The cartilage part is flattened and is normally airtight. Only contraction of the soft palate tensioner muscle causes the lumen of the cartilage to expand, which allows the pressure to equilibrate.
The meaning of the Eustachian tube
The ability of the Eustachian tube to close and open makes this organ perform the function of protecting the delicate structure of the hearing organ. When the Eustachian tube is closed, this protects the ear from too loud noises and also prevents fluids from the nose and throat from entering the middle ear. Opening it, on the other hand, has the effect of equalizing the pressure during changes in altitude, as well as swallowing, yawning or sneezing. If, on the other hand, excess secretions accumulate inside the middle ear, the opening of the Eustachian tube allows them to drain.
When does the Eustachian tube stop working?
A little known disease that affects many people is the so-called yawning Eustachian tube. It turns out that some endocrine disorders impair the closure of the cartilaginous part of the Eustachian tube. This is manifested by a very uncomfortable oversensitivity to sounds, including sounds we don’t normally hear, such as our voice as if “outside” or our own breath. People with a yawning Eustachian tube are also more prone to ear infections.
However, it is much more common that the Eustachian tube loses its patency or is severely restricted. Most often this happens when an infection or inflammation develops in the upper respiratory tract, such as the nose or throat. Theoretically, a simple runny nose, sinusitis or adenoid enlargement are enough to transfer the disease to the Eustachian tube. This is because this organ is directly connected to the upper respiratory tract. The Eustachian tube usually reacts with swelling when infection spreads. As a result, it loses its patency, which creates negative pressure inside the middle ear. This disrupts the proper exchange of nutrients between blood vessels and the tissues of the middle ear. The result of this process is almost always acute otitis media, regardless of the underlying cause of the loss of patency of the Eustachian tube. Nevertheless, the most common disease of lack of lumen in the Eustachian tube is its inflammation.
What is Eustachian tube inflammation?
It’s good to know that earache isn’t a symptom of Eustachian tube inflammation. It may (but does not have to) appear later, when otitis media occurs in the mechanism described above. Eustachian tube inflammation is manifested mainly by:
- sensation of pressure, full ear or overflow of fluid inside it,
- a marked deterioration of hearing,
- crackling and noises when yawning, swallowing and sneezing
- systemic symptoms of inflammation: fever, decreased appetite, general weakness of the body.
Pressure disturbances inside the middle ear, if they persist for a long time, can cause irreversible damage to the eardrum, which is equivalent to hearing loss. Therefore, the symptoms of Eustachian tube inflammation require immediate medical consultation.
Treatment of Eustachian tube diseases
Treatment of inflammation of the Eustachian tube is often not much different from treating its causes, i.e. upper respiratory tract infections. It is based on the administration of anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling drugs in the form of, for example, intranasal drops, in order to increase the patency of the section where the eustachian tube meets the pharynx. Antibiotics for Eustachian tube inflammation are used only in special cases, as they do not always guarantee a quick recovery.
If pharmacological agents do not give satisfactory results, mechanical methods are used to unblock the Eustachian tube. Eustachian tube catheterization involves blowing it through a catheter inserted from the side of the pharynx, into which air is pumped with a special balloon. The method called ballooning uses the so-called Politzer balloon, resembling the well-known “pear” for babies. As with catheterization, a balloon pumps air through the nose into the Eustachian tube to blow out excess fluid from it.