Ears & Hearing

It is fairly common for people to experience the uncomfortable sensation of the ears being "stopped up." Ear barotrauma is the proper medical term for this sensation. Anytime there is a blockage...

Exposure to allergens causes immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody responses throughout the body, which leads to chemical histamine releases. Histamine causes inflammation resulting in mucus production,...

To properly clear the Eustachian tubes, you want to determine what is wrong with them first. Get your Eustachian tubes cleared out with tips from a practicing pediatrician in this free video on...

The proper diagnosis of an ear ache depends upon factors such as the location of the pain, how long it has been a problem, and how much it hurts. Ear aches can include sharp pain, dull pain or a...

Negative middle ear pressure occurs when the Eustachian tube between the middle ear and the throat gets blocked. The ear absorbs all the available air, thus creating a vacuum. This leads to...

Ear infections commonly plague children, and also affect some adults. A cold, cough or allergy can cause the Eustachian tubes of the ear to become inflamed and blocked. As a result, pain and...

Ear pain is one of the most uncomfortable parts of flying in an airplane. Pain usually occurs during take-off and landing, when the air pressure in the cabin changes.

The middle ear is connected to your nose and throat by the eustachian tube, which balances the air pressure between the outside and your middle ear. Unequal air pressure causes pain or damage (ear...

Ear congestion can be a frustrating condition that often arises after a case of cold or allergies, when the eustachian tubes--the pipelines between the middle ear and the back of your nose--become...

Problems with equalization of ear pressure occur when the air pressure within the inner ear is not equal to the atmospheric air pressure. The inner ear is located behind the ear drum. If the...

An ear infection can occur in your ear at any point in time. Ear infections commonly accompany the common cold. Ear infections are caused by bacteria that grow within the ear when the Eustachian...

According to the Lansing State Journal, ears become blocked (or pop) when the eustachian tubes become blocked and close. The build-up of pressure created during the rapid gain or loss of elevation...

An inflammation of the ear, also known as otitis media, is usually connected to an infection of the throat or eustachian tube. Inflammation can also be triggered by a cold or sore throat. The...

Ear noises can range from ringing and swishing to popping or other types of noise that appear to originate internally. Often referred to as tinnitus, ear noises can be a nuisance but do not often...

Fluid can build-up in the ears when the Eustachian tube doesn't drain properly. In its beginning stages, fluid in the ears can cause discomfort and temporarily make it difficult to hear....

Your ears are not a closed system. They are affected by congestion in your throat and nose and by environmental air pressure such as when you're flying, diving or climbing a mountain. Pressure in...

When you encounter differences in pressure changes, you feel sudden rushes of air entering and leaving your ears. The air rushing in your ears plugs them up. The "popping" that you feel happens...

When fluid builds up in the ear, it can cause the ear, the jaw and the head to ache. Fluid in the ear can have varying causes, including a cold or sinus problems. Fluid in the ear attracts...

Having fluid in your ears usually means there is some type of infection. This can be a painful and dizzying experience, because problems in the ears tend to cause problems with hearing and...

Glue ear goes by several names, including otitis media, otitis media with effusion, or serous otitis media. It is a thick, glue-like fluid that builds up in the middle ear where there should be...

Many people complain that their ears hurt when flying. This pain happens when pressure in a person's middle ear does not automatically adjust to changes in air pressure in the cabin of the plane...

Hearing loss affects everyone sooner or later in life, and most of the time this condition is temporary. Whether it is the ringing in your ears after attending a particularly loud concert, or the...

Popping noise in the ear is a condition that is bothersome and, usually, benign. These sounds can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes at a time, depending on the severity. Popping...

The inner ear and the middle ear can both become infected. The inner ear is where the nerves go to the brain and regulate balance. The middle ear is the section of the ear directly behind the...

If you have ever been suffering from a cold and noticed that your ears feel like they have cotton in them, it is probably because they are all plugged up. The excess mucus that accumulates in your...

The sensation of ear "popping" occurs when pressure is equalized between the middle ear and the air outside the body. It is a common experience for adults and children alike, especially when...

The sensation of "popping" in the ear is due to an imbalance of air pressure between the outside air and the air in the middle ear. There are several causes of ear popping, and the feeling of...

Chronic otitis media with effusion (CME) occurs when the eustachian tube becomes blocked from a buildup of fluid that mixes with the bacteria in the middle ear. It becomes chronic if it lasts...

Ear popping is a condition that is usually annoying and benign. Popping sounds occur when the eustachian tube opens to establish equal air pressure on both sides of the eardrum. While the...

Barometric pressure refers to atmospheric pressure conditions caused by the weight and concentration of the air. While barometric pressure applies to atmospheric events like weather and even...

A middle ear infection---also known as otitis media---can cause symptoms such as earache, fever, plugged ears, temporary hearing loss, dizziness and/or balance problems. Although this type of...

Inner ear infections, also known as middle ear infections or otitis media, are a very common childhood disease, although adults can also be affected. An inner ear infection occurs when fluid from...

If your eardrum is damaged by ear popping, this condition is called barotrauma. Most of the time, our eardrums don't burst due to popping but ear popping can certainly get your attention when it...

The throat and ears have a direct relationship. The Eustachian tube, which is responsible for keeping fluid out of the middle ear, is connected to the throat. If the tube swells in part to a sore...

Common causes of earaches include excessive earwax, fluid buildup in the Eustachian tubes, infections, allergies, or swimmer's ear (water trapped in the ear). An earache may also be a sign of a...

Earaches can be a very painful condition. They are caused by a number of problems including sinus congestion, bacterial infection, too much pressure in the ear and injury. Children can get...

Ear infections are a common ailment, especially among children. In fact, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, approximately 75 percent of children...

Ear fluid is a mucous-like liquid that collects behind the eardrum, in the middle ear. Inner ear fluid buildup occurs mostly in early childhood, and according to the National Institute on Deafness...

A comfortable amount of ear pressure is necessary in order to hear properly, although if the ear is subjected to certain illnesses or conditions, that pressure can become quite uncomfortable or...

An ear infection is also known as otitis media. Ear infections are most common in children. According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, three out of four...

Ear popping often occurs on a flight as the air pressure changes. Plenty of time-tested remedies can help alleviate ear popping. Ear popping is rarely an event to be concerned about.

Inner ear infections, also known as middle ear infections or otitis media, occur when the Eustachian tube becomes infected. The infection can be acute or chronic and is usually caused by fluid...

The middle ear is the space behind the ear drum. Three tiny bones function together inside the middle ear for hearing. The Eustachian tube---responsible for draining fluid from the sinuses and...

The middle part of the ear is where pain occurs during air travel. The middle ear consists of the ear drum, ear bones and the air space behind the ear drum. According to USA Today's Health Scout,...

If you have young children, you know how often they can get sick, especially during cold and flu season. Children are resilient and can often fight off these illnesses without a problem. However,...

Earaches are a common ailment in both adults in children. However, according to Mothernature.com, earaches are more common in children because the Eustachian tubes are still developing. The...

Ear infections aren't just for kids. Adults get middle ear problems, too. Most adult middle ear problems are caused by inflammation of the eustachian tubes.

It is not unusual to experience the occasional ear infection; they can be common in children. However, when ear infections occur frequently, they can result in damage to the middle ear, the space...

Your ear includes the inner and outer ear, separated by the eardrum. Outside, the pressure in the atmosphere is at work, but in the inner ear, it can take some time for pressure to equalize when...

Inflammation of the middle ear and the subsequent accumulation of fluid therein can cause acute middle ear infections. An acute middle ear infection occurs as a short and severe episode, yet...