What causes blocked eustachian tube? - Dr. Satish Babu K

Eustachian tube is a small connecting tube between the back of the nose to the inside the ear. This tube is essential to maintain the pressure behind the ear drum. The pressure should always be equal to the atmospheric pressure. Whenever there is a variation if there is a negative or positive pressure inside the ear drum, the ear drum will get accordingly displaced and that will cause lots of problems like blocked sensation ear pain. If the Eustachian tube is working time where there is a pressure variation like you are travelling in a flight during the ascend and the descend the Eustachian tube opens up, allows the ear in or out of the inner port of the ear by equalising it to the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube actively opens whenever you swallow something or sometimes you are yawning also the tube opens up. This is the time when the Eustachian tube opens up and the ear drum is kept in the middle so the ear is normal, there is no pain or discomfort in the ear. If there is an inflammation around this part i.e. there is predominantly a cold or rhinitis infection in the nose it can cause congestion of this tube and hence impeding this function. The same infection can also ascend the tube and reach the middle ear. So then there is again infection in the ear, ear pain, and negative pressure. Most common causes that causes ear to get blocked is congestion or inflammation in the nose which can be caused by allergies or infection or any injuries.