Swallowing or yawning activates muscles that open the eustachian tube and allow the middle ear to replenish its air supply, often eliminating the symptoms of airplane ear. When an airplane climbs or descends, the air pressure in the environment changes rapidly, and your eustachian tube (auditory tube) often doesn’t react quickly enough.

The other end has a tiny opening where the back of the nasal cavity and the top of the throat meet (nasopharynx) (see Figures 2 and 3 below).

Air pressure regulation is the work of a narrow passage called the eustachian tube (auditory tube). Divers can also get decompression sickness, which affects the whole body.Įar barotrauma or middle ear barotrauma occurs when an imbalance in the air pressure in the middle ear and air pressure in the environment prevents your eardrum (tympanic membrane) from vibrating as it should. This can happen if you are flying in an airplane, driving in the mountains, or scuba diving. A change in altitude may cause your ears to hurt. One common barotrauma type happens to your ear is called ear barotrauma or middle ear barotrauma. The most commonly affected sites are the middle ear and sinuses. Sometimes pulmonary barotrauma is a precursor to arterial gas embolism. Barotrauma can cause sinus injury, ear injury, facial injury, tooth injury, gastrointestinal (GI) cramping, pneumothorax, pulmonary hemorrhage, and subcutaneous emphysema 1. Pulmonary barotrauma prognosis What is barotraumaīarotrauma means injury to your body because of changes in barometric (air) or water pressure.

Pulmonary barotrauma symptoms