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What is the Eustachian Tube? |
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As the link between the middle ear and the throat, the eustachian tube has two roles. It helps drain normal, cleansing moisture from the middle ear. It also controls air pressure inside the middle ear chamber. When you swallow, the eustachian tube opens. This balances the air pressure in the middle ear with the pressure outside the eardrum. In infants and young children, the eustachian tube is short and almost level with the ear canal. By about age 7, however, the eustachian tube has become longer and steeper. This improves how well it works.
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