Eustachian tube where is it located

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Read this next. Nasopharynx Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Jejunum Overview. What is the Vagus Nerve? Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile.

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Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. The eustachian tube extends from the middle ear to the upper part of the throat behind the nose. Also known as the auditory tube, it helps keep the middle ear healthy by equalizing pressure, clearing secretions, and protecting it from pathogens that might otherwise cause infections.

Your eustachian tube is located in the area known as parapharyngeal space. It runs from the front wall of the middle ear to the side wall of the nasopharynx. In adults, the eustachian tube slopes downward about 35 degrees; in children, the eustachian tube only slopes about 10 degrees downward. The eustachian tube consists of bone, cartilage, and fibrous tissue. The hollow tube is lined with cilia, hair-like projections that sweep mucus away from the middle ear toward the nasopharynx.

Six muscles contribute to the opening and closing of the eustachian tube. They are located in the ear, head, neck, soft palate, and jaw. The eustachian tube has three roles in keeping the middle ear healthy. Learn more. External auditory canal or tube. This is the tube that connects the outer ear to the inside or middle ear. Tympanic membrane also called the eardrum. The tympanic membrane divides the external ear from the middle ear. These are the 3 small bones that are connected and transmit the sound waves to the inner ear.

The bones are called:. Eustachian tube. A canal that links the middle ear with the back of the nose. The eustachian tube helps to equalize the pressure in the middle ear.

Having the same pressure allows for the proper transfer of sound waves. Fatty deposits around the tubes can lead to Eustachian tube dysfunction.

How is Eustachian tube dysfunction diagnosed? Can Eustachian tube dysfunction be prevented or avoided? Eustachian tube dysfunction treatment. These can include: Using a decongestant to reduce the swelling of the lining of the tubes.

Taking an antihistamine or using a steroid nasal spray to reduce any allergic response. Making a tiny incision in the eardrum and suctioning out the fluid in the middle ear. This gives the Eustachian tube lining time to shrink while the eardrum is healing usually 1 to 3 days.

Implanting small tubes in the eardrums. These let built-up fluid drain out of the middle ear. Children who get a lot of ear infections sometimes get tubes in their ears. They stay in up to 18 months and fall out on their own. Using a balloon dilation system. A doctor will use a catheter long, flexible tube to insert a small balloon through your nose and into the Eustachian tube.

When it is inflated, the balloon opens a pathway for mucus and air to flow through the tube. This can help it function properly. FDA warning The U. Living with Eustachian tube dysfunction. Questions to ask your doctor. Could I have Eustachian tube dysfunction?

What can I do to make my child more comfortable? My child has Eustachian tube dysfunction. Is there anything I can do when I travel to make myself more comfortable? Could my allergies make Eustachian tube dysfunction worse?