Otitis Media: Anatomy, Pathophysiology, Risk Factors, Types of OM, Symptoms and Treatment, Animatio

Voice by: Marty Henne ©Alila Medical Media. All rights reserved. All images/videos by Alila Medical Media are for information purposes ONLY and are NOT intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Otitis media is inflammation or infection of the middle ear. The middle ear is the cavity between the tympanic membrane - the eardrum, and the oval window of the inner ear. Its function is to amplify sound vibrations of the eardrum and transmit them to the inner ear. The middle ear is linked to the upper throat by the auditory tube, or eustachian tube. The tube helps equalizing air pressures between the middle ear and the outside atmosphere. It also drains mucus secretion from the middle ear into the throat. The eustachian tube is usually closed, opening only when the person is yawning, swallowing, or chewing. When atmospheric pressure changes rapidly, causing a sudden feeling of fullness in the ear, such as during airplane travel, these activities can be done on purpose to open the tube, allowing air passage to equalize the pressure. Otitis media develops when the eustachian tube is blocked, commonly as a result of upper respiratory tract infections or allergies. Mucus builds up in the middle ear, creating an environment for bacteria or viruses to grow. Otitis media can occur at any age, but it is most common in small children, whose...