What Happens When We Pop Our Ears

Summary

This video explores the fascinating anatomy of the ear, focusing on why we pop our ears and how it works. It explains the role of the middle ear, eardrum, and tiny muscles in maintaining pressure balance and protecting our hearing. The video also covers common issues like ear infections, Eustachian tube dysfunction, and the risks of ruptured eardrums, particularly in children. The content blends scientific insights with practical advice, making complex ear anatomy accessible and engaging.

Takeaways

• 🦻 The act of popping our ears is related to equalizing pressure in the middle ear, which helps protect the eardrum from damage.
• 💧 The external auditory canal contains ceruminous glands that produce earwax, which helps protect the ear by trapping foreign bodies and waterproofing the canal.
• 🔊 The eardrum (tympanic membrane) vibrates in response to sound waves, transmitting these vibrations through tiny bones in the middle ear to the cochlea, where they are processed as sound.
• 🦴 The middle ear contains the smallest bones in the human body (malleus, incus, and stapes), which play a critical role in hearing.
• 💪 Tiny muscles in the middle ear can contract to protect the inner ear from prolonged loud noises, though they cannot protect against sudden loud sounds like gunshots.
• 🌬️ Popping the ears equalizes pressure by opening the Eustachian tube (or pharyngotympanic tube), which connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat behind the nasal cavity.
• 🤧 Eustachian tube dysfunction can occur when the tube is blocked, often due to a cold or respiratory infection, leading to difficulty in equalizing pressure and potential fluid buildup.
• 👶 Middle ear infections (otitis media) are more common in children due to the more horizontal and narrow Eustachian tube, making it easier for pathogens to enter and harder to drain fluid.
• 💊 There is debate in the medical community about whether to treat middle ear infections immediately with antibiotics or allow the body to heal naturally, as many infections can resolve on their own.
• 🩹 If the eardrum ruptures due to an infection, it can typically heal on its own within 3 to 6 weeks. Tubes may be placed in children with frequent ear infections to facilitate drainage.

Q & A

Why do people sometimes need to pop their ears?

People need to pop their ears to equalize the pressure between the middle ear and the external environment. If there is a difference in pressure, it can cause discomfort or even pain, as the eardrum becomes stretched or bulges due to the imbalance.

What is the role of the eardrum in hearing?

The eardrum, or tympanic membrane, vibrates when sound waves enter the ear. These vibrations are then transmitted through the auditory ossicles, which are tiny bones in the middle ear, to the cochlea, where they are processed into nerve signals for the brain to interpret as sound.

What are the auditory ossicles, and what is their function?

The auditory ossicles are the three smallest bones in the human body: the malleus, incus, and stapes. They transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the cochlea, amplifying the sound waves to help in hearing.

Why is it not recommended to use Q-tips to clean the ear canal?

Using Q-tips can push earwax and debris further into the ear canal, leading to blockage or impaction. There's also a risk of rupturing the eardrum, although the ear's pain receptors usually cause discomfort before this happens, prompting people to stop.

What is earwax, and what is its purpose?

Earwax, or cerumen, is produced by modified sweat glands in the ear canal. It serves as a protective barrier against foreign bodies, such as insects, and helps waterproof the ear canal, preventing bacteria and fungi from entering.

What can happen if the pressure in the middle ear is not equalized?

If the pressure in the middle ear is not equalized, it can cause the eardrum to bulge inward or outward, leading to pain and possibly even rupturing the eardrum if the pressure difference becomes too great.

How do muscles in the middle ear protect against loud noises?

Muscles in the middle ear, such as the tensor tympani and stapedius, contract in response to loud noises, limiting the vibrations of the eardrum and the auditory ossicles. This protects the inner ear from damage due to prolonged loud sounds.

What is Eustachian tube dysfunction, and what are its common causes?

Eustachian tube dysfunction occurs when the tube connecting the middle ear to the nasopharynx does not open properly, preventing pressure equalization. Common causes include upper respiratory infections, which can inflame the mucous membranes and narrow the tube.

Why are middle ear infections more common in children?

Middle ear infections are more common in children because their Eustachian tubes are shorter, more horizontal, and narrower than in adults. This makes it easier for pathogens to enter the middle ear and for the tube to become blocked during respiratory infections.

What is the purpose of placing tubes in a child's eardrum for recurring ear infections?

Tubes are placed in a child's eardrum to provide an alternative drainage route for fluid and pus in cases where the Eustachian tube is not functioning properly. This helps prevent pressure buildup and reduces the risk of eardrum rupture and chronic ear infections.

Outlines

00:00

👂 Why We Pop Our Ears: Protecting the Eardrum

This paragraph introduces the concept of ear popping, explaining that it primarily serves to protect the eardrum. It outlines the potential dangers, such as eardrum rupture, if the ear structures do not function properly. The paragraph also sets the stage for a detailed exploration of ear anatomy, using a sagittal head dissection and Jeffrey's skull to illustrate the external auditory canal and its significance.

05:02

🦻 Anatomy of the External Ear and the Role of Ear Wax

This section focuses on the anatomy of the external ear, particularly the external auditory canal, and discusses the role of ear wax in protecting the ear. It explains that the canal is lined with ceruminous glands that produce ear wax, which serves as a protective barrier against foreign objects and pathogens. The paragraph also touches on the self-cleaning nature of the ear and the importance of avoiding the use of Q-tips to prevent earwax impaction and potential eardrum rupture.

🎶 How Hearing Works: Vibrations and Tiny Bones

Here, the mechanics of hearing are explained, detailing how sound waves cause the eardrum (tympanic membrane) to vibrate. These vibrations are transmitted through the auditory ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes) to the cochlea, which converts them into nerve signals for the brain. The paragraph also introduces the tiny muscles in the middle ear that protect the inner ear from loud noises, although they react too slowly to prevent damage from sudden, loud sounds like gunshots.

⚖️ The Importance of Equalizing Pressure in the Middle Ear

This paragraph explains the need to equalize pressure between the middle ear and the outside environment to prevent pain and potential eardrum rupture. Using examples such as scuba diving and driving to higher elevations, the text describes how differences in pressure can cause the eardrum to bulge and lead to discomfort. It also introduces techniques like yawning or plugging the nose and blowing to help equalize pressure and 'pop' the ears.

📉 How Elevation Changes Affect Ear Pressure

This section builds on the previous discussion of pressure differences, using the example of driving up a canyon to illustrate how increasing elevation decreases atmospheric pressure, causing the eardrum to bulge outward. It explains how movements like yawning or blowing with a closed mouth can open the Eustachian tube, allowing the pressure to equalize and relieving discomfort.

👃 The Eustachian Tube: Key to Ear Pressure Regulation

The paragraph delves into the anatomy and function of the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx. It explains that the tube is usually closed but can be opened by certain muscle movements, such as yawning or swallowing, to equalize ear pressure. The paragraph also discusses Eustachian tube dysfunction, common causes like colds, and the implications for ear health, including fluid buildup and potential ear infections.

👶 Middle Ear Infections and Treatment Considerations

This final section discusses middle ear infections (otitis media), particularly in children, due to their more horizontal, narrower Eustachian tubes. It explains the body's ability to self-heal these infections and the debate over the use of antibiotics. The paragraph also covers the potential risks of untreated infections, such as eardrum rupture, and the use of ear tubes to aid drainage in children with frequent infections.

Keywords

💡Eardrum

The eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane, is a thin membrane that separates the external ear from the middle ear. It plays a crucial role in hearing by vibrating in response to sound waves, which then transmits these vibrations to the small bones of the middle ear. The video explains how the eardrum can be affected by changes in air pressure, leading to the sensation of ear popping, and how it can sometimes rupture due to extreme pressure differences.

💡Middle Ear

The middle ear, also referred to as the tympanic cavity, is an air-filled space that houses the smallest bones in the human body, known as auditory ossicles. These bones (malleus, incus, and stapes) transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The video discusses the importance of the middle ear in equalizing air pressure, which is essential for avoiding eardrum rupture during activities like scuba diving or driving up a mountain.

💡Auditory Ossicles

The auditory ossicles are three tiny bones in the middle ear called the malleus, incus, and stapes. They are the smallest bones in the human body and are crucial for hearing, as they transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The video highlights their role in hearing and how the muscles in the middle ear can protect these bones from damage due to loud noises.

💡Eustachian Tube

The Eustachian tube, also known as the pharyngotympanic tube, connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx (upper throat). It helps equalize air pressure on both sides of the eardrum, which is essential for maintaining proper ear function and preventing pain. The video explains how this tube functions to equalize pressure, particularly when popping the ears, and how dysfunction in this tube can lead to issues such as middle ear infections.

💡Ear Popping

Ear popping refers to the sensation experienced when the Eustachian tube opens to equalize pressure between the middle ear and the outside environment. This often occurs during changes in altitude, such as flying or driving up a mountain. The video explains the mechanism behind ear popping and how it helps relieve tension on the eardrum, preventing pain or potential rupture.

💡Tympanic Membrane Rupture

A tympanic membrane rupture occurs when the eardrum tears or bursts due to extreme pressure differences or trauma. The video discusses how activities like scuba diving or experiencing a severe middle ear infection can increase the risk of eardrum rupture, and how such a rupture can lead to hearing loss or require medical treatment.

💡Ear Wax

Ear wax, or cerumen, is a sticky, yellowish substance produced by glands in the ear canal. It serves as a protective barrier against foreign bodies like insects and helps prevent infections by waterproofing the ear canal. The video mentions how ear wax is self-cleaning for most people, but in some cases, excessive buildup can require medical intervention.

💡Middle Ear Infection

A middle ear infection, medically known as otitis media, occurs when the middle ear becomes inflamed and filled with fluid, often due to a cold or respiratory infection. The video discusses the prevalence of these infections in children, the role of the Eustachian tube in their development, and the debate over whether to treat them with antibiotics or allow the body to heal on its own.

💡Ceruminous Glands

Ceruminous glands are specialized sweat glands located in the ear canal that produce ear wax. The video describes how these glands contribute to the formation of cerumen, which serves various protective functions in the ear, including trapping debris and preventing infections. The production and function of ear wax are highlighted as essential aspects of ear health.

💡Vestibulocochlear Nerve

The vestibulocochlear nerve is a cranial nerve responsible for transmitting sound and balance information from the ear to the brain. The video briefly touches on its role in hearing by explaining how sound vibrations are converted into nerve signals that the brain can interpret, allowing us to process and understand sound.

Highlights

Exploration of why we need to pop our ears and how it helps protect the eardrum.

Introduction to the anatomy of the ear, focusing on the external auditory canal and the tympanic membrane.

Explanation of how sound waves travel through the external auditory canal and cause the tympanic membrane to vibrate, enabling hearing.

Description of the middle ear as a hollow, air-filled cavity containing the smallest bones in the human body: the malleus, incus, and stapes.

Role of tiny muscles in the middle ear, like the tensor tympani and stapedius, in protecting inner ear structures from loud noises.

Discussion of how the Eustachian tube (pharyngotympanic tube) connects the throat to the middle ear, playing a crucial role in equalizing pressure.

Explanation of how moving the jaw, yawning, or blowing with a closed mouth can open the Eustachian tube to equalize ear pressure.

Details on how differences in air pressure between the middle ear and the environment can cause pain or even rupture the eardrum.

Example of how rapid elevation changes, such as driving to a higher altitude, can create pressure imbalances and cause ear discomfort.

Insight into Eustachian tube dysfunction, which can prevent proper pressure equalization, often caused by upper respiratory infections.

Discussion on the relationship between colds, mucus production, and Eustachian tube blockage, potentially leading to middle ear infections.

Explanation of why middle ear infections (otitis media) are more common in children due to the anatomy of their Eustachian tubes.

Overview of the debate in the medical community regarding the treatment of middle ear infections in children with or without antibiotics.

Information on the natural healing process of a ruptured eardrum, which can heal on its own in 3 to 6 weeks.

Explanation of the use of tubes in the tympanic membrane to help children with frequent ear infections drain fluid and relieve pressure.

Transcripts

have you ever wondered what's going on

when we pop our ears and why we have to

do it in the first place and even why it

can hurt so bad sometimes well today

we're going to find out that much of

this has to do with protecting certain

structures within your ear especially

your eardrum and sometimes if this

doesn't work properly or if someone has

certain conditions it could lead to

rupturing of the eardrum So today we're

going to take a look at some awesome

Anatomy to help us understand how the

ear works and therefore answer some of

these questions we'll use this sagittal

head dissection that you can can see

here to look at some really cool Anatomy

as well as take a look at Jeffrey skull

specifically this hole right here called

the external auditory canal and this is

part of your external ear the more

superficial part of the external ear

made up of cartilage and skin has

obviously been removed from Jeffrey but

this external auditory canal is where

someone might try to put a Q-tip even

though it's recommended that you don't

do that and this is mostly because you

might just push in the ear wax and any

debris further into the ear causing

blockage or impact ction now it is

possible to rupture your eardrum with a

Q-tip but your ear anatomy has a lot of

sensory receptors that can detect pain

and discomfort so most people are going

to stop pushing the Q-tip in well before

they rupture their eardrum and speaking

of ear wax what is really cool about the

skin lining the external auditory canal

is that it has modified sweat glands

called ceruminous glands that produces

this yellowish waxy lubricating

secretion that contributes to the

formation of cerumin which is the Fancy

Pants name for ear wax now ear wax

provides a sticky barrier to prevent

entrance of foreign bodies such as

insects it also waterproofs the canal

and helps prevent the entry of certain

pathogens such as bacteria and fungi and

as an interesting FYI most people's ear

wax doesn't build up like crazy for most

the external ear is self-cleaning and

the ear wax just dries up and falls out

on its own but there are a select few

that produce higher amounts of wax and

may require ear irrigations from time to

time but let's keep moving further into

the external auditory canal the external

auditory canal ends with the eardrum or

what is technically called the tanic

membrane the tanic membrane divides the

external ear from the middle ear the

middle ear is actually referred to as

the tanic cavity and this is a Hol space

filled with air and contains the

smallest bones in the human body called

auditory ticles maybe you've heard their

names before malus incus and stapes the

middle a also has some of the smallest

muscles in the human body body the

tensor Tony and the stapedius the stiped

is muscle being the absolute smallest in

the human body but it is this tanic

cavity or the middle ear that is very

important to our story with popping our

ears but let me give you a quick

synopsis on how hearing works as sound

waves enter the external auditory canal

this will cause the tanic membrane to

vibrate these vibrations will then be

transmitted through the auditory oses

these tiny little bones which will then

stimulate a small snail-like organ

called the ca sound waves of various

frequencies will cause vibrations of

different intensities within the CA and

this information will get transmitted to

the brain through a nerve called the

vestibulo clear nerve and then we can

make sense of and process all the sound

but why are there these tiny muscles

within the middle ear well sometimes

we're exposed to loud noises and what

these muscles can do is contract and

limit the movements or the vibrations of

the tanic membrane to help prevent

damage to those inner ear structures

like the ca but because it takes a

fraction of a second for these muscles

to contract they can protect the inner

ear from prolonged loud sounds like

thunder but can't contract quickly

enough to protect against brief loud

sounds like a gunshot now I'm sure all

of you have been super excited to learn

all this extra Anatomy about the ear but

why do we pop our ears and how does it

work well as we have learned the middle

ear is a hollow cavity filled with air

and most of the time it is a closed

system that maintains a certain amount

of air pressure and most of the time the

pressure within the middle ear is the

same as the pressure outside the body

and the pressure outside the body would

most often just be due to the

atmospheric pressure however sometimes

you can get a difference in the pressure

between the middle ear and the outside

and this can put tension on the tanic

membrane which could lead to pain and if

the pressure difference continues to

increase this could even lead to tearing

or rupturing of the tanic membrane so

for example if someone were to go scuba

diving as they continue to go deeper

down in the water the pressure outside

the body would would start to become

greater than the pressure within the

middle ear and this would cause the eard

drum to start bulging Inward and if this

continues again this could cause pain

and potentially lead to rupturing

however when people are learning how to

scuba dive they are trained on how to

equalize the pressure in order to avoid

having the tanic membrane rupture but

let me give you another example let's

say I decide to drive up the canyon my

house is about at 4700 ft of elevation

and the nearest ski resort to my house

is about 10 Mi away but there is a bit

of an elevation change as the ski resort

can get up to 11,000 ft of elevation so

as I head up to the ski resort I might

notice that my ear starts to hurt and in

this case the pressure that is in my

middle ear from being at 4700 ft starts

to become greater than the atmospheric

pressure outside because as I increase

in elevation the atmospheric pressure

actually goes down and this would cause

my eardrum to start bulging outward

again potentially causing some pain but

usually this is a pretty quick and easy

fix I either move my jaw around or I

might yawn or I might even plug my nose

and blow with my mouth

closed and I'm pretty sure that I use

this hand to touch the caber I think so

what happened when I moved my jaw or

yawned or plugged my nose and blue with

a closed mouth well this is where the

sagittal head dissection will help us

with the next part of the story and this

is actually a really cool dissection as

you can see and most people want to take

a look at the brain and the spinal cord

which obviously is very cool but we've

got other videos where we take a look at

the brain but where we want to focus on

here is this area and I'm tracing the

fairings the faing is just a fancy pants

name for the throat and where we're

mostly going to focus is the upper ferx

called the naso ferx because it's behind

the nasal cavity and if you look closely

right here where I'm putting the probe

you might see an orifice and this

orifice is the entry into a tube known

as the ustation tube also known as the

fingo tanic tube which I personally

think is a better name because it tells

you it's a tube connecting the fings to

the tanic cavity or the middle ear so

there are muscles that surround this

opening of the tube and like I mentioned

earlier the opening is normally closed

off but if we contract certain muscles

and again we often just do this by

moving our jaw yawning organ plugging

our nose and blowing with a closed mouth

and this will force the tube to open up

and the pressure that's inside of our

mouth and our nasal passageways is the

same as the pressure outside and this

helps us to equalize the pressure and

effectively pop our ears and take the

pressure off that tanic membrane now

most of the time this system works just

fine for people but all of us have

probably had some experiences when this

has been a little bit dysfunctional for

example you may have experienced a time

where you couldn't really pop your ears

very easily and you've got what's known

as ustation tube dysfunction there are

many different causes of ustation tube

dysfunction one of the more common

causes that I see with my patients is

that they had a nasty upper respiratory

tract infection or a nasty cold and what

happens when you get a cold is that

these mucus membranes can get inflamed

and they produce more mucus and it can

narrow the ustation tube so that it

makes it harder to open up and equalize

the pressure this also means that you

could get a little bit of fluid build up

in the middle ear which could just be a

little bit of an annoyance but it could

also lead to a middle ear infection

middle ear infections are referred to as

otitis media in the medical world and

they're actually much more common with

little kids and this is because the

ustation tube or the fingo tanic tube is

more horizontal shorter and even more

narrow in kids and this results in two

things one it's easier for pathogens

such as bacteria to make it up from the

naso fings and into the middle ear and

two with a narrower tube in a kid it

doesn't take as much to close it off

during a respiratory tract infection so

they can't drain their ears as well and

bacteria could build up more easily now

what's also interesting about middle ear

infections is that your body can

actually heal from them on its own even

without antibiotics and this is a little

bit of a debate in the Met Community

should we let people even kids try to

ride out a middle ear infection or

should we treat them immediately with

antibiotics I think there can be a

little bit of a nuanced approach with

this where a pediatrician could assess

the child's history overall risk and

make some decisions with the parent one

of the potential risks of not treating a

midal ear infection is a ruptured eard

drum will the pus and the pressure build

up and rupture the eardrum before the

body's own immune system can clear the

infection fortunately if an eardrum does

rupture it can heal on its own in

anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks and as the

last little FYI this is why kids who get

frequent ear infections might get tubes

placed within the tanic membrane this

allows another drainage point for the

pus or the pressure if that ustation

tube or the fringo tanic tube isn't

opening up properly and allowing

drainage of that middle ear