MedyBlog - A medical blog by doctors

The middle ear infection, i.e., Otitis media, is the most common type of ear infection and one of the most frequent infections in the human body. To understand why  middle ear infections  are so common, we must first look at the anatomy of the middle ear. Middle Ear Anatomy The middle ear is shaped like a room or cuboids with six walls with one cubic centimeter volume. The middle ear has bones on five sides, the sixth side being the eardrum or the tympanic membrane. The eardrum comprises three layers: an outer skin lining, a fibrous coat framework in the middle, and an inner mucous membrane. For the eardrum to vibrate precisely as per the sound, the air pressure in the middle ear must be equal to atmospheric pressure, for which it needs a constant air supply. In other words, for it to vibrate to its total capacity to deliver good hearing, the air pressure on both sides of the eardrum must be equal. When we swallow, air travels from the back of our nose, i.e., the nasopharynx, to the mi