What Is Acute Otitis Media?
The human ear consists of three distinct sections. The middle ear is located in between the eardrum and the round window of the inner ear. One of its features is the Eustachian tube. It connects the middle ear to the back of the throat, also called the pharynx, and exists to prevent pressure from building up in the ear by opening up whenever you swallow. Acute otitis media is a painful inflammation of the middle ear due in part to a blockage of the Eustachian tube.
While both adults and children can develop AOM, it is much more common in children, particularly infants and toddlers. There are several reasons for this, but one of the most significant is that children’s Eustachian tubes are still developing. When children are very young, the Eustachian tubes are shorter, more horizontal and narrower. Therefore, they do not drain as effectively as those of adults and are more likely to become clogged.
