What causes fluid accumulation in the middle ear?

The task of the Eustachian tube is to equalize the pressure of the middle ear with the external environment. If it cannot do its job for various reasons, the negative pressure in the middle ear causes fluid accumulation in the middle ear. The eustachian tube is straight and short in children. Therefore, agents of upper respiratory tract infection in children can easily pass into the middle ear and cause middle ear infection.

Again, edema occurring around the Eustachian tube in the nasal cavity due to reasons such as upper respiratory tract infections and allergies may disrupt the Eustachian function and cause fluid accumulation in the middle ear.

In addition, congenital anomalies such as cleft palate can create chronic eustachian dysfunction.

  Barotrauma (deep diving, climbing to high altitude, airplane travel) is also one of the causes of middle ear fluid, especially in adults.