Aero-otitis - Barotrauma
Key points
- Barotrauma refers to injuries caused by an increase in air or water pressure, such as those that occur during airplane flights or scuba diving.
- Barotrauma of the lungs associated with scuba diving can result in coughing up blood after diving, though this is rare.
- Mild cases of ear barotrauma are easily self-diagnosed and do not require a doctor's evaluation.
- Symptoms usually occur only during the change in pressure, and perhaps for a short time afterward.
What Is It?
Barotrauma refers to injuries caused by an increase in air or water pressure, such as those that occur during airplane flights or scuba diving. Barotrauma of the ear is common. Generalized barotraumas, also called decompression sickness, affects the entire body.
Your middle ear consists of the eardrum and the space behind it. The only connection between your middle ear and the "outside world" is a thin canal called the Eustachian tube. This connects your ear with the back of your mouth. When you swallow, you may notice a small "click" in your ears — this is a bubble of air being moved through the Eustachian tube. These bubbles are constantly moving into the middle ear, where they balance the ear's inner pressure. Ear barotrauma can occur when these tubes become blocked or partially blocked.
On an airplane, barotrauma to the ear — also called aero-otitis or barotitis — can happen as the plane descends for landing. Barotrauma of the ear also can happen when scuba divers descend. The pressure change can create a vacuum in the middle ear that pulls the eardrum inward. The distorted shape of the eardrum can cause pain and muffle sounds. Your ear will feel stuffed and you may feel as if you need to "pop" it.
In more severe cases of barotrauma, the middle ear can fill with clear fluid as the body tries to equalize the pressure on both sides of the eardrum. This fluid is drawn out of blood vessels in the lining of the inner ear, and can only drain if the Eustachian tube is open. Fluid behind the eardrum is called serous otitis media. Although it is not infectious, it can create pain and hearing difficulty similar to a middle-ear infection. The eardrum can rupture in severe cases of ear barotrauma, causing bleeding or leaking of fluid from the ear that can result in hearing loss.
Barotrauma is the most common medical problem reported by air travelers. It is much more likely to happen to people who have colds, allergies or infections at the time they are flying. It is common in children because their Eustachian tubes are narrower than those of adults and are therefore more easily blocked.
Barotrauma in the lungs also can occur, but this is not seen in air travelers. It occurs, rarely, in divers who hold their breath, which causes the diaphragm to move abruptly in a "gasping" effort. This form of barotrauma creates a vacuum in the lungs and can result in bleeding into the lung tissue. A more common form of barotrauma in the lungs is caused by the mechanical ventilation systems used in hospital intensive-care units. In this case, air sacks (alveoli) in the lungs may be ruptured or scarred due to high air pressure within the lungs. Ventilator-associated barotrauma is a complex medical concern.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of ear barotrauma include:
Written and revised by
David Cohen, M.D.
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