What is middle ear fluid and why does it form in some peoples ears?
Middle ear fluid is a body fluid that forms in the space behind the ear drum. Normally there is air behind the ear drum. Middle ear fluid forms in an ear when air is unable to get into the middle ear through the eustachian tube. It is necessary for air to enter the middle ear through the eustachian tube to replace the air that the body is constantly absorbing from the middle ear. Each time we swallow, muscles in our mouth pull open the eustachian tube entrance, permitting air from the back of the mouth to enter the middle ear. As long as our eustachian tubes (there are two of them, one on each side) act this way, there is a balance between the amount of air absorbed from the middle ear by the body and the amount entering to replace it. For a variety of reasons, one or both eustachian tubes may not function well. When a eustachian tube isn’t working correctly, air doesn’t get into the middle ear. However, air is still absorbed from the ear. This results in a vacuum forming in the middle
