The middle ear is the compartment behind the eardrum which houses the three bones, the malleus, incus and stapes bones. The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of the nose. Normally the eustachian tube is collapsed but when we swallow or yawn, the muscles around the tube contract and the tube opens allowing air to enter the middle ear. The eustachian tube is responsible for maintaining an air containing middle ear space when the eardrum is intact. The adenoids are aggregates of lymphoid tissue located behind the nose near the eustachian tube opening.
Lymphoid tissue is a collection of white blood cells that are part of our immune system.
Adenoids are particularly enlarged from the ages of three to five and they shrink soon thereafter. In some children, the adenoids remain enlarged. Enlarged adenoids can lead to excessive mouth breathing because of obstruction of the nose. They can also obstruct the eustachian tube openings preventing the equilibration of middle ear pressure to atmospheric pressure. Acute Otitis Media Acute otitis media is the term used to describe an infection involving the middle ear that starts rather suddenly.