Ear barotrauma

Alternative names:

barotitis media; barotrauma; ear popping; eustachian tube dysfunction; pressure-related ear pain

Symptoms:

• ear discomfort or pain
  • in one or both ears

• hearing loss, slight
• sensation of fullness or stuffiness in the ears

If severe or prolonged:

• hearing loss, moderate to severe
• feeling of pressure in the ears (as if underwater)
• nosebleed
• middle ear pain

Signs and tests:

An ear inspection may show a slight outward bulge or inward retraction of the eardrum. If the condition is severe, there may be blood behind the eardrum. Severe barotrauma may be difficult to distinguish from ear infection.