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Eustachian tube -Human Ear
The eustachian tube, about 45 millimetres (1.75 inches) long, leads downward and inward from the tympanum to the nasopharynx, the space that is behind and continuous with the nasal passages and is above the soft palate. At its upper end the tube is narrow and surrounded by bone. Nearer the pharynx it widens and becomes cartilaginous. Its mucous lining, which is continuous with that of the middle ear, is covered with cilia, small hairlike projections whose coordinated rhythmical sweeping motions speed the drainage of mucous secretions from the tympanum to the pharynx.
The eustachian tube helps to ventilate the middle ear and to maintain equal air pressure on both sides of the tympanic membrane. The tube is closed at rest and opens during swallowing so that minor pressure differences are adjusted without conscious effort. During a dive or a rapid descent in an airplane the tube may remain tightly closed. The discomfort that is felt as the external pressure increases can usually be overcome by attempting a forced expiration with the mouth and nostrils held tightly shut. This maneuver, which raises the air pressure in the pharynx and causes the tube to open, is called Valsalva's maneuver.
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