US Medical Term · anatomy
Eustachian Tube
Trompa de Eustaquio
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Eustachian Tube |
| Spanish (Español) | Trompa de Eustaquio |
| Chinese (中文) | 耳咽管 |
| Korean (한국어) | 유스타키오관 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Vòi nhĩ |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Tubo ng Eustachio |
| Portuguese (Português) | Tuba de Eustáquio |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ท่อยูสเตเชียน |
| Japanese (日本語) | 耳管 |
What it means
The Eustachian tube is a narrow channel that connects the middle ear to the back of the throat and nasal cavity. Its main job is to equalize the air pressure on both sides of the eardrum. When you swallow, yawn, or chew, the tube briefly opens to let air in or out of the middle ear. This is why your ears pop when you change altitude in an airplane or drive up a mountain. The tube also drains any fluid that forms in the middle ear. In children, the Eustachian tube is shorter and more horizontal, making it easier for germs from the throat to reach the middle ear — this is why children get more ear infections than adults. Blocked or dysfunctional Eustachian tubes cause pressure, muffled hearing, and ear pain.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My ears pop and feel full on airplanes — my doctor said my Eustachian tube is not opening properly.
Mis oídos truenan y se sienten llenos en aviones — mi doctor dijo que mi trompa de Eustaquio no se abre correctamente.
I have had muffled hearing for weeks — could my Eustachian tube be blocked?
He tenido audición apagada durante semanas — ¿podría estar bloqueada mi trompa de Eustaquio?
Is my child's frequent ear infections related to how her Eustachian tube is shaped?
¿Las frecuentes infecciones de oído de mi hija están relacionadas con la forma de su trompa de Eustaquio?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026