2026 Acute Eye and Musculoskeletal Conditions Practice Test – Complete Exam Prep

Barotrauma is injury caused by a mismatch between external pressure and the pressure inside air-filled spaces, most often the middle ear. When the surrounding pressure changes rapidly, as during air travel (cabin pressure shifts with ascent or descent) or scuba diving (increasing or decreasing ambient pressure with depth), air pushed through the Eustachian tube can’t equalize quickly enough. That pressure differential can stretch or rupture the tympanic membrane and irritate or damage nearby structures, which is the classic scenario for barotrauma.

The other options don’t involve rapid external pressure changes driving tissue injury. Allergic reactions can cause ear fullness or congestion but not due to a sudden ambient pressure shift. Dehydration and sinus infections are unrelated to pressure differentials causing barotrauma, though they may cause discomfort from mucosal swelling or dehydration.