Barotrauma refers to ear injury caused by what circumstance?

• A. Vision changes due to glare
• B. Ear barotrauma caused by rapid pressure changes, often during air travel or scuba diving
• C. Nasal congestion due to allergies
• D. Sinus infection from bacteria

Answer: (B)

Barotrauma is ear injury from rapid changes in surrounding air pressure that the ear can’t equalize across the eardrum. When you experience a quick drop or rise in ambient pressure—such as during airplane ascent or descent or while scuba diving—the Eustachian tube must equalize the pressure between the middle ear and the outside environment. If it can’t equalize promptly, the pressure difference strains or damages the tympanic membrane and middle-ear structures, causing pain, fullness, and sometimes hearing changes.

That’s why the correct option fits best: it explicitly links ear injury to rapid pressure changes and common situations like air travel or scuba diving. The other choices describe unrelated issues—glare affecting vision, nasal congestion from allergies, or bacterial sinus infection—and do not describe pressure-driven ear injury.