A: Swimmer’s ear Read more!
, a weekly show for all audiences about archaeology, anthropology, and stories from our shared human past.writing this column post, my sinuses feel like they are made of concrete, and my ears are aching and clogged to the point of causing vertigo, creating the sensation that I am on a gently rocking ship. As it turns out, I may be experiencing an ailment that afflicted the average Neanderthal all too often.
There are a handful of bacteria that cause otitis media, a painful inflammation of the middle ear. Human infants are particularly prone to the effects of these bacteria because their—the channels that connect the middle ear to the upper throat and back of the nasal cavity—are relatively flat. This allows the bacteria to lurk in the warm, dark ear canal and cause repeated infections.
In modern humans, the Eustachian tube becomes more sloped as we age, allowing ear fluids to drain and preventing bacteria from lurking.The work showed that—unlike modern humans—Neanderthal ear canals did not change angle with age but remained flat into adulthood. This would have meant a higher potential for ear infections and accompanying complications, like pneumonia, respiratory infections, and even permanent hearing loss.
A second study points to evidence of another kind of infection that may have plagued Neanderthal ears: bony growths on the skull caused by repeated cases of “swimmer’s ear.” Bouts of this condition are typically caused by bacterial infections in the outer ear, as opposed to the inner ear, and can cause pain, itching, and muffled hearing. Very rarely, complications from swimmer’s ear
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