When the palate is properly elevated, the levator palatini and tensor veli
palatini muscles contract and open the eustachian tubes. If the tubes are
closed for whatever reason: allergy, a cold, irritation from dryness,
inadequate hydration, enlarged adenoids - they can "pop" when opening. It
may take head voice for the student to exert enough tension on the above
muscles to pop the tubes.
If the student has ongoing ear or sinus problems, it might be reasonable to
be scoped to check out the eustachian openings at the back of the throat.
John
John J. Messmer, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Family & Community Medicine
Penn State College of Medicine
----- Original Message -----
>I now have a student (she is 19, a soprano freshman
> voice major) who says that her ears pop when she sings, and that it
> only happens when she is in head voice
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