Cured my eustachian tube dysfunction
Posted , 56 users are following.
I've had this problem off and on for years. I have allergies, so always assumed it was related to that. Nope. This past year, I discovered I also have a thyroid issue, and ETD can be related to hypothyroidism. Well, even on thyroid hormone I still had the ETD.
So I've been researching the web constantly, because my ETD is so annoying. I have to yawn or swallow constantly or else my ears feel clogged and when I speak, it sounds very muffled. Sometimes even clearing my ears doesn't help. At it's worst, I couldn't clear my ears at all.
I've gotten relief for a lot of my other thyroid symptoms with vitamins and minerals. The research shows that a low thyroid can cause you to be deficient in a lot of different nutrients do to malabsorption and inability to metabolize and convert vitamins into their active forms. Specifically, you do not convert beta-carotene into the active version of vitamin A that your body uses.
I started hunting around for research related to eustachian tube and vitamins, and found nothing about humans, but eventually I found some for animals. And it was all about vitamin A deficiency.
In the ear, air is constantly being lost from the ear cavity through the soft tissues of the ear, by a process of difussion which isn't well understood. If the soft tissue lining the ear cavity is too thin or too porous, you will lose the air a lot faster than normal. I think this is what is happening for many of us with ETD. Also, the eustachian tube itself may be sticky, due to the lining of the soft tissues being compromised. Vitamin A is needed to properly make the epithelial lining of your soft tissues in your eustachian tubes, your ears, your nose and throat and your eyes (and probably everywhere in your body). If you don't have enough, your soft tissues get scaly and dry, inflexible. In your ears, that means your eustachian tubes get stuck closed (or maybe stuck open too!) and also the air is lost faster from your ear cavity, causing pressure changes faster than normal.
I found a retinal acetate 5,000 IU vitamin supplement, and started taking that every day and it worked immediately the first day, and has kept my ears clear the past three days! I know that isn't very long, and maybe I'm celebrating too early, but after dealing with this for so long, three days of not having this problem is too wonderful, I had to share my discovery.
Hope this helps some of you!
P.S. I also take a low dose zinc and copper supplement. Zinc helps you move vitamin A around the body. Without sufficient zinc, you will not benefit form taking vitamin A. And copper is important to take with zinc, and is also important for the building blocks of soft tissue.
9 likes, 90 replies
phil97899 AmyYamy
Posted
Hi all, has anyone tried allergy shots? I got the dreaded ETD a couple months ago. I was disappointed to hear there is no cure for this thing, but the ENT I'm seeing is determined to help me. I had the Balloon Sinuplasty and RF on my nasal polyps last week and it did improve the overall pressure in my ears and head, but I got that clicking/popping and some pressure left in my ears. I recently just started taking vitamins from reading these posts.
I'm going to start getting allergy shots soon. Saw an allergist and apparently I'm allergic to everything lol. I could see it all over my arms when they did the test, how each type swelled up. I also started to cut out all dairy this week as well. The only other surgery I haven't gotten is the one for my deviated septum. I regret not getting it done earlier cause I could have prevented the sinus infection that led to this. Oh well... At least I know I'm not the only one struggling with this... Good luck everyone.
Giffordw AmyYamy
Posted
Is vitamin A palmitate ok or does it have to be vitamin A acetate?
Wayne
phil97899 AmyYamy
Posted
sup12345 AmyYamy
Posted
jan21836 AmyYamy
Posted
anne05078 AmyYamy
Posted
Morning Amy, I live in England and I too suffer severe ETD and have done for years and years with only a very short term relief. I've recently seen my ENT consultant
that saw a tiny perforation, not big enough for the mucus to drain from. He used microsuction to remove all the mucus. I've had this procedure done several times over the years and maybe get a 4/6 weeks break from ETD. On this occasion I've only had a weeks relief and it's all back again. It's one of the most miserable of conditions and I've tried every thing to and get rid of it. I too suffer severe Rhinitis and Allergies.
I do a daily Nasal rinse, I use a steroid nasal spray, nothing helps. I do take regular vitamins and mineral but not Zinc, copper or A. I do however take Magnesium. I will certainly buy some and hope they're still helping you.
Please message me and let me know if you're still free from ETD
Regards
Anne
phil97899 anne05078
Posted
hey, just saw your comment. I'm rolling past my first year with this condition with no end in sight. i take allergy shots and slowly got myself off the Flonase, i take a Zyrtec (half) daily ad well, along with vitamins. hate to break it to ya but there is no cure for this thing no matter what vitamins you take. i think once you got it, you're stuck with it. Mine was improved a bit over the year with the shots, but i doubt its gonna cure it. i used to get intense pressure and vertigo when i was in a higher elevated area, but no so much anymore. still have that fullness in my ears which i can pop/crackle at will if i need to. it is frustrating. Believe me, if Vitamin A was the cure, you think you would find more documented stuff on this. its not. I never had that microsuction procedure done, maybe I'll inquire that with my ent when i see him again. good luck with everything.
phil
anne05078 AmyYamy
Posted
Hi Phill, sadly, I think you're right. I would have thought I'd have been used to it all the years I've suffered, however, when it's bad it's really bad and sometimes even unable to pop the left ear which play me up more the the right one. The pollen is really high over here in England at the moment. I'd love to wear a mask when I go out but would feel daft. So I just cover nose and mouth with a tissue. Mainly, all the Chinese wear them, probably due to the high pollution over there....they even wear them on flights. I fly for the first time in six year this Sunday, only because of ears. Only to Spain so just a two hour flight, but it doesn't matter whether it's 2 or 6 hrs it's still the altitude that will affect my ears and already having a perforation I'm a bit concerned. so keeping finger crossed all will be alright. You can only have the suction if there is a hole present. I don't think mine ever gets to heal over due to me keep trying to pop them. Probably over the years my Eustachian tubes have become smaller, who knows. I have mentioned tube insertion to my consultant but he said as soon as they drop out the cycle will happen all over again with me suffering Rhinitis and Allergies. Do you find when you get up in the mornings the clogged feeling feels worse? mine does and wondering if it's the post nasal drip during the night causes tubes to get blocked with mucus. I wish someone would find a cure for this problem though. It's so nice messaging with people who suffer too. Only thing I get concerned about is many years ago this problem caused bacterial meningitis. The tubes were blocked for so long that the mucus sat in the tubes then turned bacterial. I lost the sight in my left eye and suffer vertigo from time to time too. So anyone that gets an earache with ETD should definitely get themselves on antibiotics to protect themselves.
Regards
Anne
afrederi AmyYamy
Posted
I have had ETD since September 2018....
I also have GERD and have to take a drug called pantoprazole to reduce stomach acid due to the GERD.
This drug is well documented as causing vitamin B12 deficiencies, so I recently started taking high dose B12 and surprisingly my ETD problems have substantially subsided.
I wonder if anyone else has had the same experience?
phil97899 afrederi
Posted
i started taking high amounts of B12 a couple months ago (everyday) after seeing posts on here about it. i can honestly say by taking it, I have seen no change. If B12 works for some of ya, then that's great, however, its not the answer to ETD.
anne05078 AmyYamy
Posted
Hi there everyone, well, if the supplements are helping you that's just brilliant. However, I'm thinking it's just a coincidence. I've suffered from ETD for over
thirty years. I sometimes get a few days break from it, even a few weeks, but
it always returns. I've taken supplements for years and years. My friend is
a nutritionist so I get a lot of help from her regarding supplements. I take
Vit D3 and that has to be taken with K2 for good absorption. One has to be
careful when taking vit A as it can be dangerous.
I'm pretty sure that there is no cure for this problem, just relief from time to
time depending on the weather and pollen in my case lots more things that
too, I have allergies too.
I wish I could tell you that there is something out there that would help us all,
sadly, there isn't. I have a very good ENT consultant that I've been seeing for
years and years. When my ears get really blocked that I have to keep trying
to pop them, with the force I end up with a perforated left eardrum, he can
then suction all the mucus out that sticks the Eustachian tubes together.
What's known as glue ear in children. Usually for kids the tubes help them
and once they've fallen out and hole is healed over they are usually cured
from glue ear....in adults afraid not!!
Best wishes
Anne
afrederi anne05078
Posted
Not sure I would label my resolution as coincidental. I have seen a marked improvement in my systems after taking B12.I think the key here is that ETD is experienced my numerous people across a broad range of ages, and there are likely different reasons for experiencing ETD depending on the person.In my case, my B12 deficiency was decreasing my bodies overall wellness and affecting me in multiple different ways. The impact of getting my B12 back on track helped my ETD, as my symptoms are now almost completely gone. I can't argue with my results. Hopefully sharing experience and successes can help ease someone else with their ETD discomfort.
anne05078 AmyYamy
Posted
Absolutely, if they've helped you that's wonderful news, and may it continue.
Anne
ace26424 AmyYamy
Posted
have any of you had a swollen lymph node with your ETD? ive been suffering for 4 months now from ETD and i have a lymph node right by the ear that is affected that one day appears then a couple of days later it goes away and the cycle continues
afrederi ace26424
Posted
I never had swollen lymph nodes. If you do, you should see a doctor and let a professional diagnose the cause. Lymph nodes swell for a variety of reasons, but you may have an issue causing both your ETD and swollen lymph nodes.