ETD with post nasal drip back and TMJ and deviated septum

Very, very sorry to read this, obviously you're at the end of your tether with it  and who could blame you?

Please don't take this the wrong way: you're using the terms 'ETD, TMJ'.  What do these abbreviations stand for?  It’s just that others suffering the same symptoms might not understand

Hi chanel30681, 

I know what you're going through. I am 43, male, living in Southampton and I have had ETD for several years. It is slowly getting worse and I am going insane. Sounds are becomming more and more uncomfortble and now I walk around at work with headphones on and everyone thinks Im an anti social freak. On top of that the loss of sense-of-well-being and GP's only ever wanting to prescribe antibiotics. Crazy ;( Steve

I found your thread whilst trawling the net in the early hours after being woken up by this damn tinnitus. i can't believe I have almost the same issues. I have suffered with ETD on and off for many years, never as bad as this current episode though. I had a septoplasty on left nostril years ago and complained of ETD on that side although didn't realise they were related. I dont have any issues with the left side nowadays.

I still suffer with blocked hearing regularly when I have a head cold, and during a particularly bad one a couple of years ago I sat over a bowl of steaming water with olbas oil, Sinex and whatever else I could get my hands on trying to clear my head buy trying to pop my ears.  This is the point where my current problem with ETD started. I feel as though I may have forced a blockage into the tube myself.

A few months later I was having the lump in the throat problem, I had suffered heartburn for 20 odd years after taking Diclofenac sodium long term for a herniated disc (long since sorted sucessfully). I went to ENT, where I had numerous cameras etc, and eventually was informed it was reflux with the standard prescription of 20mg Omperazole and Gaviscon. I mentioned that my hearing was dulled after lying down overnight and gven a hearing test, which was pretty pointless as I had cleared my hearing many hours before by popping my ears and trying to suck out the eardrum with my finger whilst equlising the pressure. I also mentioned about the tinnitus, not realising it was related. the specialist said unsuprisingly there was nothing wrong with my hearing, and there was nothing they could do for tinnitus. Accepting this I was signed off and the lump in the throat feeling although not fixed is somewhat kept in check. 

Two years have now past, I still have to physically clear my hearing every morning, I am constantly suffering the tinnitus, it's waking me up almost every night, it's driving me mad, and it's the worst feeling to know I probably caused it myself trying to sort myself out during the head cold. 

I know there's something stuck between my eardrum and Eustation tube but i dont know if a grommit will sort it out. I can feel a fullness in my inner ear all the time and I fear that if I go back to ENT for a grommit they might not suck whatever it is out and I will be left unable to clear my hearing myself in the mornings by creating a positve  pressure in the middle ear like I currently do at the moment.

I have read on various forums that a grommit insertion may not help the tinnitus problem at all so I'm just living with it at the moment.

And just to add the final similarity to our symptoms, I've always had a problem with my jaw clicking when I'm chewing something and everytime i open my mouth. It's never been painful though, so never bothered to get it checked out. I don't think its related in my case and I wont be mentioning it to the GP should I go, but to be honest, he's only got to look at me square on and he will see my jaw is lob sided. In any case I've managed 45 years with it, I  think I'll live with that one, lol.

I hope you get sorted, that tinnitus is just the worst thing about the condition. I've yet to decide whether to bother the GP with it. After all that I've read I feel as though I'm wasting my time, I just hoping it doesnt get any worse.

Hi everyone, hold on, it's the most unplesant thing that you are suffering of. I know what you feel, exactly trust me,soon i will try one way to treat all of it and then disscuss it here. hope for the best and don't let the doctors bring you down.

What to do you plan to do?

hello. I'm sorry to hear your report. I do know I also have a post nasal drip and today my etd has come back. I have had ETD all of last summer but it cleared up in November and I have been clear until this week. Try yoga breathing exercises and taking garlic and plantago herb to help a bit.

Thanks for posting. Similar issues. Irritated. After what feels like 1000 hours of research because the ENT only wants to give medicine. And I don't do that. I wrote my issues in my profile, maybe you can relate and find an answer. Glad to hear the septoplasty went well. I am looking forward to it.

I have most of what you have and have had it for over 5 years. You are right, ENT's don't have a clue & appear NOT to be assertive in addressing these issues. I have now been diagnosed with moderate anxiety & believe it is directly related to these issue. I am just turning 65 on the 25th of June. The older you are, the less they do for you.   

 

I have reason to believe self pity can be a culprit. Check your muscle memories, what have we been clinging to. Perhaps superseded memory

I've never heard of  ETD- eustanchian tube dysfunction until reading this, but have had similar symtons for almost 2 years.

My GP referred me to an ENT consultant where I had a CT and MRI scan on my head. Nothing showed up unusual, so the ENT consultant discharged me with yet more nasal drops and sprays. I've been on Flixonase steroid capsules and various prescribed sprays, Yes, they "may" clear the problem for a few hours or a day, but the next day the symptons reappear.

I wake up in the morning with a blocked nose, but worst of all I cough up and spit out lots and lots of saliva. I do this thoughout the day, but it's worse in the morning. With this my tinnitus is getting worse.

After reading this I may go back to my GP and insist on being referred to a different ENT consultant to discuss ETD as I don't belive the last ENT person I saw took these symptons seriously and just told me to drink more water to thin out the musus. !!

Does this sound like a ETD condition to you  ?