Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
Posted , 3 users are following.
I started with a severe sinus infection in November 2016. I've never had such a sever sinus infection like the one I had in November. It left me with tinnitus, ear pain in both ears and a feeling of fullness in the ears. I had sever throbbing in both ears for a couple of months. I have been to two different ENT's and I have not been diagonsed with ETD but i have so many of the symptoms. I also had a severe case of hyperacusis but that has mostly gone away. My hearing is good, thank goodness. My left ear is the worst. I hear crackling in the ear when I swallow all of the time. It also sometimes feels like when I yawn something rubs in my left ear. That doesn't happen all of the time. I have had an mri and ct scan and there are no issues with my ears. They say my ear drums look good. Sometimes when my ears are feeling full and I hear noise my ear drums feel funny, like they move...such a weird feeling. Also, when I yawn I feel like my left ear opens or feels like it gets unstuck. But that doesn't last long. My husband and I recently drove through the mountains and by the time we drove away from the mountainous area my ears felt so full and they begin to throb. When I chew gum that seems to relieve some of the fullness...I have good days and bad days. I also feel pain behind my left ear on ocassion along the side of my neck. I have never had any other ear issues in my life and I am overall very healthy. I was examined for possible tmj and that isn't the issue. Just looking for answers. Is there a test that can diagnose ETD.
0 likes, 2 replies
miss00623 nancy5181
Posted
Unfortunately there is not & a lot of ENT's don't have a lot of knowledge to a new recently fad approved balloon dialation procedure for ETD
i have ETD never had an ear issue my entire life up until 2 years ago.
My hearing is good and my pressure tests are always good and that is because my ear Pop's every time I swallow. I also have the crackling every time,e I swallow.
Do you have allergies?
anne05078 nancy5181
Posted
Hi Nancy, join the club with loads of us suffering the same. Have you thought you may now have become allergic to something. I know for a fact that allergies make mucus and in turn that causes the eustachian tubes to stick together and block. Several of us on this Forum chat regualarly about ETD. Many years ago I too had a scan on my ears ( like you, it's my left one that plays up the most), however, everything was clear. I suffer chronic allergies and Rhinitis, which blocks my left nostril and left ear. I use the pinching nose toether method, putting my finger into the opposite ear and blow, not too hard, but repeat about 3/4 times. Because you are already getting the crackling noise there is a chance you'll be able to pop your left ear. Sometimes the eustachian tube will close again, particularly if there is a lot of mucus present. Ask your doctor to prescribe Flixonase Aqueous Nasal spray. This should dampen down any mucus to help relieve your symptoms, also help with the inflammation. At present, myself and another lady called Anna are taking a course of Steroid Prednisolone tablets. I have to take them at least once a year to enable me to get some months of relief from this awful condition. Everything you have written in your post is exactly the same as everyone else, so please don't think you're alone with this problem. This usually happenes after severe sinus infection. I don't want to sound gloomy, but I've suffered this problem since the 1980's. Sometimes I get relief from my medication, other times it doesn't work. I see my ENT consultant twice yearly after contracting Bacterial Meningitis from ETD. The mucus couldn't drain, it turned bacterial and crossed th blood brain barrier. I don't want to alarm you as this is a very rare occurence. I never suffer earache, however in 1994 that's what happened and it turned very nasty, losing the sight in my left eye and hearing down in right ear. I live in England and have just come downstairs, it was 2am when I opened up the Forum. I'm extrememly blocked on my left side and couldn't sleep. I lost my sense of smell and taste in the 80's and only regain it for a short while after taking the Prednisolone. I suffer polyps in the nose too. These have been operated on twice, along side sinus surgery, but if allergies are present they usually grow back, which mine have. A few people on this forum are trying out the Balloon Dilation to open up the tubes to allow drainage. I will be asking my ENT consultant about this procedure at my next appointment. Read back on some of the replies and advice people are giving, you may find them helpful. What country are you in ?
Really hope you feel better soon.
Anne