Eustachian tube problems back after two years!
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi
I was diagnosed with ETD three years ago ie blocked ear (only one ear) distorted sound, tinnitus and other symptoms, tried steaming, blowing a balloon up, face exercises etc.... nothing worked, it eventually cleared itself up over a few months.
Back to now, I have had a slight blocked nose feeling in my affected ear for years, so suspecting I have a chronic thing going on, I have had a permanent runny nose for what seems years, never without a tissue. A few weeks ago I suspected that my EDT was coming back, bit different symptoms this time, my ear is blocked, at first it only blocked whilst laid on that ear and cleared as soon as I moved, but now it is blocked and full feeling all the time with muffled hearing, I can hear my own voice a bit in my head, a hollow sound on the bones around my ear, when holding my nostrils and breathing out, I can pop the ear after a few times, but the blocked feeling comes back instantly, pulling and prodding the outside of my ear also gives momentary relief. I is driving me mad but also getting used to it. Just hoping it sorts itself out but I'm probably prone to it, I always get pains in my face when I have a cold or headache. For some reason it is far worse with noise, noises are heightened, but at least this time I haven't got thd distorted sounds, anyone else have similar symptoms?
0 likes, 11 replies
judi44826 Betty97
Posted
HI ANNETTE I have lived with this for years i started something new today called Xhance a new strong nasal spray it has to be compoundedi am always stuffy on right side only with fullness and some dizziness. awful it is worse when i wake up and improves over the day. my nose always runs too, like you. i am a teacher and always have tissues at work. embarrassing !
THINK I'll do balloon dilation at first of year......nervous to do it but what is worse than ETD ..? Good luck to you !
Betty97 judi44826
Posted
HI Judi
I wouldn't go anywhere without tissues! Would you say that years of runny nose and sinus problems (years ago) all contributes to the EDT? mine seems to be constant at the moment, also tinnitus, but tinnitus is the norm for me. I too suffer from dizziness, more a vertigo I think, but put that down to a neck problem, but who knows. I think I will carry on with the face exercises for the moment and perhaps some olbas oil in hot water as a steam. Good luck with the balloon dilation, I tried the balloon thing that you buy over the counter, it was so hard to blow it up!! gave up in the end haha
JeanJL Betty97
Posted
Hello,
I have the same issue of getting ear "puffing" or "pressure" sensation whenever I sleep on that side of the ear. I'm wondering what kind of face exercise that's been effective for you?
BTW, have any of you guys experience this - When taking a big breathe in, there would be a "puff" sensation that goes to the ear drum at the very end of the breath?
Blessings.
-Jean
Betty97 JeanJL
Posted
Hi Jean
Yes it is a kind of ear puffing, it started a few weeks ago, I would wake up with the puffing/full feeling in my ear, as soon as I moved the ear would pop and be normal, then one morning at the end of sept it stayed clogged up, then I had a head cold, followed by a runny nostril on the good side, the other nostril remained completely dry, but it did clear my ear, went back to just clogging when lying on the bad ear. Two days ago me in my wisdom decided to try ear drops just on case it was wax, with an hour my ear clogged up and my hearing was muffled, still the same today but thinking the hearing is very slightly improving.
The face exercise I do are pretty basic, hold my nostrils shut and slowly breathing out while mouth shut, the good ear pops instantly, the bad one only slightly pops after a few tries not sure if it's achieving anything but it does keep the tube moving so to speak, then I just massage the front and back of thd ear to free the full freeing momentarily, just hoping that eventually something kicks in!! Just tried what you suggest, but nothing happened. How long
have you had ear problems?
Annette
paige0501 Betty97
Posted
Hi,
So I was recently diagnosed with ETD but lived with the symptoms for three years. I had the WORST post nasal drip because of my ETD and I was diagnosed with "Rhinosinusitis" because of my ETD. This past June I got PE Tubes in my ears, (yes the same kind little kids get when they have chronic ear infections) and not only are my ears mostly better, but my nose is no longer stuff and I do not have any post nasal drip. It has not been a cure all, but really I think this is the best I will ever get to a solution. PLEASE go and see your ENT and ask about getting tubes in your ear because I really think it will help.
Betty97 paige0501
Posted
Hi Paige
Thank you for your reply
So happy for you to be almost free of symptoms! I get a bit of post nasal drip, I think, is it when you get mucus going down the back of your throat? I usually end choking and catching my breath, mainly it happens when I'm sleeping.
It's still early days for me, the last time I had a problem with it was three years ago but it cleared after a few months, but as said above in my other comment, I do have a permanently runny nose, and have had sinus infections many many years ago, just get face pain now.
What symptoms are you still left with?
Annette
paige0501 Betty97
Posted
Annette,
No I have almost no post nasal drip, which was something that was so bad at times I could not breathe because of how much mucus was in my throat (SO gross!). The pressure in my ears is really what's been cleared for me since getting the PE tubes. My right ear is my "bad" ear and at times it still acts up and I have to put ear drops in it to try and relieve the symptoms, but my left ear is 100% cured! If you go to a doctor/ENT they might suggest nasal sprays? I was on "flo-nase" and it made my symptoms WAY worse, but they may work for you? I would definetly go to a doctor and tell them EVERYTHING that's going on because it's so hard for them to take these things seriously, if you let them know it's been a problem before they will likely be ready to "take action." I hope you find some relief!
-Paige
paige0501
Posted
oops that "No" in the beginning is supposed to be "now "
Betty97 paige0501
Posted
Hi Paige
I done an update, basically I went to my GP, he saw that my ear is blocked with wax!! he was as surprised as me because he thought it was ETD because of my symptoms, the only thing that made sense was that last time I experienced sound distortion which went on for months and was very disorientating! this time it is just dulled hearing, so I suppose wax makes sense, plus I always have a runny nose and blocked nostril on the affected side especially when I lie on the bad side. I now using ear drops to soften the wax, trying to avoid syringing as I think it may make my tinnitus worse!
So glad that you are back to normal in the main
Annette
Betty97
Posted
I meant to put I have done an update ****
Betty97
Posted
UPDATE....
I have just returned from a visit to my GP, basically I wanted to confirm that the problem wasn't ear wax so that I could get on with waiting for my ear to sort itself out, we were both surprised to see that my ear was full of wax!!! he was convinced that it was ETD that had come back as much as me!! but on rethinking, last time I had it my hearing was completely distorted especially with high pitched noise, this time it is just a dulling of hearing, perhaps I have just assumed it is ETD because I do have a permanent runny nose and a general bunged up feeling in my face and one nostril. Anyway I have got to use ear drops for two weeks and if necessary have it syringed so that the GP can see the ear drum, so as now it pointing towards wax! will update as and when
Annette