Posted , 4 users are following.
One medical specialist I've seen has advised me that I have Eustachian Tube Dysfunction.Another specialist equally quaqlified says ther is no evidence to support this.Where they agree is that they say there is no treatment or cure.
I have inquired about a saline or balloon wash & I'm told this could cause a stroke.Anyone got any advice or comments.They would be most welcome
0 likes, 8 replies
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dianataylor michael11955
Posted
Hi Michael. Sorry you are struggling with this! There are new treatments for ETD, and many of us who sufferered are getting cured. I'm not sure what you mean by a saline or balloon wash. There is a procedure call balloon dilation of the e tubes that is being more popular. I had it over 5 yrs ago and it cured my ETD. There are conversations on this discussion board about the new surgery if you search for it, you will find more info about it. Good luck and know that there ARE answered out there!
michael11955 dianataylor
Posted
Hi Diana & thank you for your response.The surgeon & my doctor told me that balloon dilation can cause a stroke & wouldn't recommend it.In addition to that 10 years ago that area was treated with radiation which I'm given to understand causes hardening of the tube.I would be most interested to hear what these new treatments are,as my doctor & specialists have advised me to just live with i
Kind regars
Michael
dianataylor michael11955
Posted
Do you have a health condition that the surgery may cause a stroke. Because i have not heard of that complication, tho any surgery has its risks. Just haven't heard of stroke as being one of them. I was told I would have to live with it too...that's a response a lot of drs give when they seem to be out of answers. I'm not sure where u live but i would probably get another opinion. A lot of people are being helped with the new surgery, if you are a candidate. Good luck!
michael11955 dianataylor
Posted
Thank you for your reply.I live in the U.K. which despite many comments is still reasonably civilised.I had cancer in my tonsil about 11 years ago & had 7 weeks of chemotherapy & radiation which my doctor said could have hardened the tissue on the tube & that saline washes probably wouldn't help & could cause a stroke.He also told me that there isn't anyone that he can contact who is able to carry such a procedure out.I actually don't believe him.
dianataylor michael11955
Posted
Hi Michael, I'm puzzled by the stroke and saline wash info. Do you mean a saline wash like a netti pot? Just to rinse your sinuses and e tubes? I'm sorry about your cancer. I hope you aren't struggling with that anymore. That it "could" have hardened your tubes isn't really an answer. Are your ears plugged? Can you open them at all, or are u having other symptoms? Keep searching on these sites. I know there are others from the UK suffering with ETD. He honestly may not know any dr doing the procedure, they are kind of hard to find. But with the FDA approving it, we may see more drs performing it.
michael11955 dianataylor
Posted
Dear Diana,I have no idea how they do the saline wash,but guess it's something similiar to that which you describeNetti pot-What'sthat ?My head feels like it's been pumped up with air & it's full of pressure,but thankfully no pain.Now & then a bit of tinitus.,but nothing serious.My ears feel blocked but I can't blow out the blocked feeling.
I was signed off the cancer over 5 years ago & thankfully not had any recurring symptoms
Many thanks for your interest.As you know when there isn't any visible
sign that you have something distressing people tend to dismiss it
Kind Regards. Michael
dianataylor michael11955
Posted
Glad to hear about the cancer. Yes, ETD is definitely a silent illness. A saline wash is something that a lot of people do at home to rinse their sinuses. It's a warm water rinse that u put a saline packet in and it goes in one nostril and comes out the other. You tip your head from side to side to get the rinse into your sinuses, then tip sideways to get all the saline out. I do it all the time because i own a dog grooming business and want to clean all the hair/dander out of my sinuses. I actually use a little machine that looks like a water pik. It pulsates the saline rinse thru my sinuses and also cleans the openings of your e tubes if there is any mucus blocking them. So its not a big deal, thats why i wonder if that is what your dr means by a saline wash. Maybe he's talking about something different.....It does sound like your symptoms are pretty similar to others with ETD.
cv4wheeler michael11955
Posted
Just for the record, during balloon eustachian tuboplasty, there is a hypothetical risk of damage to the main artery that runs very near the eustachian tube. Damage that, and you could have a stroke, or worse. However, in practice, it has never been reported even after tens of thousands of these procedures around the world. So the risk, if real, is very low. Remember, every time they put you asleep for surgery, there is a 1:20,000 chance that you will die from the anesthesia. The probability of a stroke with tuboplasty is probably at that level or lower.