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Unblocking ear/eustachian tube

Posted , 29 users are following.

carmel83758
carmel83758

I have had this problem over and over for years - always the right ear is worse or the only one. Have given up most dairy, have a good diet.

Have taken lots of different antibiotics etc and nose sprays and none of it helps. Now the antibiotics I take also give me a bad stomach and headaches etc Feel worse than ever. Have tried the various breathing techniques , yawning etc none of it works. Got an ear popper which relieves it a bit but then it is bac\k to square one.

0 likes, 75 replies

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  • Rebecca764
    Rebecca764 carmel83758

    Posted

    I was always given steroids to unblock the eustation tube.  My eustation tube doesnt work right and never did.  Its called eustation tube disfunction.  Mine can be stuck open where when you drink, a portion goes up into the tube which can cause problems.  They put a stent in a friend of mines tube and she has no problem with it.  I havent had a doctor who would put one in mine tho because they say it is not guarenteed that it will work for everyone.  Its a small percentage that it will help.
  • Rebecca764
    Rebecca764 carmel83758

    Posted

    There is another potential cause, its called glue ear here in the US.  It happens during an infection, the infection gets real thick and wont budge, gets stuck there.  They preferated my eardrum and suctioned it out.  Not the best feeling , and very loud but it has worked.  I guess it would depend on whether your ENT will do it or not.
  • leila29439
    leila29439 carmel83758

    Posted

    Hi carmel

    Have you tried putting a musical tuning fork on the centre of your forehead.

    I had a middle ear infection that left me deaf, etc with lots of fluid behind my ear drum.

    My doc did it to me yesterday.  I could here it clear as a bell with my death ear and within seconds I was swallowing yucky stuff. This continued for hours.  Be careful of the dizzyness that occurs as you ears drain.

    Today there is an 80% improvement in my ears and I will be getting it done again to see if it will clear them up completely.

    I haven't been able to find any info on sound waves draining ear fluid but it worked for me.

     

  • lorraine48553
    lorraine48553 carmel83758

    Posted

    Hello,

    Are you still suffering from plugged ears? I've had GERD for years, but I never knew it could have anything to do with ears. I take Omeprazole Magnesium and it helps with the heartburn unless I eat too much at one meal, or eat a trigger like fried food or chocolate. I also take Certrizine for allergies. This is the first time I have had a problem with stuffed up ears. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

  • sarah63717
    sarah63717 carmel83758

    Posted

    Hi I'm not sure if this thread is still going! I'm 21 and I have been dealing with this problem since I was at secondary school aged 16. I can't even remember how it started but I visited my local gp several times, receiving ear drops, nose drops, hay fever tablets and decongestions but nothing worked for me! I was referred to the ent specialist and after tests I was told there was no build up of fluid or wax or anything and it was something I would have to live with?!! When I get the cold this becomes sooo much worse, I'm constantly trying to pop my ears and end up getting a sore jaw. This time I feel like there is a pain in my tooth, could this be related? The whole side of my face is sore! I did mention to the dentist one time when I was maybe 18 could this be related to wisdom teeth? She said no! But I'm going to ask my new dentist at the end of February! I'm only 21 and cannot live like this the rest of my life! I need help sad asap! Thanks in advance for anyone with any answers!

  • Rafidah7210
    Rafidah7210 carmel83758

    Posted

    Hi, does your symptoms get better when you bent down? Mine is. And the 2nd ENT doctor told me that I had a Eustachian tube that is always open and won't close. The problem is my blocked right ear will start in the morning after breakfast up to about 4pm daily( I know it's strange). The 2nd doctor diagnosed Patulous Eustachian Tube. As much as she told me there's not much things doctors can do with that. She told me that nose sprays and omeprazole tablets in the long run might help to put the swell back on and correct the ETD. She also mentioned that it is important to put a bit of weight as PET occurs when you lost weight.

    • maureen05275
      maureen05275 Rafidah7210

      Posted

      Hello Rafidah, I have come upon this thread by accident today.  I have also been diagnosed with a patulous (open) eustachian tube.  I knew it was this two years ago but it took two years to get the official diagnosis.  I did it by finding an audiologist who would do the appropriate test then took this to a good (listening) ENT who agreed.  He said the classic symptom was that the autophony I experience goes away when I lie down.  Like you I have about 30-40 minutes free of it first thing in the morning but mine doesn't go away until I go to bed.  He said there were a number of 'treatments' which meant that none really worked and some were downright dangerous.  He said (dramatic pause): "Put on weight."  I was a bit sceptical as I am only 6 kg lighter than I was 54 years ago when I was 18 but a few weeks ago I watched a very brief Utube presentation where an ENT said as little as a 3 lbs (1.3 kg) loss can cause PET.  So I am trying to put on weight, a bit difficult as I have malabsorption issues.  Are you trying to put on weight and have you seen any improvement?  You would also experience the autophony (hear your voice as if in a bucket, hear your breathing as if it was a steam train, hear your chewing sounds so loud you can't hear the TV)?  Not many people with PET post on here.  At some point I suppose they just decide to live with it.

    • Rafidah7210
      Rafidah7210 maureen05275

      Posted

      Hi!! I have put tried to puton 3 kg since my visit to the 2nd ENT about 3 months ago and I have no more PET!! I'm so overjoyed! To think putting on weight really cures it! I hope yours go away. It really means a lot to us. I had feelings like the right side of face feel blocked most of the time.  To gain weight I stuffed food every spare time I had. Healthy food of course nuts, avocado, and steadily I gained little by little.  She did suggested surgery and medication but told me that it will take long before I see the effects. And surgery could only result to be the same after some time. 

    • maureen05275
      maureen05275 Rafidah7210

      Posted

      Hello Rafidah, I am so pleased for you.  Well done!  I also put on weight, about 5 kg since my visit to the ENT in early May, but I still have the PET, unchanged.  I now weigh slightly more than I did in 2011 when I had no autophony.  I have a long-standing autoimmune disease, Sjogren's Syndrome, which has resulted in my immune system destroying moisture-producing glands (eyes, mouth, nose) and the second ENT I saw on 1st September thinks this has probably contributed to my PET.  I always suspected a link but hoped it wasn't so.  Never mind.  Good news for you though, so again, well done.

      Best wishes, Maureen

  • cassie23228
    cassie23228 carmel83758

    Posted

    Just stumbled across this discussion as I've been suffering for only 2 weeks. It happened 5 years aho afyer a flight and lasted 8 days into a 10 day break. I have flown since witnout problem. I never gets colds and i eat healthy. Got a long haul flight booked this weekend. The doc gave me a nasal spray and antibiotics to spray in hear. Any advice would help. I'm desperate.

  • Rafidah7210
    Rafidah7210 carmel83758

    Posted

    Hi, 

    Get a proper diagnosis. I went to 2 ENT and the latter asked me a lot of questions to properly diagnosed me after 2 years of suffering. I had wanted to live with it but now I'm cured! When I bent down it was gone but the rest of the day if I'm not lying in bed I had blocked right ear. I was diagnosed with PET and it got me to put on weight to solve the problem! I was always skinny and impossible to put on weight although I consider 2500 calories on average. The ENT said why I was feeling like there's air trapped was that my Eustachian tube rarely closes.  And I need to put on weight to add the extra fat for it to be able to close! 

    • Forau
      Forau Rafidah7210

      Posted

      Hi Rafidah, very halpy to hear someone has sorted the issue out smile. I have a feeling gaining weight will be the only thing that will help me, I'm 27 and have had PET since I was about 16 sad. It's made me miserable but I think I've just learnt to deal with it sad. I'm very skinny, and do have appetite trouble. But I guess I'll have to try.

  • caroline70988
    caroline70988 carmel83758

    Posted

    Hi Carmel I’m having same issue with my right ear same thing using steriod spray and antibiotics still cracking popping nothing is working I also woke up because think antibiotic through the ear giving me stomach issues but what is an ear popper ? Can I get it at shoppers . So what is be t step in also not eating cause of it I’m getting over gbs still have lots of issues with it . But wondering what is the next step to my ear cause making me have anxiety attacks so on?
    • mark50547
      mark50547 caroline70988

      Posted

      I do not know.  I am hiding under a rock.  Zombie ATTACK!!!  Someone to joke with for your anxiety attacks.  The other thing that always causes anxiety attacks is the rebound from anti anxiety meds like Ativan or Klonopin or Valiun or Xanix or 12 others  These are the benzodiazepams.  .  These drugs should be pulled from the market, after I die of course.  Great product for the Pharmaceutical companies.  Not for me.  Maybe if your entire family moves to Germany leaving no forwarding address, the benzos might, conceivably be justified. 
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