Blocked Eustachian Tube — What Can Be Done to Treat It?

[SimonC9]

Hi all,

I'm new here but have been reading posts on the forum for a while.

Just a little background, I'm 32 and have always had a little bit of tinnitus in my right ear (slight ringing) as far back as I can remember which I'd only hear in very quiet environments.

However over the last few weeks I noticed that it had suddenly gotten a lot more noticeable and louder. Along with that, I kept feeling very slight popping noise in my right ear every 10 minutes or so.
I went to the doctors and she asked me told hold my nose and blow while checking the inside of my ears. She mentioned that my eustachian tube on the right side was completely blocked but the left was fine. I've been referred to see an ENT specialist, so just waiting on that now.

I've not had a cold or anything recently but I have had trouble with this ear a few years ago where I had glue ear (along with more ringing) and it eventually went away.

I was just wondering what experiences or symptoms people may have had with this? If there were to be an actual dysfunction with the tube itself, what is normally done to correct this? Thanks.

 

[martinberryhorse]

My ETD (assuming thats whats going on) was really bad and painful for about three days before taking prednisolone which took the tinnitus down about 75% and stopped the pain. It also made my ears feel less full and irritated, although they are still sticky feeling and gunked up now.

You could ask about taking a 6 day course of prednisolone.

You mention having glue ear in the past. Out of curiosity how long did that take to clear up for you?

 

[oceanofsound26]

Heed the recommendations in this thread - https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...-—-new-protocols-and-supplements-to-try.6514/.

Both sinuses and Eustachian Tubes drain into the throat. If sinuses are blocked, Eustachian Tubes cannot drain properly. Try these -





All three of these have helped me a lot.

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

Or a good nasal spray to clear the eustacian tube I had it bad enough to cause hearing loss but the nasal spray cleared the tube and the infection cleared up my problem the Dr said there was nothing wrong.
Just a suggestion

 

[Solose]

Your issues sound similar to mine. My ENT thinks I have "hidden allergies" where they don't bother me much but my E-tube and sinuses get inflamed. We had a very high allergy season this year where I live.

I took several courses of prednisone and each time they help at the higher doses but the T comes back at the end of the taper. Maybe I just needed a longer taper but I can't take anymore now so too late for that.

I have found Nasonex spray to be somewhat helpful, but you need to use it continuously for weeks to see any effect.

My condition has progressed to where I lost a lot of hearing, have constant ear infections, and the dreadful T ofcourse. I am getting a myringotomy with tubes and eustachian tube dilation soon, which are more involved procedures.

 

[Darryl Colebank]

Hi Solose
My Eustachian tubes are blocked. I have tubes and I am having Eustachian tube dilation this Friday.
Must have septoplasty and turbinate reduction because Eustachian tube is not accessible.
My tinnitus is hell at times and is brought on by high frequency sounds like fans, water running.
Does your surgeon believe you will have relief from tinnitus?

 

[JohnAdams]

antihystamines, valsalva maneuver. both can be dangerous.

 

[Solose]

Darryl,
My ENT who is doing the surgery said he thinks this will help since my tinnitus started after my trouble with the ears started. But of course, he can't tell me for sure. I am trying not to get my hopes up, I'm almost nervous about waking up from surgery and hearing the same or worse T. I'm trying to tell myself recovery probably won't be instantaneous if it does happen. I am also having my maxillary sinus drained on that side since it is occluded.

I must say I feel pretty angry at how long it took for a doctor to say I need all this done. I've had hearing loss for 3 months now, T for 5 weeks. I saw several ENTs and went to the ER, Urgent care. I felt like nobody took me seriously, just kept throwing antibiotics and steroids at the problem, and it continued to progress. Finally Urgent Care gave me a CT which showed the extent of infection and the problem with the sinus, so my current ENT agreed to do surgery. I wonder if it's too late for some of my hearing to come back in that ear and the T to subside. The ENT has said the eardrum looks really bad. I'm also having everything done tomorrow, guess I'll find out.

 

[Kriszti]

Darryl,
My ENT who is doing the surgery said he thinks this will help since my tinnitus started after my trouble with the ears started. But of course, he can't tell me for sure. I am trying not to get my hopes up, I'm almost nervous about waking up from surgery and hearing the same or worse T. I'm trying to tell myself recovery probably won't be instantaneous if it does happen. I am also having my maxillary sinus drained on that side since it is occluded.

I must say I feel pretty angry at how long it took for a doctor to say I need all this done. I've had hearing loss for 3 months now, T for 5 weeks. I saw several ENTs and went to the ER, Urgent care. I felt like nobody took me seriously, just kept throwing antibiotics and steroids at the problem, and it continued to progress. Finally Urgent Care gave me a CT which showed the extent of infection and the problem with the sinus, so my current ENT agreed to do surgery. I wonder if it's too late for some of my hearing to come back in that ear and the T to subside. The ENT has said the eardrum looks really bad. I'm also having everything done tomorrow, guess I'll find out.

I'll

Darryl,
My ENT who is doing the surgery said he thinks this will help since my tinnitus started after my trouble with the ears started. But of course, he can't tell me for sure. I am trying not to get my hopes up, I'm almost nervous about waking up from surgery and hearing the same or worse T. I'm trying to tell myself recovery probably won't be instantaneous if it does happen. I am also having my maxillary sinus drained on that side since it is occluded.

I must say I feel pretty angry at how long it took for a doctor to say I need all this done. I've had hearing loss for 3 months now, T for 5 weeks. I saw several ENTs and went to the ER, Urgent care. I felt like nobody took me seriously, just kept throwing antibiotics and steroids at the problem, and it continued to progress. Finally Urgent Care gave me a CT which showed the extent of infection and the problem with the sinus, so my current ENT agreed to do surgery. I wonder if it's too late for some of my hearing to come back in that ear and the T to subside. The ENT has said the eardrum looks really bad. I'm also having everything done tomorrow, guess I'll find out.

How did the surgery go? Are you doing better?

 

[Solose]

I'll


How did the surgery go? Are you doing better?

After surgery the T was pretty quiet all day and into Saturday. It could have been the anaesthesia. My hearing was no better but I was feeling hopeful. Then yesterday night I started to feel some bad pain and the T was ratcheting up. I took 2 ibuprofen which I know can exacerbate T but for me they had never had that effect. Today I woke up with extremely loud T. Usually mornings are the quietest for me so this is really hard.

It's not a new noise, just all the noises I ever had at a very high volume.

The surgery helped my pain and pressure in my ears, and I don't feel sick the way I did beforehand.

It's difficult facing this spike after it initially got quieter after surgery though. It's hard to have hope but I think I'll get up and try to take a walk to see if that will help distract me. I know I'm in the early stages of healing.

For some reason whenever my ears would fill up with a lot of fluid, it would really hurt and feel uncomfortable but it would muffle the T. Now I can only guess that because the fluid isn't there it's louder. That doesn't make a lot of sense as I know the noise is in my head but for some reason that's how it is for me.

 

[Kriszti]

After surgery the T was pretty quiet all day and into Saturday. It could have been the anaesthesia. My hearing was no better but I was feeling hopeful. Then yesterday night I started to feel some bad pain and the T was ratcheting up. I took 2 ibuprofen which I know can exacerbate T but for me they had never had that effect. Today I woke up with extremely loud T. Usually mornings are the quietest for me so this is really hard.

It's not a new noise, just all the noises I ever had at a very high volume.

The surgery helped my pain and pressure in my ears, and I don't feel sick the way I did beforehand.

It's difficult facing this spike after it initially got quieter after surgery though. It's hard to have hope but I think I'll get up and try to take a walk to see if that will help distract me. I know I'm in the early stages of healing.

For some reason whenever my ears would fill up with a lot of fluid, it would really hurt and feel uncomfortable but it would muffle the T. Now I can only guess that because the fluid isn't there it's louder. That doesn't make a lot of sense as I know the noise is in my head but for some reason that's how it is for me.

Thank you. I'm so sorry that right now, it's not better, but I'll keep rooting for you, and fingers crossed for a recovery and improvement.

 

[tiniturtle]

I think usually the first line of treatment is a nasal steroid spray.

 

[Darryl Colebank]

Hi Solose,
I'm sorry things are not yet what you hoped for. My sound sensitivity is pretty extreme two days after the surgery. I cannot breath through my nose at all very swollen. I am staying hopeful that when the swelling goes down my Eustachian tubes will function properly and the sensitivity will go away. I have already told my ent it is no better he said give it a couple weeks. After surgery Friday I could breath through my nose and sensitivity seemed less.
Trying to stay positive and focused on other things, but it is very difficult.

 

[Solose]

Darryl,
It's good to hear your surgery went fairly well. I'm glad you're staying positive, I hope to get to that place as well.

I have a feeling the ringing was less for me at first bc the anasthesia dulled all my senses.

You said that you already have ear tubes, as in grommets? Can I ask you how it was when you got them? My sinus surgery is fine and I think it did help. I barely feel the E-tube surgery. It's just these dang Grommets that are making my ears sore and I suspect the irritation is making T act up. Did you have problems with increased ringing or soreness when you got your tubes in?

Hi Solose,
I'm sorry things are not yet what you hoped for. My sound sensitivity is pretty extreme two days after the surgery. I cannot breath through my nose at all very swollen. I am staying hopeful that when the swelling goes down my Eustachian tubes will function properly and the sensitivity will go away. I have already told my ent it is no better he said give it a couple weeks. After surgery Friday I could breath through my nose and sensitivity seemed less.
Trying to stay positive and focused on other things, but it is very difficult.

 

[Darryl Colebank]

I got the tubes early October 2019. Pressure was so bad b4 I got them I was doing the valsalva Maneuver constantly to get rid of pressure.
The tubes themselves have not bothered me, so far. I absolutely love dead silence and it has been so hard loosing it. This issue is so mysterious. Hang in there.

 

[JT2020]

Hello Solose and Darryl,

Can I ask about your updates on your procedures you had last year??

I am looking at repairing a perforated ear drum and having balloon dilation for a closed Eustachian tube. I have developed T recently (not directly related to perforated ear drum or ETD, could have been noise trauma..)

But I'm thinking about NOT doing procedure because it may not help or could make T worse.

Hope you are both doing better!! Thank-you in Advance!