Forced Saline Solution Into Eustachian Tubes — Tinnitus Quieter as a Result

[Dirtworks]

I definitely don't want to encourage this but would like opinions on the risk. My ENT appointment is still 3 months away and I'm not very confident there is much they can do. I've read a lot of "your going to have to live with it" on Tinnitus Talk. So I tried something last night.

Many of my symptoms and probably a lot of hope has me thinking my tinnitus volume increase may be due too ETD.

Having tried everything else Antihistamines, decongestants, Neti Pot, Valsalva manoeuvre... I got thinking perhaps nothing is getting to the eustachian tube blockage. Desperate, I tried the Valsalva manoeuvre after filling my sinuses with the Neti Pot solution. The solution was made from packets made for a Neti Pot that I got at the pharmacy. I assume they make some type of saline solution.

I was very very careful to not make too much pressure as I've heard it can be dangerous even without the solution. So I increased pressure very slowly. I could tell that the solution reached my inner ear because I heard it and my left ear started to hurt a little bit. I stopped and the mild pain, from the salt I assume, went away in a couple minutes.
Did it again gently increasing pressure until I felt the same in my right ear.

Then I pulled in and out on my ear lobes and massaged around my ears. Seemed like all the solution drained and the slightly uncomfortable feeling didn't last long.

I actually think my tinnitus was slightly quieter last night after doing this and feel the same way this morning.

I'm not advocating anyone try this. It may have been a stupid thing to do but seemed like good idea at the time. Any expert comments or opinions? Thanks.

 

[Dirtworks]

I don't want be too optimistic but as follow up... my tinnitus has been better all day and into this evening. Must admit I've had 3 glasses of red wine this evening as it's the best I've felt in months and that called for a little celebration.

I can still hear something but it's not as high frequency, as loud or nearly as annoying.

I will keep posting either way and hoping for a cure for all.

Boy what a difference and I can truly empathize like never before.

 

[Lane]

Any expert comments or opinions? Thanks.

@Dirtworks -- Very interesting experiment--and results! Please keep us posted. As far as "expert" comments or opinions, I think you're our resident expert at this time.

 

[Dirtworks]

4 am in the morning and my tinnitus is back. It was gone for more than 24 hours.

Oh well, at least I might have learned something. Something I can tell the ENT doctor.

It sure would seem my Eustachian tubes are not doing their job or my inner ears are producing too thick or too much mucus. That or it's psychosomatic like the placebo effect.

Strange thing is that it was a terribly tragic dream that woke me up. I very rarely remember dreams but I remember the tragic ending to this one. Sure glad it was just a dream.

Could it be that the bad dream was a stress event that triggered the tinnitus again? Hmmmö

After all, I was kinda thinking it was real world stress that triggered the flare up a few months back.

Can stress cause ETD?

 

[glynis]

@Dirtworks,

You might be better with a saline nasal spray, safer.

For some people like myself it causes more problems due to having Meniere's.
If you sleep well that helps but waking up out of a busy dream or from a short nap can cause spikes.

Love Glynis

 

[kingsfan]

There's a video on YouTube where a girl with ETD describes how she manages it by getting saline solution into her eustachian tubes. She doesn't show how she does it but she at least describes it. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post links here to that kind of stuff though.

 

[Lane]

It sure would seem my Eustachian tubes are not doing their job or my inner ears are producing too thick or too much mucus. That or it's psychosomatic like the placebo effect.

@Dirtworks -- If you're into more experimenting, you might want to check out this interesting video:

6-Min. Video: -- Chronic Sinus Problems? Try the Bulletproof Sinus Rinse

 

[martinberryhorse]

This is basically how I got tinnitus. Except it was mucus, not saline.

Though when I flushed my sinuses out with saline it would reduce the volume down to where it has been stuck at now for 16 months.

 

[Dirtworks]

His claims of cold prevention are interesting and sounds like it really reduced his sinus issues. I don't see how it would force any solution up the Eustachian tubes for ETD though.

Looks like a good thing to do if you just found out you were exposed to COVID-19.

Thanks Lane, how are you doing?

 

[Dirtworks]

@kingsfan, if you can find that YouTube video, can you please post the link if you are able?

I just watched a YouTube video of an ENT doctor making a presentation about sinusitis. He shows a picture of cabled camera he has that enables him to look into his patients sinuses.

I wonder if he looks into the Eustachian tubes or the middle ear?

 

[kingsfan]

@kingsfan, if you can find that YouTube video, can you please post the link if you are able?

I just watched a YouTube video of an ENT doctor making a presentation about sinusitis. He shows a picture of cabled camera he has that enables him to look into his patients sinuses.

I wonder if he looks into the Eustachian tubes or the middle ear?

Here's the video:



5:48 is when she actually starts explaining what she does.

 

[Dirtworks]

Thanks @kingsfan.

She was suffering from PET and didn't have tinnitus at the time she made that video. After a two year YouTube hiatus she made a second video explaining her absence. 8 months after the first video she got Strep throat and then developed tinnitus which her doctor told her was probably due to the infection. Being run down working full time as well as going to school full time didn't help matters. She got a little down about it and noticed 2 years later that she had 30,000 views.

The tinnitus isn't bothering her as much now and she has gone from doing the treatment every 3 days to once every 3 weeks I think she said. Good for her, that's great. From my understanding with PET the Eustachian Tube stays open.

For that reason I'm wondering if it's easier to get the solution through. I could be wrong but kind of seems logical.

My thinking is if the tubes are blocked I can't see it being that effective. That is my reason for performing Valsalva with my sinuses full of solution.

I haven't tried it again since. I'm concerned about eardrum damage or introducing bacteria into my middle ear. It's getting a little too close to the brain so I'm waiting for some expert opinions on risk.

 

[Lane]

5:48 is when she actually starts explaining what she does.

Hi @kingsfan -- Here's a neat little trick I learned this past year: To create a URL at a specified mark, right click on the video, and click the "copy URL at current time" option (3rd one down). Then do a Ctrl+V to paste it wherever you want. I did that with your reference to the the 5:48 mark[/B]. -- I do a lot of bookmarking, and I'll often bookmark different parts of the same video as it emphasizes certain things at certain points.

 

[Matchbox]

You have to confirm it's PET though, your voice can hurt your ears for a few reasons... worst probably being otosclerosis.

 

[kingsfan]

Hi @kingsfan -- Here's a neat little trick I learned this past year: To create a URL at a specified mark, right click on the video, and click the "copy URL at current time" option (3rd one down). Then do a Ctrl+V to paste it wherever you want. I did that with your reference to the the 5:48 mark[/B]. -- I do a lot of bookmarking, and I'll often bookmark different parts of the same video as it emphasizes certain things at certain points.

Yea that's what I did, but the forum kept automatically changing it to an embed.

 

[Dirtworks]

I had to run my backhoe for an hour down a bumpy road this morning and tinnitus volume higher all afternoon and evening. I had earplugs in my ears so I'm beginning to think

It's caused by all the bumps. Pretty sure I've noticed it before and that I've read others mention the same thing.

So I just did the Neti Pot Valsalva again. Sound is a little muffled because my middle ear is still draining. Lying on my back I can feel and taste it draining very slowly down the back of my throat. Tinnitus still the same which is above my base line.

 

[Dirtworks]

Tinnitus above baseline all last night and today. Could it be changes in atmospheric pressure or weather? We had a low pressure system come through. No idea what else has changed. Ears haven't felt full and no head ache all day but still high frequency static.

Why is it that both ears always identical in volume or at least it sounds like it's coming from the ears?

If tinnitus is caused by cochlear hair cell damage, then why
would both ears always be identical? Anybody?

 

[kingsfan]

Why is it that both ears always identical in volume or at least it sounds like it's coming from the ears?

If tinnitus is caused by cochlear hair cell damage, then why
would both ears always be identical? Anybody?

Mine aren't identical.

 

[Dirtworks]

@kingsfan, sorry, my bad. What I meant to say was "if one had tinnitus in both ears and the volume would always match," then shouldn't that tell us the tinnitus is in the brain? Or shouldn't we be able to draw some type of conclusion from that fact?

Does anyone see what I am getting at?

 

[Dirtworks]

I'm beginning to think that cheap red wine helps my tinnitus shortly after drinking a glass or two, but makes it worse for the next day or two.

 

[Dirtworks]

No wine last evening. And now the tinnitus, while it's definitely there, is tolerable. Not as bad as it has been.

 

[Dirtworks]

I had more than a few glasses of the same inexpensive wine two evenings in a row with no noticeable worsening of tinnitus the third day.

Then a door slammed and I noticed my tinnitus had spiked. It's been louder for two days now and I dread it could take another 4-5 months to settle. I also wonder if it could be the wine but I only noticed after the door slammed. What a terrible condition.

Please find a cure.

 

[Potoriums]

I am convinced my tinnitus started as a result of root canal treatment. Tooth root is still infected and I am convinced my Eustachian Tubes are in a mess with the other symptoms on top of the ringing.

I went nuts with salt pastes etc for brushing teeth, Waterpik with super strong saline etc for a few days to try help my infection. I stopped doing so when dentist prescribed antibiotics as did not consider the salt to be able to help tinnitus.

However, my tinnitus, which I thought I was 'habituating' to during saline work and almost went away when on a course of Metronidazole antibiotic, came back the day after the antibiotic course finished. So back onto overdosing on salt for the infection and hopefully the tinnitus.

Have you kept this Neti Pot salt 'blowing' going for a good few days straight?

Pseudoscience but if it is our tubes being inflamed, we'd have to lower and keep that inflammation down for a good while with salt tricks to give the ears time to repair.

My first day pickling my gums with salt so will see. But I might find a way to pickle my tubes and middle ear too!

 

[Dirtworks]

@Potoriums, I'm afraid I wasn't very good at using the Neti Pot regularly. It just didn't seem to be getting to my Eustachian tubes were I figured the problem was at the time. I only did the Neti Pot-Valsalva twice. My ears don't seem to feel full and no more headaches so I stopped. Tinnitus is not as bad as it was but it did climb a bit when I slammed a door. It took several days to settle again after that.

I've read about a few people that figure a trip to the Dentist caused their tinnitus. Now I'm going to hate going to the dentist even more.

I'm trying stay positive and hope your able to get yours figured. I can't
recommend the Neti Pot-Valsalva but I would sure like to hear from some expert on the potential dangers and benefits.

 

[Dirtworks]

Headaches and fullness seem to have subsided and tinnitus volume is staying lower.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed and being very careful.

 

[Dirtworks]

I no longer have any headaches but just a very slight ache in left ear on a couple of occasions.

Tinnitus seems to have stayed toned down for the most part though it is up a bit this evening.

I snacked on a bunch of salted crackers. Could it be the salt?

 

[Lukee]

I no longer have any headaches but just a very slight ache in left ear on a couple of occasions.

Tinnitus seems to have stayed toned down for the most part though it is up a bit this evening.

I snacked on a bunch of salted crackers. Could it be the salt?

Who knows what's good or bad anymore. Every day I read a conflicting report. Ironically I have read a few different posts now that red wine dramatically reduces (even eliminates) tinnitus for some. Glad to hear you are doing better overall. Hope you're enjoying the lockdowns LOL.

 

[JackSparrow]

Is there a way I can ensure I don't get the wash into my Eustachian tubes? It seems this can make tinnitus worse for many, I personally would like to try washing my sinuses, and nasal cavity first, before I try anything risky like this. I've heard various things such as making a "K" sound repeatedly, or letting the water run out the mouth to avoid getting the Eustachian tube, and middle ear.

Also, would a Neti pot or sinus wash be better for this?

 

[kingsfan]

Is there a way I can ensure I don't get the wash into my Eustachian tubes? It seems this can make tinnitus worse for many, I personally would like to try washing my sinuses, and nasal cavity first, before I try anything risky like this. I've heard various things such as making a "K" sound repeatedly, or letting the water run out the mouth to avoid getting the Eustachian tube, and middle ear.

Also, would a Neti pot or sinus wash be better for this?

Keep your head tilted forward and not to the side should help keep it out of the Eustachian tubes, though some may still end up there just from the pressure. For this, I think the squeeze bottle would be better than the Neti pot. When you're finished make sure you blow your nose very gently with both nostrils open.

If you are trying to remove any mucus, you'll want to use a hypertonic solution. You'll have to use some trial and error to get a hypertonic solution that you can tolerate since it will burn. Otherwise you can use an isotonic solution if you are only trying to flush out allergens.