If your ears are plugged, try swallowing, yawning or chewing sugar-free gum to open your eustachian tubes. If this doesn't work, take a deep breath and try to blow out of your nose gently while pinching your nostrils closed and keeping your mouth shut. If you hear a popping noise, you know you have succeeded.
Symptoms of Eustachian tube dysfunction usually go away without treatment. You can do exercises to open up the tubes. This includes swallowing, yawning, or chewing gum. You can help relieve the “full ear” feeling by taking a deep breath, pinching your nostrils closed, and “blowing” with your mouth shut.
Popping your ears can help open the eustachian tube, allowing fluid to drain. The simplest way to pop your ears is to yawn, chew, or swallow. You may also want to try popping your ears using something called the Valsalva maneuver: Take a deep breath and hold it.
What causes eustachian tube dysfunction? Allergies and infections (like the common cold and the flu) are the most common causes of eustachian tube dysfunction. These conditions can cause inflammation and mucus buildup, leading to blockage. GERD, or chronic acid reflux, can also cause ETD.
Eustachian tube dysfunction usually resolves in a few days to two weeks without treatment. You can take certain actions to open up the tubes, such as swallowing, yawning, or chewing gum.
Sometimes, dried mucus or other particles can get stuck in or near the eustachian tube and cause symptoms. Clearing the passageways can help eliminate anything clogged in the passage.
Of note, fluid in the middle ears is treated the same way. Obviously, ear drops will not work because the eardrum prevents anything administered through the ear canal from getting to the eustachian tube which is located BEHIND the eardrum.
Your doctor may use a variety of techniques to diagnose patulous Eustachian tube dysfunction while viewing your ear drum (tympanic membrane). Your doctor may ask you to breathe deeply and swallow to see how the ear drum responds. Your doctor may also measure the pressure inside your ear using specialized tools.
Eustachian tube dysfunction may occur when the mucosal lining of the tube is swollen, or does not open or close properly. If the tube is dysfunctional, symptoms such as muffled hearing, pain, tinnitus, reduced hearing, a feeling of fullness in the ear or problems with balance may occur.
Afrin (oxymetazoline) and 4-Way (phenylephrine nasal) are among the most common and effective topical decongestants.
Chronic eustachian tube dysfunction is the condition where the eustachian tubes are in a seemingly endless state of being blocked. They may be closed for months on end, leading to long-term symptoms of inner-ear pain and hearing difficulty.
Blocked eustachian tubes can be relieved by nasal sprays and antihistamine tablets, which reduce inflammation and congestion. Recurrent eustachian tube dysfunction requires the surgical placement of tubes in the eardrum, which allows pressure to equalize in the middle ear.
Through this outpatient ENT surgery, we make a small incision in the eardrum and place a pressure equalization tube in it to allow fluid to escape. As a result, it not only resolves chronic earaches, but Eustachian tube problems as well. As the eardrum heals, the tubes eventually fall out on their own.
The treatment for ETD is aimed at opening up the eustachian tube in the back of the nose. The main treatment is using a steroid nasal spray to help shrink the tissue where the ear drains. Nasal steroid (Flonase, Nasonex, Nasacort) – 2 sprays into each nostril twice daily.
Many people will find temporary relief from ETD pressure buildup by chewing gum or yawning. Another popular method is to close your eyes, plug your nose, and blow air to “pop your ears” to relieve some of that pressure, although you should avoid this if you have a cold.
Fluticasone nasal spray is available over the counter and is a nasal steroid spray. It is frequently recommended or prescribed for chronic eustachian tube dysfunction.
A myringotomy is a procedure to create a hole in the ear drum to allow fluid that is trapped in the middle ear to drain out. The fluid may be blood, pus and/or water. In many cases, a small tube is inserted into the hole in the ear drum to help maintain drainage.
Over-the-counter options are also available. If ETD is caused by allergies, antihistamines such as Benadryl and Zyrtec may help you find relief. OTC pain relievers like Tylenol and Advil may also help relieve mild pain caused by ETD. If your symptoms last more than two weeks, see a doctor.
In the past, individuals with ETD were treated primarily with repeated ear tubes. However, a new minimally invasive surgical technique uses a balloon to dilate this important passageway and remodel the cartilage, allowing patients to have longer, more effective relief.
NASAL STEROID SPRAYS. These sprays decrease swelling in your nose and your Eustachian tubes to help them pop open. Nasal steroid sprays must be used everyday to be effective and often take 5-7 days before you will notice their benefit.
Blocked eustachian tubes can cause several symptoms. For example, your ears may hurt or feel full. You may have ringing or popping noises in your ears. Or you may have hearing problems or feel a little dizzy.
Massaging your eustachian tubes is a great way to combat ear infection pain. Using a gentle amount of pressure, press lightly on the area along the back of the ear that meets your jawbone, continuously push and release this flap of skin several times to open the eustachian tubes up.
Allergies, head colds, pregnancy, and air pressure are some common reasons it may feel like your ears are full. Typically, plugged ears settle after a few days. Decongestants and nasal sprays are the best treatment for plugged ears that allergies and head colds cause.