East Panhandle News

Some of the same advances in treatments for sinus problems are now effective for eustachian tube discomfort as well, said Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.

Eustachian tubes are small tubes that run between your middle ears and upper throat. They are responsible for equalizing ear pressure and draining fluid from the middle ear, the part behind the eardrum. The eustachian tubes are usually closed, except for when people chew, swallow or yawn, according to Healthline.

"If you've ever driven in the mountains or ever flown on an airplane, you can probably recall when you're going up in altitude or coming down in altitude, your ears will feel stuffy and your hearing is down," Blair told East Panhandle News. "Then all of a sudden, your ear will pop and you'll feel like, 'Oh, I can  hear so much better; everything is back to normal.'"

Patients with eustachian tube dysfunction don't get that "popping" sensation, and they always feel like their ears are stuffed up, even at regular altitude. Blocked eustachian tubes can cause pain, hearing difficulties and a feeling of fullness in the ears. This is referred to as eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD).

"It's just a plug sensation in the ear when the eustachian tube doesn't work," Blair explained. "Over a long period time, it can be pretty detrimental to the eardrum itself. You can develop conditions things like cholesteatoma and chronic infections."

ETD is a relatively common condition. Depending on the cause, it may  resolve on its own or through simple at-home treatment measures. Severe or recurring cases may require a visit to the doctor. The good news is that a balloon treatment, similar to one to clear blocked sinuses, can provide relief for eustachian tube problems.

"We can use the same device that we use to dilate the sinuses for the eustachian tube," Blair said. "We can place the balloon inside the tube in the back of the nose, which connects the ear to the nose, and we insert that balloon and leave it in there for  approximately 60 seconds. The patient is very comfortable. And what that ends up doing is remodeling that eustachian tube, so it  functions better and you get the symptom relief, and you don't you don't experience that fullness in your ears."