Medications for blocked Eustachian tubes focus on reducing inflammation and congestion, including saline nasal sprays, steroid nasal sprays (like Flonase, Nasonex), antihistamines (like Zyrtec, Claritin) for allergies, and sometimes oral decongestants, with antibiotics prescribed if a bacterial infection is present. Over-the-counter options provide relief, but persistent issues might need prescription corticosteroids or antibiotics, and in rare chronic cases, surgery.
A common course of treatment for Eustachian tube dysfunction is the use of decongestants or antihistamines. In some cases, this treatment may make the condition worse. If decongestants or antihistamines do not provide relief, contact your doctor. You may need to see an ear, nose and throat specialist for treatment.
Your doctor may recommend: Adenoidectomy: This procedure removes enlarged adenoids that may be pressing on your Eustachian tube. Eustachian tube balloon dilation: This new type of surgery uses a balloon to open a blocked Eustachian tube. You will receive general anesthesia to put you to sleep during the procedure.
This involves expanding your eustachian tubes with a balloon. Your surgeon uses nasal endoscopy and small instruments to thread the balloon through your nasal passages and into your eustachian tube. They inflate the balloon for two minutes, then deflate and remove it.
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
However, the hormonal changes of pregnancy can cause the lining of the tubes to swell, leading to a feeling of fullness, discomfort, and muffled hearing. This condition is generally temporary and resolves after pregnancy.
With plugged ears, your eustachian tubes — which run between your middle ear and the back of your nose — become blocked. You may experience a feeling of fullness or pressure in your ears. You may also have ear pain, dizziness and muffled hearing. As swelling from the cold subsides, the blockage usually resolves.
Swelling from a cold, allergies, or a sinus infection can keep the eustachian tubes from opening. This leads to pressure changes. Fluid may collect in the middle ear. The pressure and fluid can cause pain.
Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation can be performed safely and effectively under either local anesthesia in the office setting or general anesthesia in the operating room.
GP surgery treatment to remove earwax
Some can: flush the wax out with water (electronic ear irrigation) suck the wax out (microsuction) scrape the wax out using a very small device.
An otolaryngologist (ENT) doctor can diagnose eustachian tube dysfunction. Your ENT doctor will be able to diagnose ETD by talking to you about your symptoms and by examining you. Your doctor will examine your ear canals and eardrums, and your nasal passages and the back of your throat.
Nasopharyngeal cancer affecting the Eustachian tube can cause pain, fluid, or hearing loss in that ear. As cancer grows it may block a nasal passage, causing a stuffy nose. Some people experience nosebleeds.
Causes of Eustachian Tube Problems
If these tubes aren't functioning as expected, pressure imbalances and infections can result in symptoms that may include: Temporary ringing in the ears (tinnitus) Dizziness or vertigo.
We recommend the following for Eustachian tube dysfunction: Steroid nasal spray (eg. FLONASE®/Nasacort®) – two sprays to each nostril once daily (available OTC)
The following can cause swelling of the Eustachian tube lining that leads to increased fluid in the middle ear: Allergies. Irritants (particularly cigarette smoke) Respiratory infections.
Saline Nasal Spray
Irrigating your nose and sinuses with saline spray is a great first line of defense against eustachian tube dysfunction. Saline clears mucus out of the nose and has a mild decongestant action. Because saline contains salt, it works to shrink the swollen lining of the nose and eustachian tube.
There is very little if any discomfort. Relief will typically occur over a two-week period. After the Eustachian tube balloon dilation, it is important to avoid blowing the nose or if necessary, nose blowing should be done only gently for the first two weeks. Pain medication following the procedure is rarely needed.
Eustachian tube massage is one home remedy. To do this, you: Use your finger to find a bony bump behind your ear lobe. Slide your finger down until you feel a groove between your earlobe and jaw.
Despite its many benefits, earwax can cause issues if too much of it builds up. Cerumen impaction may result in ear pain, itchiness, ringing in your ears, hearing loss or other issues.
Eustachian tube blockage: symptoms
The patulous eustachian tube is a rarely recognised condition that, due to the feeling of pressure in the ear, it is often confused with blocked sinuses or ear infection.
A visit to the ENT surgeon allows the debris and infected material in the ear canal to be thoroughly cleaned. This aids the delivery of the topical ear drops and speeds up the treatment of the infection. This toilet or cleaning of the ear canal may have to be performed regularly in the first few weeks.
The primary indicator of an ear stroke is a rapid loss of hearing in one ear, but other symptoms often accompany it. These may include a feeling of fullness in the ear, dizziness, vertigo and tinnitus, which is a ringing or buzzing sound. Some people might also feel off-balance or experience nausea.
Symptoms of Meniere's disease include:
Symptoms of labyrinthitis