Gateway Reporter

• Eustachian tubes are slender tubes connecting the middle ears to the upper throat.
• They play a role in balancing ear pressure and draining fluid from the middle ear, which is situated behind the eardrum.
• If you're suffering from ear troubles, it could be a result of eustachian tube dysfunction, caused by sinusitis.

If you're dealing with ear pain, trouble hearing, or the feeling of your ears being clogged, you might be dealing with eustachian tube dysfunction. Dr. John Ditto of Richmond Breathe Free said sinusitis is a trigger for eustachian tube dysfunction.

"Because the lining of the sinuses is the same lining as the lining in the eustachian tube, there’s that mucosa that is just as reactive to bacteria and inflammatory mediators as it is in the sinuses. So, when you have sinusitis, you can actually see the infected mucus traveling down the back of the nose over and across the eustachian tube opening," Dr. Ditto told Gateway Reporter. "That then causes inflammation because that's an adjacent structure; it causes inflammation on the eustachian tube. The guy who designed the eustachian tube balloon, Doctor Poe, says that eustachian tube dysfunction is more of a rhinologic problem than it is an otologic problem."

Eustachian tubes are narrow passages that can become obstructed for various reasons, according to Healthline. When these tubes are blocked, it can result in pain, hearing challenges, and a sensation of fullness in the ears, a condition known as eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD).

ETD can arise from allergies, a typical cold, influenza, or chronic acid reflux. Symptoms may intensify during altitude changes, such as on an airplane or during scuba diving, according to Cleveland Clinic. While ETD often resolves spontaneously, if symptoms persist for more than two weeks, seeking advice from a doctor is advisable. At-home remedies for addressing ETD may involve chewing gum, yawning, swallowing, or using a saline nasal spray.

Cleveland Clinic reported that in cases where at-home remedies or medications prove ineffective for addressing ETD, a physician may suggest an in office procedure. One available option is eustachian tuboplasty, also referred to as eustachian tube balloon dilation. This relatively recent procedure entails the insertion of a small balloon through the nasal passage into the eustachian tube, followed by inflation. The balloon is maintained in an inflated state for approximately two minutes before being deflated and removed by the doctor. Typically, patients recover from this surgery within one day or so.

According to Richmond Breathe Free's website, Ditto earned his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine, where he received recognition for his research contributions. He underwent specialized training in ear, nose, and throat disorders at the University of Michigan's Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, and his research findings were published in several medical journals.