Ear Problems (Including hearing) Archives

Can you help me please? Eustacian tube blockage.

Dear Dr. Stoll,

I became familiar with you searching through internet. About
2 months ago, I took a flight, while I had a cold. When the
plane was desending, I felt a great pain in my ears. After
landing the plane, the pain stopped. But one of my ears got
blocked. After one day that ear got fine too. I went to doctors and they say my eardrum is fine, the problem is with my eustachian tube. They gave me antihistamine decongestant, antibiotics, pseudoephedrine, and Beclomethasone nasal spray. I used them, but still when I swallow, or yawn my ears make a sound like "click,click - chick chick". I do not know what to do? Do I need a surgery? (And if I do not take a surgery, will I lose my hearing?)Would you please kindly help me to get rid of these sounds in my ears. Thank you for your assistance and consideration.

Best regards
Kathy

Follow Ups:

• Re: Can you help me please? (Archive in ears.) Blockage of eustacian tube. Walt Stoll 07:37:32 10/14/03 (0)

In Reply to: Can you help me please? posted by Kathy on October 13, 2003 at 03:17:15:

Hi, Kathy.

Your eustacian tube was partially blocked BEFORE the flight or this would not have happened. Will you be flying again within the next few months?

In my opinion, none of the drugstore of drugs you have been given have been shown to do anything for unblocking the eustacian tube in spite of "common medical sense" indicating that they should. I would be very interested in seeing any researh indicating the above was untrue!

Since you cannot undo the plane ride, you need to focus upon why your eustacian tube was partially blocked BEFORE the plane ride. The most common causes are dairy and then wheat sensitivity and the 3rd most common is chronic bracing of the masseter muscle (leading sometimes to TMJ).

If you suspect the former, only total elimination of dairy from your diet for at least a month will resolve this, etc.

Let us know what you learn and how you do.

Walt