Anderson Reporter

• Eustachian tubes are responsible for regulating ear pressure and draining fluid from the middle ear.
• Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) occurs when the tubes are obstructed, resulting in pain, hearing problems and a feeling of fullness in the ears
• Severe cases of ETD require treatment from a medical professional.

Eustachian tube dysfunction can cause a lot of struggles, but Dr. Anthony Sanders of Indianapolis Sinus Center says procedures like balloon sinuplasty can help to improve ETD problems.

"People who suffer from eustachian tube dysfunction have one or more of several symptoms," Sanders told the Anderson Reporter. "These include ear fullness, the inability to pop your ears easily when flying on an airplane or driving through hills, getting recurrent middle ear infections or ear effusions with hearing loss, and pressure or fullness. Recent advancements of balloon dilation of the eustachian tube orifice have proven to be highly effective to improve the eustachian tube function and the resulting ear problems."

According to Healthline, eustachian tubes are narrow passageways connecting the middle ears to the upper throat. Their primary role is to regulate ear pressure and facilitate the drainage of fluid from the middle ear, which is situated behind the eardrum. Typically, these tubes remain closed, except when you engage in actions like chewing, swallowing or yawning.

These passageways have a small diameter and can become obstructed by various factors. Blocked tubes can lead to hearing problems, ringing in the ears, balance issues, discomfort similar to an ear infection or a feeling of fullness in the ears, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This condition is called eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD), and it can be caused by sinus issues like allergies, a common cold, the flu or chronic acid reflux. The symptoms might get worse with altitude changes, such as on an airplane or while scuba diving.

ETD is a condition that occurs quite frequently, according to Healthline. Depending on its root cause, it may heal on its own or with certain remedies at home. In more severe or recurrent cases, however, doctors recommend seeking care form an ear, nose and throat (ENT) professional.

One treatment doctors recommend is eustachian tuboplasty, also known as eustachian tube balloon dilation. During this procedure, a doctor inserts a small balloon through the nasal passage into the eustachian tube and then inflates the balloon. The balloon remains inflated for about two minutes before the doctor deflates and removes it. Patients typically recover from the procedure within days and can resume their normal activities.

To see if you might be affected by ETD, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.