North Palm Beach Today

• Eustachian tubes are connected to the sinuses.
• Symptoms of eustachian tube dysfunction include ear pain, hearing difficulties and a feeling of fullness in the ears.
• Treatment options for ETD include antihistamines, decongestants and balloon dilation.

According to Healthline, eustachian tubes are small tubes that run between the middle ears and the upper throat. They are responsible for equalizing ear pressure and draining fluid from the middle ear, the part of the ear behind the eardrum. The eustachian tubes are usually closed, except during chewing, swallowing or yawning.

"The eustachian tube is a fascinating feature. Basically, it is the opening to a specialized sinus cavity that has a sensory organ in it called the ear," Dr. Cody Aull of West Palm Beach Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told North Palm Beach Today. "Are you flying on a plane? You might think, ‘Oh, my gosh, what's happening?’ And you have to pinch your nose or blow and pop your gum, and that's all different forms of eustachian tube dysfunction. In ear, nose and throat, everything is connected."

The eustachian tube passageways are small in size and can get plugged for a variety of reasons. Blocked eustachian tubes can cause pain, hearing difficulties and a feeling of fullness in the ears. Such a phenomenon is referred to as eustachian tube dysfunction. ETD is a relatively common condition. Depending on the cause, it may resolve on its own or through simple at-home treatment measures, such as chewing gum, yawning or using a saline nasal spray. Severe or recurring cases, however, may require a visit to the doctor.

One possible treatment for ETD is balloon dilation, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. This procedure is minimally invasive and relatively new, having been approved by the FDA in 2005. A study of 126 children who underwent balloon dilation to treat ETD found that there were no reported complications, and symptoms improved in 80% of patients.

"People can have a eustachian tube block of some sort, where it isn't working," Aull said. "Eustachian tube dysfunction can present with a lot of different ear pressure, ear problems or fullness in the ear. That patient would benefit -- if that is the problem -- from balloon sinuplasty in the eustachian tube. It can be used for that; it's been cleared by the FDA for that and it works wonderfully. What's interesting -- and I always make a point about it – is that the ears are basically a specialized sinus cavity. The likelihood that you're having ear problems in that one special sinus cavity but nothing else is probably low. So we can probably correct other things at the same time to give you even more improvement than you thought you could have, from problems that you probably didn't put together."

Readers experiencing sinus issues are invited to visit West Palm Beach Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.