Hi, I suffered from eustachian tube dysfunction since I got a serious sinusitis and a cold last September. I saw coutless ear and throat doctors and took numerous medicines but cannot unblock my ears. I am doing exercise, massage, sunna and eating healthy food but no cure. I searched Internet and found many medicial reports about the balloon dilation surgery, and it seem it can successfully open the eustachian tube without significant complications. I am considering to do it if my tubes are still block 3 months later.
Did anyone do this surgery before ? Pls kindly share your experience with us? A lot of thanks!
I had surgery done in Boston, a shim was put in my eustacian tube and filled with bone wax. There were some minor complications in that I then need to have a tube put in my ear to drain fluid but all in all it seems to be much, much better than before. Still some minor pulsatile tinnitus but not all day and occasionally I need ear drops as the tube may block...
Dear MommaKaren51,
thank you so much that you shared your experience with us. As it is quite a new surgery and not much people did it before.
If it surely can cure this dreadful disease, it will save many patient's life.
Could I ask you into more detail? What are the minor complications after surgery? How long did the swelling of eustachian tube gone after surgery? Do you still feel ear fullness now? Thank you!
The recovery was a day out of work with very little pain. The minor complication was getting fluid in my ear which was corrected by insertion of a tube during an office visit; this is what I treat with ear drops occasionally which clear up the problem. As I said it is so much better, there are times that I forget I have/had PET.
This may be blatantly obvious: the valsalva maneuver is the best technique I have found to temporarily open the eustachian tubes. I wish you all the best in your quest to overcome this disease.
As for the surgeries, I have no experience with them, since my doctor (Kaiser, California, USA) has determined my symptoms do not qualify for them.
Why your doctor thought that you are not able to take this surgery? I suggest that you can see more doctors to take average their opinions. I saw 5 doctors and 2 suggested me to take the surgery while the remaining suggested me to keep observe it for 2-3 months.
Also, if your local hospital is difficult to provide this surgery, you can seek help from overseas. I know hospitals of China, taiwai and bankok all provide it. Finland and German too.
Thank a lot for your help. I will observe the sickness 2 months more and then decide to take surgery in either taiwai or guanzhou, as HK does not has such surgery provided.
If you are able to do the valsalva your blockage mustnot be as bad. Many cant doit at all. I am also curious as to why they say it wouldnt work for you though. While the procedure is getting better known i havent seen much discussion on who would or wouldnt benefit and why. The results do sound promissing.
sesamegirl and joshs,
My Head and Neck Surgeon (ENT) at Kaiser said that since I do not have fluid buildup in the middle ear, the surgery is not appropriate for me. Relative to what joshs said about how my blockage may not be severe, since I can do the valsalva, my ENT said that my ETD is relatively mild. I have always supposed that there is much more to my condition than just ETD. I believe muscles such as the tensor veli palatini, levator veli palatini, and many other mucscles, nerves, etc... within the region are all coupled factors in my condition. Please keep me updated of your progress.
Dear all,
I have similar status as Tympanic, I had fluid in my ears before but now it disappears. My audio and pressure reports are normal. What I suffer is the block ear feeling and non stopped clicking sound.
When I open my mouth to suppress air into my ears, I can hear my ear drums are shaking. That means my blockage is also not severe, May be the ETD becomes narrow after inflammation.
However, the blockage feeling is very uncomfortable that I have to open my mouth always like a fish. I saw many researches, over 70% of patient's fullness feeling disappear after 1-6 months of the surgery. Some patients only have mild ETD due to sinusitis and finally can cure by the surgery.
So I believe the surgery more or less do help. However the only disadvantage is there is 5% chance to suffer from patulous PET for 2 weeks - 3 months after the surgery, the doctor told me.
Hi, I've been suffering with euthachian tube dysfunction for 3 years, the first 2 years it was my right ear after trying everything that I could find on the internet I finally found a doctor who I trusted to do the ear tube, I was so happy I could hear again, then after 6 months my left ear blocked. It was 1 year from Jan 1 , then after about 9 months my tube is now plugged, does anyone know what type of ear drops to use as I can't hear at all I'm calling tomorrow for an appointment as I changed my insurance so I could see the Dr I trusted. Anyways I'm also interested in the ballon surgery any suggestions on a good surgeon would be appreciated
Hi There Horselover,
I'm in the same situation and just happend to find your post for Ballon surgery. Any suggestions yet? West coast guy
Hi,
I've tried everything and more, I just don't understand why it's happening, I made my appointment to get the tubes put in. I want to resolve it get to the cause so when the tube fails I might be able to hear. How long have you had it?
Although it doesn't make sense, ETD (Eustachian Tube Dysfunction) is not the same as PET (Patulous Eustachian Tube). Both are dysfunctional eustachian tubes but they are often confused and share some similar symptoms. ETD is a blocked eustachian tube whereas PET is a eustachian tube that is too open. They are treated differently although both can often be treated with a tympanostomy tube (also known as a grommet, T-tube, ear tube, pressure equalization tube and PE tube. When you are searching for answers on the internet about your eustachian tube problems, make sure you know which one you suffer with as many posts are confusing these two etiologies. It is possible to have both ETD and PET at different times or in each ear. Always see an ENT/Otolaryngologist if your stymptoms are not improving and if necessary get a second opinion from a different ENT as PET is still often mistaken as ETD. Be clear about your symptoms. Where do you hear your voice/breathing/pulsating/tinnitus from? What do you think caused it? What makes it worse or better? What other symptoms do you experience ie ear fullness, blocked ear, hearing loss, discomfort to loud sounds etc.
Thanks for sharing your experince, so you had PET, not ETD correct? Where you heard echoing, etc?
Hi, do you know a doctor/surgeon on the west coast who does the PET surgery? I recently blew out my right tube following a 3rd sinus surgery and I can't take it anymore, need relief now.
Hi Tina are you in Australia?
No, I didn't realize this site was global.
I'm in the US, Seattle Washington.
If you've found any info about doctor in the states please let me know. Thanks!
Tina if you ring an ENT/otolaryngologist and ask if they do PET surgery or treatment, if they don't, you can ask them if they know who specialised in eustachian tube dysfunction. They all know each other and what their specialties are. Otherwise there must be an ENT professional body that can help. Good luck!!
I had bmt tubes twice. But they fall out and then what. Cant do it a thirs time. It scareps the ear drum. The etd can come from tmj i have been told a lot. Hard to fix that Too. The muscles oush on it closing it leaving dysfuntional. So if no fluids they dont really do it. And many have no fluid. But maybe this will lead to a gateway to fix this. I have a washing noise with all this as well. Started in April. I thought surgeons and drs were smarter then all this stuff, frustrating.yiu can keep reinserting yubes over and over. Or i would have.