As frustrating as ETD is, i'm relieved to hear i'm not alone.
I've had it for 18 months, which started after I lost my balance on a water ride, which resulted with a large amount of water pressure hitting my right ear.
Since then, i have constrantly tried to un\"pop\" my right ear. I hear a cracking/ popping sound when i open and close my mouth, get headaches, or feel a heavy weight on the right side of my face. I struggle to get the balance right in my ear on the underground or on planes, which results in me having to hold my nose and blow, to get some ease.
I was referred to an ENT specialist, who recommended a series of nasal sprays. I saw an improvement with Flixonase nasal spray but a cold brought all symptoms back, and no nasal spray has helped since.
My ENT doc has given me three options:
1. Insert a grommit
2. Remove adenoids
3. Leave as is.
Neither options 1 and 2 are guaranteed to solve my problem!
Is anyone willing to share their treatment experience? Has anyone had a grommet inserted or removed their adenoids and what was the outcome?
Hi I have same thing. Mine started with flu after having flu and pneumonia jab! it lingered more than 5 weeks. The nurse kep telling me it was wax1 tried olive oil and thrush sprays but no joy. Saw ENT chap on tuesday and he said I had glue ear!! I am 62yrs old!! Given drops too for a month then I have to go back and see him. I might end up having a gromet put in.!!
Hi iv been suffering for over two yrs now had lots of diff treatments including a grommit which has made ni difference. Running out of ideas now, it takes over my life tho just want rid of it.
hi . Thats torn it! I thought ALL my troubles wud be over when I get gromet in! I am afraid to go on a plane anywere. What do i do now? Anybody any ideas????
Ditto so worried about plane trips incase makes worse its awful. Ent said grommit shud make it ok for me to go on plane but tbh dont think they kno or understand!!
Had it for ova 2yrs no quick fix , tried lots believe me! How long u had it? Id b interested in how u get on flying as im a bit aprehesive to book any hols abroad. Soz not much help!
I think just nasal sprays will help. also ear-plugs? carry sweets with you. Can't think of anything else. I am just scared to book my hols abroad now. And i don't want the grommet either if it's not going to make a difference!! So we just staying in UK this year.!!
Well iv got a grommit and been told i wud b fine on plane but still unsure. Hope the flight goes ok please let me kno, its reassuring knowin im not the only one suffering, i feel totally alone with it. Its constantly on my mind.
I've had ear trouble all my life, and my GP has only just decided it's probably ETD... I flew with a heavy ear infection on a 13 hour flight in December. I took antihistamines, pain-killers, and a decongestant nasal spray an hour before flying. It seemed to work as there was no pain. If wearing ear plugs make sure you have them in at all times during the flight, as the presseure needs to stay the same, and removing them midway can effect that. Good luck!
Hello all, been suffering with this for about a year now. Let me give you a quick timeline to introduce myself:
Dec 2010
Bout of 'Labrythitis' caused dizzyness, room-spinning and deafness.Lasted about 2-4 weeks.
Most of 2011 Hearing would drop out very occasionally with the odd dizzy spell
Early 2012
Bad bout of the flu on and off for about 10 weeks, hearing would be slightly affected.
ETD:
From about April onwards however fullness of the ear w/ tinnitus became more and more frequent.
Got to Summer and went to docs, given nasal spray as first course of action, which did no good. Referred to ENT in September 2012, confirmed ETD, suggested carrying on with nasal spray. From the day after my ENT appt to today hearing symptoms have been present 90% of the time! Had a week off of the symtoms around crhistmas but it is back with a vengence now. Have not had even a minor cold since the flu earlier this year, not even a runny nose!
Therefore, it seems I have ruled out it being down to congestion, all types of sudafed, decongestants and sprays have no obvious effect. I am now thinking it might be to do with a jaw problem (jaw has started clicking on the same side since a wisdom tooth has started to come through more aggressively). Or it could all be down to stress (stress can cause high blood pressure and inflamation, as well as the grinding/clenching of teeth thus causing the jaw problem).
Have not tried antibiotics yet. Ears have always looked fine to doctor/ENT specialist - no fluid seemingly present even when ears feel blocked.
Thanks for taking time to read my post, anyone had any experience of stress/jaw related ETD?
My ETD issue started 4 weeks ago on Christmas day.
*Woke up, Right ear blocked, done the usual wiggling and freaking out, googled and got as far as peroxide ear drops and ear bud cleaning. Casually took sudafeds, along with the air drops and nasel sprays. Got desperate after reading the ETD horror stories online.,
* No joy, consulted my GP mis-diagnosed me with an ear infection but I followed the ear drop treatments with no success. Went to a different GP the following week, he diagnosed me with ETD. He basically told me to chill out and directed me to this very site fpr advice (Guess he wasn't in the mood to subscribe me with anything lol). Recommended decongestant tablets Sudfed.
*After my GP reassured me, I stayed the course with Sudafed and my ear cleared up in a week.
Stopped taking the tablets as recommended by my gp and spent a week ETD free UNTIL yesterday now out of the blue, whilst sitting in front of my PC checking emails my LEFT ear closed up. The ETD just switched ears!!! This blockage doesn't seem as severe but I bought a few boxes of sudafed and I'm going to start another week of treatment before I freak out.
PS: I have no dizzyness, or pain, just a blocked sensation. Can't believe some people have suffered this for months or even years. I wish you all the best, and will update you with my progress.
pleased Im not the only one suffering!! My rt ear is still blocked, after removing my grommet! Now and then I get a "popping" sensasion, sometimes "gurgling".? I will try the sudafed next I think..
After another week of sudafed to treat my left ear, I can say it's starting to clear slightly. Similar process to the right ear. Hearing progressively got better.
Now I don't know how effective the sudafed tablets actually are. My hearing may have cleared up on it's own, as is normally suppose to be the case, but I guess there's no harm in taking them.
I seem to respond better to tablets over the capsules.
I'm not out of the woods yet. When I grind my teeth on the effected side of my ear, I hear the weird hissing sound like a deflating tire. Like the trapped air in the Eustachian tube is getting pushed out.
Fingers crossed, I should be back to normal next week. However I get the feeling I might have this for life. One of these on and off things. I described my condition to a friend of mine and she said she gets them 3 or 4 times a year.
Hi there. I too am suffering from a bout of this following a cold and isnt it absolutely AWFUL. I have had if for 4 weeks now. It SEEMS to be getting better but as others have said it may be just that Im getting used to it. Tried the over the counter nasal spray (Sudafed nasal de congestant) and tablets first but to no real avail. Hearing is not too bad (TV volume as before) but clicks every time I swallow etc. The worse symptom for me is the feedback when I speak. I get feedback/no feedback/hearing it in my head/not etc etc all in the one sentence.
Have just been to the docs for about the 5th time. This time I have been given a steroidal nasal spray and more decongestants (which the pharmacist reccommended 2 weeks ago but the doctor before this one didn't approve) so we will see.
Has anyone had any experience with a 'neti pot'? (as mentioned in a previous discussion thread). Would like more views before I try as it sounds a bit dangerous. Perhaps youd drown if you got your breathing cycle mixed up.
Also the notes about ETD (on this site) mention a 'recently developed' treatment called balloon dilation. The trouble is there is no date so I don't know what 'recent' is. Anyone any experience of?
Will keep updated with results of steroid spray and 'neti pot' if I get one.
Sympathies to all who have had it long term. Its got to be one of the worse and unsung ailments.
Hey thanks for sharing steve19. Like I mentioned earlier in this thread, I full recovered in one ear, then had a relapse in the other ear after a week. The hearing is getting better after a few weeks of sudafeds but it seems to have stalled. I bought another pack today. I was told that I should take them for longer than a few weeks but I'm going to chance it with one more course of tablets. Doesn't seem like the doctors have any real solutions outside over the counter remedies. Just like you steve, I think I'm just getting used to it now. I'll only try the netipot if if the symptoms become un bearable. I seem to be managing ok so far. I'll make more updates as things change.......
Hey eon001-fellow sufferer.... is it the Sudafed you are taking 'Nasal Decongestent' (only available from pharmacies with a chemist to advise, and has a 'P' on the packet)?
The problem is that if you read how it works is seems that it prevents more mucus from forming but doesnt help to clear the existing. I don't know about you but I think I still have catarrah in my sinuses etc and I think 'drying it up' is the reverse of what I want to do. I need to get rid of whats there. Talking to chemists they say that it may have a counter productive effect long term.
Have you tried steam with some Olbas oil (reccommended by the first doctor). I guess you probably have ....if youre like me you try anything to get rid of it!.This doesnt work for me. If anything it seems to make it worse. Will see if the Steroids work and update the post. Trouble is you never quite know what has worked as it may be just a function of time.
Yes I took the sudafed, and I think ypu may have a point about it being just a short term solution. The only reason I'm giving is a 2nd go is because it "seemed" to work well for my first bout of ETD in my right ear. Now I don't know if it was the placebo effect and my ear would have cleared up by itself, but as you can imagine, I was desperate to try anything. I haven't tried the oil yet, I tried the sudafed nasal spray once, and that felt horrible. I read that the chance's of a relapse were very high with the sprays so I abandoned them. As I'm typing this, my left ear is feeling alot less blocked. It's the same gradual clearing sensation as I experienced in my right ear prior to full recovery so fingers crossed. I'll leave the Sudafeds and look into the Olbas oil. Thanks for the tip.
now out of the blue, whilst sitting in front of my PC checking emails my LEFT ear closed up. The ETD just switched ears!!! This blockage doesn't seem as severe but I bought a few boxes of sudafed and I'm going to start another week of treatment before I freak out.