SoCal doctor says eustachian tube dysfunction can be caused by untreated sinusitis

Eustachian tubes are responsible for equalizing ear pressure and draining fluid from the middle ear. | Pexels/Karolina Grabowska

By Andy Nghiem

Aug 12, 2022

Eustachian tubes are connected to the sinuses.
Symptoms of eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) 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.

These 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.

"Eustachian tube dysfunction and chronic sinusitis often coexist with one another," Dr. Matthew Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told NW LA Times. "The reason for that is that with chronic sinusitis, the pathophysiology is inflammation, bacterial overgrowth and infection of the mucosa in the sinus cavities around the openings and in the nasal cavity. This same mucosa that lines all the sinuses, the nasal cavity and the back of the throat actually also line the eustachian tube. So when you end up with swelling of the eustachian tube, it shuts down, so the same disease process that causes chronic sinusitis also causes the eustachian tube dysfunction."

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.

Readers experiencing sinus issues are invited to take a Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz from SoCal Breathe Free.

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