Grand Canyon Times

• 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.
• Possible treatments 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 may require a visit to the doctor.

"The eustachian tubes drain out to the back of the nose. So essentially anything that inflames the sinuses -- could be allergies, chronic sinus issues, simple cold -- any of those things can cause inflammation around the eustachian tube to cause it to plug up as well," Dr. Brian Lee of Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center told Grand Canyon Times. "There's always medical management, meaning steroids, nasal sprays, oral steroids, for a very mild cases these typically can help patients with chronic eustachian tube dysfunction. In the past few years, a new procedure has come out to help eustachian tube dysfunction. Essentially, the same balloon that we use in the sinuses can also be used in the eustachian tube to help dilate and stretch it out to get it to function again."

This relatively new procedure is called balloon dilation, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. This procedure is minimally invasive and well-tolerated. 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 Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center.