PHX Reporter

• Allergies and infections are the most common causes of eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD).
• ETD might resolve on its own, but if symptoms last longer than two weeks, it's recommended to see a doctor.
• Treatment options include at-home remedies, prescription antibiotics or surgical procedures.

Dr. John Stewart of Arizona Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers warns his patients that eustachian tube dysfunction can get worse if it's not addressed, either by home remedies or with medications.

"Eustachian tube dysfunction can be simple, with mild symptoms, when the valve starts trying to regulate itself when it is malfunctioning in the initial stage. People will come in with simple popping and clicking, and they don't understand why this is starting to happen," he told PHX Reporter. "I tell them that it's a normal function, but it's probably the beginning stages of the valve being irritated. It's trying to react by opening and closing excessively. It's a pressure regulator valve."

The eustachian tube connects the middle ears to the upper throat, and if the tube becomes blocked, it can lead to hearing problems, ringing in the ears, balance issues, discomfort similar to an ear infection or a feeling of fullness in the ears, according to Cleveland Clinic. ETD can be caused by allergies, a common cold, the flu or chronic acid reflux, which could get worse with altitude changes, such as on an airplane or while scuba diving.

While ETD often resolves on its own or with home remedies such as chewing gum, yawning, swallowing or using a saline nasal spray. People whose ETD has been caused by allergies could clear up their symptoms by using an antihistamine or other over-the-counter medications. If ETD is caused by sinus infections, your doctor might prescribe antibiotics. If symptoms last for more than two weeks, it might be time to seek treatment.

"Instead of calling that eustachian tube dysfunction, we call it eustachian tube failure," Stewart said. "So that's treated like you would treat any other middle-ear fluid or infection. You try antibiotics and steroids and things like that to try to get rid of the fluid and get that valve to open up. But it's also amenable to eustachian tuboplasty."

Also known as eustachian tube balloon dilation, this process is relatively new and involves a doctor inserting a small balloon through the nasal passage into the eustachian tube and then inflating the balloon, according to Cleveland Clinic. The balloon remains inflated for about two minutes before the doctor deflates and removes it. Patients typically recover from this surgery within one day.

Other surgical treatment options include myringotomy and pressure equalization tubes, in which a doctor makes a small incision in the eardrum, allowing fluid to drain from the middle ear. Patients typically need three to four weeks to recover. Pressure equalization tubes are placed inside the eardrum and allow for proper ventilation to the middle ear. Typically, those tubes are left in place for 12 to 18 months.

To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis, allergies and ETD, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.