Eustachian tube dysfunction - what are the symptoms?

[Megan74]

Is it dizziness? I usually almost always feel like i'm on a boat... it's not a dizziness, but rather balance type just like i'm on a boat... my head always feels like it is full type feels weird... ears plugged usually too... my head almost feels like it is full of mud or something not unable to concentrate or anything but just feels awkward...
Thank you. Best Regards, Megan.

[Price225]

Hello, i'm a 21 year old male and i've had this for 5 years on and off. I went to private ENT's in London and they couldn't explain it and just said it would wear off which was no help as it occurs once a year near summer time when I get colds and this apparently causes my eustachian tube to swell. It is just one ear and I can feel it happening and the ringing and pressure when I get it. Basically has led to to cut dairy out and lower my caffeine as this seems to agrivate it also. The clarityn seems to help and anti allergy stuff as it opens my passages and also I was prescribed betahistine hydrochloride which is supposed to balance pressure in my ear and when I take it 3 times a day it works a treat and stops all symptoms so I stop taking it until the episodes come back the next year.

[dianetaylor]

I have just read thru all of the comments.  Please don't give up..anybody! There are new procedures for ETD.  I had it for 5 yrs. I could not pop my ears.  The pain and pressure was unbearable. I finally found a dr in San diego, Dr Brian Weeks doing a new procedure called eustachian tube dilation. If you google his name and ETD under videos, u can actually see the surgery.  It was filmed for THE DRS tv show. This may not be everyone's answer, but it was mine. I was so lucky to find an answer, to be on the show, and to GET MY LIFE BACK! I'm on a mission to let others suffering know, that there are answers. Drs are working on it, you just need to find those drs.  No one knows until they have this, how devastating it can be.

[tbdj]

This is interesting that it could be related to TMJ because I know I grind my teeth and I've had some of the symptoms. I've mostly had the sudden vertigo while in the car, in a shopping mall or in a large building like at church. A very sudden spinning that then goes away after a few minutes. I never get nauseous with it. This doesn't happen often and it's been off and on for a few years. I sometimes get a migraine between my left eye and bridge of my nose but haven't noticed it occurring at the same time as the dizziness. I had a strong dizzy spell while sitting at a stoplight about a week ago (with my daughters in the car. It was very scary!). Since then I've had some dizziness off and on every day especially when sitting at stoplights. And I notice ringing in my ears when all is quiet around me. In recent years I also have experienced sensitivity to headlights when driving at night and I can't handle driving at speeds faster than 70 on the freeway.
I've always had a problem with plane travel in regards to intense ear blocking and sometimes pain. The first time was when I was 19 and I felt like someone was driving a knife in my ears as we descended into Phoenix. A couple of years ago I found that the ear plugs they sell for that (the cork screw types) helped immensely. I also used to be able to like to fly in spite of that, but the few times I've flown in the past ten years, I've had tenseness. I think it's the motion because it's mostly on the ascent or descent when you can feel the plane moving.
We are uninsured so I have yet to go to a doctor for any of this. I'm 54 years old. I hope this is not something I'm going to have to just live with as almost everyone is describing here.
I have often wondered if it was allergies. Right now the pollen is high in our area. We also have a mold problem in our house. I took Claritin for several days last week after the episode but it didn't seem to help.
I will try to get to a doctor soon to eliminate if it is other problems.
I do know how to handle stress and anxiety because I dealt with that a couple of years ago when I was first having the migraines about the time I lost one of my sisters to cancer. I had heart palpitations so bad I had to go to emergency one night. They found nothing wrong with me after EKG and xrays and all. I came to grips with anxiety and have not been seriously bothered by that since and the heart palpitations have not reoccurred. I wanted to encourage those with anxiety to seek a spiritual solution. That might not relieve your other problems but it will help you to live without the anxiety. As a Christian, I battled that spiritually and it has not come back in my life since. (Not to say I wasn't scare when the dizziness happened recently. Just did not panic.) But whatever your personal beliefs, at least try many of the good suggestions here to relieve anxiety such as massage, relaxation exercises, etc.

[dasi55]

Did the ear popper work for you?

[dasi55]

How do you feel years later with the new tubes?

[Angel_e]

I am 37. I've always had sinus problems but for the past couple of months I feel pressure in my ears all the time. I feel so off balance, especially when driving. I'm afraid I will get in a car accident and it causes me so much anxiety I don't even want to leave the house. I've tried everything I can think of and nothing relieves the pressure. I hope I can find some relief. I don't want to live like this.