Eustachian Tube Dysfunction — A Possible Cause of Tinnitus

Hi guys,

If you haven't already examined whether you have eustachian tube dysfunction, it might be worth doing. This a common cause and/or exacerbating factor in tinnitus. If you have slightly "clicky" or "poppy" sounds going on with your ears or feelings of fullness, eustachian tube is definitely a possibility. A stuffy nose/ears can be caused by allergies and food intolerances as well (a possible explanation as to why many people find their tinnitus better after removing foods such as dairy and wheat, for example).

If you think you have this problem a really easy treatment is sterile saline nasal irrigation and steroid nasal spray first thing in the morning. First rinse the nasal cavity with the sterile saline water, then apply the spray so that the nozzle touches the wall of the nose (instead of pointing vertically up). Afterwards, hold your nose and breathe outward GENTLY to make them equalise. Do the "popping" manoeuvre a few times a day. This technique was explained to me by an American trained ENT specialist in Mexico....

Try it for a week and see if it makes a difference. Some steroid nasal sprays are for short term use only, so check with your doctor or pharmacist about which one might be suitable for you.

This isn't going to work for everyone because not everyone suffers from eustachian tube dysfunction. But it is a really common condition which can cause tinnitus so it might be an avenue worth exploring (if you haven't already).

 

Good info. I'll give it a go.

 

Wouldn't ETD cause fluid to not drain and basically be like having an earplug in the middle ear, and thus block hearing and cause tinnitus like the earplug experiments?

 

Very helpful!

I noticed your data on tinnitus 12/2015 - 3/2016 - does it mean your tinnitus is gone?