Immediate Relief from Eustachian Tube Dilation: Why Did the Tinnitus Began Again? ETD?

Hello all,

This is my first post on this forum. Firstly I just want to say that I'm very glad it exists. I have a peculiar case and would be glad to hear if anyone has had a similar experience.

My tinnitus started about 6 months ago, cause unknown. Tinnitus scares me to death and has for several years, so I take care not to expose myself to loud noises. Given my caution, I suspect my tinnitus is caused by something other than acoustic trauma.

For several months prior to its onset, I had been suffering from bad post nasal drip. I was taking Azelastine to help reduce it. As soon as the tinnitus started, I saw a doctor. I was prescribed medication to further reduce allergy symptoms, as the doctor believed my tinnitus was likely caused by fluid build-up in the ears. Took several medications, no relief for either the post-nasal drip or the ringing

Fast forward a few months and several ENT appointments later, it turns out I had a deviated septum. A few days ago I got surgery to have this corrected. I also got a balloon sinoplasty and eustachian tube dilation, since my ears had been clicking and popping unevenly and felt kind of tight (not sure how else to describe it). Much to my delight, the procedure was a success! For several days, my tinnitus was practically gone.

Nothing gold can stay, unfortunately, and yesterday both the ringing and the post-nasal drip started up again. Badly. I was told by my dr that sometimes it can take several weeks after the procedure before I begin to notice improvement. However, I felt immediate relief after the eustachian tube dilation, so I am at a loss as to why the tinnitus began again.

I think it's interesting that its re-emergence coincided with a return of bad post-nasal drip as well. The few days of tinnitus relief I had after my eustachian tubes were dilated gives me some hope that eustachian tube dysfunction is indeed the cause of my tinnitus, I just don't know if this hope is misplaced. Has anyone else had a similar experience? If so, what did you do about it?

 

Thanks for sharing that! I've been reading about ET dilation, but haven't heard anything positive about it. Did insurance cover it?

 

My insurance did cover it since I had already met my deductible. Also it was done in conjunction with my septoplasty and balloon sinoplasty, which may have made it easier to get coverage

 

That's great! Someone told me otherwise, but it probably depends on the situation.

 

I had balloon dilatation of the Eustachian tube on January 22, 2020.

I have tinnitus and developed Eustachian tube dysfunction two years prior to the operation, so my tinnitus predated ETD. The ETD did improve and my tinnitus after many different episodes also got overall better and more manageable. However I kept having returns of the ETD. It became a four weeks improved and a three to four weeks more difficulty. I visited 6 surgeons in all throughout the two years and finally had the operation on January 22, 2020 under the NHS and with a surgeon who was reassuring and recommended the surgery would improve the valsalva function. He said it was a low risk operation, he could not see how it could worsen tinnitus and that it could not worsen ETD. He also said that people went for the operation even with minor dysfunction to improve things.

I went into the operation feeling well but knowing I had this persistent return and thought it would hopefully correct the problem, possibly improve it slightly which would be a bonus, at least I would be left with where I was before the op no worse for trying.

How wrong could I be. It was the worst decision of my life. At first, during the recovery I was fine, however two days later, there was some type of movement and sound in my right Eustachian tube and then tinnitus. I had left sided tinnitus before the operation, now I had right sided more noticeable tinnitus as well. For three to four months I suffered the worst tinnitus spikes ever and very frequently. It was terrible. After , four weeks the Eustachian tubes began to function better this lasted for two months. Then in mid April they completely collapsed I had the most incredible suffering and was bed bound for two months.

Six months later, the tinnitus is more problematic than prior to operation but the spikes have lessened in intensity but I am having much more difficulty with tinnitus. I have many more problems with Eustachian tube dysfunction than what I had before, and have a very hard time with it all the time rather than for returning defined periods. The symptoms I have been left with are very disturbing. I have been left with worsened tinnitus and Eustachian tube dysfunction of a complicated kind.

Please please think twice before going for this operation.

There was a problem in the operation where the probe could not go down the full length of the ET so the dilation did not extend the whole tube, however this was unforeseen and was not even thought about beforehand.

I have never been through such excruciating ear suffering and ongoing as this so I am writing this to let people know.

I am hoping and praying that over time things improve.

At present and ongoing, this post operation nightmare has made life very very tough.

 

Very sorry to hear of your experiences with ETD. That sounds awful. I'm not sure what could be going on. What have your doctors said?

 

I sympathize with you as I had a tympanoplasty which was supposed to help me hear better and thus lower tinnitus. However, after surgery, tinnitus became much much louder and now I’ve got ETD too. This I regret so much, so please anyone reading this - do not do any surgery.

Only hope is that time will heal.

 

How are things now? Have you seen any improvement?

I had an inner ear canal osteoma removed from my right ear in hopes it would improve or eliminate my tinnitus. It didn’t help at all and left me with additional problems also. Including worsened ETD on that side, recurring pain and a clicking noise in my ear that’s never gone away.

It’s been a little over a year now. It has improved somewhat. Hopefully with time yours will improve also.

 

How long has it been since your surgery?