LA Harbor News

• Eustachian tubes are slender tubes connecting the middle ears to the upper throat.
• They play a role in balancing ear pressure and draining fluid from the middle ear, which is situated behind the eardrum.
• If you're suffering from ear troubles, it could be a result of eustachian tube dysfunction, caused by sinusitis.

If you're dealing with ear pain, trouble hearing, or the feeling of your ears being clogged, you might be dealing with eustachian tube dysfunction. Dr. Matt Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free said chronic sinusitis and eustachian tube dysfunction go hand in hand. 

"Eustachian tube dysfunction and chronic sinusitis often coexist with one another," Dr. Hershcovitch told LA Harbor News. "The reason for that is that with chronic sinusitis, the pathophysiology is inflammation, bacterial overgrowth and infection of the mucosa in the sinus cavities around the openings and in the nasal cavity. This same mucosa that lines all the sinuses, the nasal cavity and the back of the throat actually also lines the eustachian tube, so when you end up with swelling of the eustachian tube, it shuts down, so the same disease process that causes chronic sinusitis also causes the eustachian tube dysfunction."

Eustachian tubes are narrow passages that can become obstructed for various reasons, according to Healthline. When these tubes are blocked, it can result in pain, hearing challenges, and a sensation of fullness in the ears, a condition known as eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD).

ETD can arise from allergies, a typical cold, influenza, or chronic acid reflux. Symptoms may intensify during altitude changes, such as on an airplane or during scuba diving, according to Cleveland Clinic. While ETD often resolves spontaneously, if symptoms persist for more than two weeks, seeking advice from a doctor is advisable. At-home remedies for addressing ETD may involve chewing gum, yawning, swallowing, or using a saline nasal spray.

Cleveland Clinic reported that in cases where at-home remedies or medications prove ineffective for addressing ETD, a physician may suggest an in office procedure. One available option is eustachian tuboplasty, also referred to as eustachian tube balloon dilation. This relatively recent procedure entails the insertion of a small balloon through the nasal passage into the eustachian tube, followed by inflation. The balloon is maintained in an inflated state for approximately two minutes before being deflated and removed by the doctor. Typically, patients recover from this surgery within one day or so.

According to SoCal Breathe Free's website, Dr. Matt Hershcovitch conducted his undergraduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he earned a degree in nuclear engineering. He subsequently pursued his medical education at the State University of New York. Dr. Hershcovitch then successfully completed his residency training in head and neck surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He concluded his training with a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Stanford University.