ETD is diagnosed through a physical exam. First, your doctor will ask you about pain, hearing changes, or other symptoms you are experiencing. Then your doctor will look inside your ear, carefully checking your ear canal and passages into the nose and throat.
Sometimes ETD may be mistaken for other conditions involving the ears. One example is abnormal patency of the eustachian tubes. This is a condition in which the tubes frequently open on their own.
In most cases, treatment isn’t necessary because ETD often resolves on its own. However, you might need treatment if your symptoms linger for more than two weeks.
Eustachian tube dysfunction treatment depends on the cause and the severity of your condition. Treatments may include home remedies, medications or, in severe cases, surgery.
Home remedies
Sometimes simple home remedies can help with mild cases of eustachian tube dysfunction. To try and clear the blockage, you can:
Chew gum.
Yawn.
Swallow.
Try the Valsalva maneuver (breathing out forcefully while closing your mouth and pinching your nostrils).
Use a saline spray to clear out nasal passages.
If you think your baby has ETD, give them a pacifier or a bottle. The sucking motion may help clear the blockage.
Medications
Over-the-counter medications can help if allergies are causing eustachian tube dysfunction. Try antihistamines (like cetirizine or diphenhydramine) to ease your symptoms. If you have discomfort, pain relievers — such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen — can help.
When an infection causes ETD, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics. They may also give you corticosteroids to help with inflammation.
Surgery
Chronic eustachian tube dysfunction may require surgery. The goal of this treatment is to bypass your eustachian tubes and address ventilation problems in your middle ears. This restores hearing issues and other symptoms. There are a few different surgical options, including:
Myringotomy. During this procedure, your surgeon makes a small incision in your eardrum to drain the fluid from your middle ear. In adults, the incisions usually stay open long enough for the swelling in your eustachian tubes to resolve.
Pressure equalization tubes. Sometimes surgeons place ear tubes into the eardrums once they make the incisions. These tubes provide proper middle ear ventilation for up to one year. Some surgeons recommend earplugs while swimming or bathing while ear tubes are in place. Typically, over time the tubes are pushed out and the drum heals. However, the tubes don’t always stay in place as long as they should and repeat placement may be necessary.
Eustachian tuboplasty (eustachian tube balloon dilation). This newer procedure involves expanding your eustachian tubes with a balloon. Your surgeon uses endoscopic instruments to thread the balloon through your nasal passages into your eustachian tube. The balloon is inflated for two minutes, then the balloon is deflated and removed.
