Eustachian tube dysfunction and balloon dilation

jcj123,
do you have acid reflux, or TMJ, sinus issues?
It seems like any inflammation from the procedure would be resolved after six days. Is there any chance of infection, maybe even from the procedure itself.
When I was prescribed hyperbaric oxygen, I was cautioned not to have the treatment if I couldn't clear my ears.
Afrin nasal spray, sudafed, and hard candy always helped.
Have you had your hearing tested. Those tecs at least the older ones have seen everything and might know something.
It is very uncomfortable and isolating.
I wanted you to have a response, even if it's no answer.
My dad had this and had the tubes which worked for six months. It came back, but then suddenly went away.

Thank you for your response. No one ever answers my questions because I think I'm the only one with this problem. I do have follow up appt today with surgeon so I'll see what she says. But, I'm so devastated and need some resolution. I'm uncomfortable 24/7. To answer your questions, I don't have reflux, tmj, or sinus issues. When I did the hyperbaric and TOLD them my ears weren't clearing, they just told me that they will and I continued the treatments. I WISH they had told me to wait until they're cleared. I'm sure this is a factor. I feel like suing them but I'm sure there's some loophole that I signed. :((( I feel like even this dr who did this surgery doesn't understand what I'm feeling I"ve been to 9 drs and they really know nothing. Very upset but hoping this will clear. Thank you for responding.

Ask the surgeon about steroid injection in the ear. I hope you'll know more after talking to her. I would think that dilation would be quickly effective. Have you had an MRI of at least one ear.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1199946/full
Nine doctors, you are due for some luck.

I replied to you on another thread, but no you are not alone. I also had balloon dilation and it gave me no relief. My procedure was about six months ago so I don’t expect anything. My condition just gets worse. I have the most discomfort on the left side, but both ears are impaired.
I also had hyperbaric oxygen suggested, but after your experience I will not go forward with that.
You are right, doctors don’t understand and don’t have a treatment for this.
But, you are not the only one suffering with this. My Audiologist told me that since Covid she has many people with similar complaints.
I don’t remember if you said you had Covid. Mine started a few weeks after feeling recovered from Covid.

This sounds very familiar to me. I started having a low hum in my ears. I thought something in the house was making the noise, but no one else could hear it. It got louder and louder mostly in my left ear. I went to an ENT Doctor Who told me he doesn’t treat normal. I told him sometimes I hear a heartbeat and he suddenly changed and said let’s get a CT angiogram, the CT angiogram showed I have a brain tumor. Some doctors thought that could be causing the low home but the neurologist said no I’m now postop more brain tumor removal now I have Symptoms from the brain tumor removal as well as I still have the low hum in my left ear, which is maddening . The first time I saw ENT he said it was eustachian tube dysfunction. I talked him into putting a tube in my ear, which helped after a few years. It fell out and started happening again. I went back to the same ENT doctor and he said eustachian tube dysfunction is something family doctors make up when they don’t know what’s wrong, the doctor diagnosed me with it. I understand what you’re going through and no one seems to know what’s going on or how to help. The only relief I found is when I can talk Dr into putting tubes into my eardrum.

I had the steroid injections in the very beginning when I lost my hearing in left ear. I also had more steroid oral for several weeks. I've had mri and mra and anything else possible. Well, I went to see surgeon yesterday and the audiologist did a test to see how the eustachian tubes were working. As I predicted (because I can feel the discomfort) there was no change yet. Both sides were abnormal. She prescribed more prednisone for any inflammation. I asked her well what if this doesn't help? I can't live with closed eustachian tubes (on verge of tears) She said she had other things up her sleeve (whatever the heck that means) I can't see her dismissing my problem and giving up on me. There's gotta' be a solution.

Sorry you had no relief.. what did the dr say? Did he/she give up on helping you? I don't get it...there has to be a solution! I had a very bad experience with hyperbaric but others didn't. So to be fair, what happened to me is rare but it did happen. I've had covid but not around this time. Watch in a few years, there'll be some class action lawsuit or something saying that this is caused by covid or the vaccinations. Maybe my son and daughter in law were right in refusing to take them. (against my wishes...but can't make them)

I stopped going to that ENT. He had no further suggestions, and I felt I was wasting my time.
I did not get vaccinated. If I had it to do over, I would probably roll the dice and get vaccinated. Who knows? A lot of vaccinated people are suffering too.

Hi I. Beleve I posted to this group before but I don’t see it. So I am also going through the clogged ears and hearing only my voice muffled. I do have moderate hearing loss but I can always hear others clearly. I had ballooning done in both ears in 2022 no relief. Also have seen 9 ENT . Tried patulend because on ENT did a test that showed patulend I sent this test to the company who produces and trains how to use the machine. Their trainer called me to say that it doesn’t look like patulend. It looks like histamine allergy swelling. I am now telehealth with Dr. Marc Dean in Ft Worth Texas. He has the ct he ordered and I am scheduled for a telehealth in two weeks. He believes it is Gerd related and started me on omeprozole. The second day on this med and my post nasal drip had almost stopped. No more yellow mucus when I spit out my toothpaste. He has me on 20 mg daily. Said he feels it will heal the nerve that runs from the nose to the eustation tube. It is inflamed from the Gerd. I never have an acid feeling though and only had post nasal drip and sometimes a hard time swallowing my food. Hope he is right. Will keep you posted. 🙏

Good luck to you. I hope this treatment is the answer.
My quest continues. I’m now seeing upper cervical chiropractor in case I have a compressed nerve that could be causing my problems.
?????? Still no answers.