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Eustachian tubes, rhinopharynx and throat symptoms for over 3 months
I found this website looking for answers to what I have been struggling with for the last 3 months. I have never had ENT problems before in my entire life. I am 38 years old and out of the sudden on January 8th my life changed and my ears, nose and throat never felt the same as they used to. This was from a moment to another. I was not on a plane, I did not have the flu, or allergies or anything. I was perfect and then suddenly I wasnt.
It all started with a diffused pain/pressure under both my ears and then the next day I felt it also in my front neck… dont know how to explain but it was all my front neck. Like if the lymph nodes from my neck where hurting from inside. It was not the muscles but like the internal part of the neck sorrounding my throat and under my jaw. In the physical examination the doctor could not found any of the nodes I felt inside and it also did not show in the ultrasound. Everything came out normal (this was on january 27th). Also they run some lab test and they were normal. I had my ears tested and my hearing was also normal but the results for my eustachian tubes came out with problems. They are not functioning well. By this point I had been experiencing also both my ears popping (left more than right). One ear felt pressure and then got blocked as if I was in an airplane and then it opened and then the other ear… and so.
This began to drive me crazy, also because I could here the echo of my voice everytime one gets blocked. I also began to feel the perception of my own voice was not normal. Like when you have laringitis and you feel certain nasalness (dont know how to explain it). But there is certain “shine” in my voice specially when pronouncing nasal letters. Then I began to feel like the back part of my nose (rhinopharynx) was swollen (I feel it when i talk and when I breath out of my nasals). Then that weirdness of my rhinopharynx felt also in my throat in both sides like just above my tonsils. And then it felt like real pain. Sometimes I feel weird when I swallow my saliva (liquids and food feel normal). And sometimes I feel like if I had something stuck in my throat.
I just want to feel healthy and normal again. Dont know what is going on inside of me. I will see the doctor again on april 16th. But I have trouble functioning well daily because i feel all this symptoms and I get anxious and worried. I forgot to mention my doctors treatmet was nasal spray (steroid) and then 1 injection that was supposed to be stronger but neither worked.
I am losing my mind….
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Have you looked into LPR acid reflux. Some of your symptoms sound like that could be the problem. I have problems with my throat and my ears and I became hard of hearing overnight.
My husband has now also been diagnosed with LPR and he has the popping ears that you describe and some hoarseness.
It might be good to look into this and if you think you have this, then look at Dr Koufman's web site or her book on the subject which includes a diet.
Good luck.
Hi Navia! Thank you for your answer. My symptoms are mainly from my Nasopharynx. My throat pain is usually a reflection of what is going on in my tubes and Nasopharynx. I dont feel pain in my back throat but in the sides like behind the tonsils in both sides. I am actually feeling it right now 🙁
I would still check out LPR. It took a long time and several Drs to be diagnosed with this and it can give different symptoms in different patients. My husband is quite a bit different from me. It has definitely affected my eustachian tubes. If the Drs have not mentioned LPR to you I think it would be worthwhile checking into it more. The full name is Laryngopharyngeal reflux.
Dr Koufman's book Dropping Acid is very good but you can look on her website and you may find enough information without spending $s. Obviously I am no Dr but I know that many Drs are not knowledgeable on this subject. My Dr told me for years that I had sinus problems.
I have the same exact thing I can’t figure it out since around Election Day I feel the same. They did an ultrasound it showed no masses they said. I’m waiting on ent visit but my throat every day feels like something is there and I’m getting a sensation like to pop my ears but there muffled. And a post nasal drip. I’m starting to think maybe tmj not sure I’m out of options all I know is it won’t go away like my sinuses are messed up forever now and there is no going back that’s how I feel and no tests will give me a answer, amoxicillin prednisone z pack nothing helped!
Have you recently lost weight very quickly? In my case that's what caused the problem with my hearing. My ENT doctor explained that eustachian tube dysfunction can result because they lose the coating that's inside them which is a fatty substance. I've been suffering with this for a year now and having difficult gaining back my weight so it's not improving much. I also find swallowing more difficult and my sinuses are never 100% clear. I'm going to have to make another appointment with my ENT doctor to see what he'll recommend. I know a surgical procedure is sometimes done to help resolve this.
I have all the same symptoms as you . Started omeprozole for silent reflux. Has helped the post nasal drip but eustation tubes are still clogged. Have been on this medication for 3 months. Will keep you posted.
I've been on it for much longer (more that a year) and still have issues clearing my throat as well. The ENT doc told me that he thought I had reflux but an endoscopy revealed nothing to back that up and I never have symptoms related to it. I still think it's some form of Post Nasal Drip but he checked me out and said he sees no evidence of that. Darn frustrating to say the least.
Did you also suffer with clogged ears and pressure. This is making me feel exhausted. Please let me know if the the ppi has help with any eustation tube issues. I have not lost weight but have gained about 15 pounds. So this did not start because of my weight.
I'm still suffering from blockage in my ears and some pressure as air gets trapped. I get a lot of popping in my ears when I swallow and when I speak everything gets muted/muffled. The only time it's fine is when I'm lying down or if I sit still in a recliner and tilt my head to one side. Again but I do not speak when doing this. It's very annoying. Gaining back some of the weight I lost has helped but not resolved it. The weirdest thing was last fall when I caught a cold and had no problems with my ears during that week. I actually was surprised since usually catching a cold has the opposite effect. But I was even able to blow my nose without suffering any blockage. I'll have to inquire with my ENT doc when I see him again as to why that happened. It's difficult to get an appointment with him with a long waiting period.