South Louisiana 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. Adil Fatakia of ENT & Allergy of New Orleans said there are treatment options that can improve these issues.

"Eustachian tube dysfunction is a problem with the tube that connects the back of the ear to the back of the nose. When patients have Eustachian tube dysfunction, they often have symptoms that commonly afflict us, including problems with fullness or congestion in the ear—feeling like the ear is muffled, feeling like they can't hear properly, or feeling like they have pressure in the ear," Dr. Fatakia told South Louisiana News. "We have solutions to treat that in the office also, including a balloon that can dilate the eustachian tube opening to help improve the situation without having to place a tube in the ear."

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 ENT and Allergy of New Orleans' website, Dr. Fatakia earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He later returned to his hometown to pursue a medical degree at the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Fatakia completed a five-year residency program in head and neck surgery at Tulane University, followed by a fellowship in sinus and skull base surgery at the Sinus and Nasal Institute of Florida in St. Petersburg.