Do you have trouble with your ears feeling full or popping due to pressure? These may be signs of eustachian tube dysfunction and can affect your hearing and balance.
What Is Eustachian Dysfunction?
The Eustachian tube is a small passageway from the throat to the middle ear that levels the pressure between the ear and the environment. If you have a cold or allergies, the eustachian tube can become inflamed or blocked and cause the sensation of fullness in the ears. While eustachian tube dysfunction often clears on its own, for some people, this is a chronic condition and requires intervention with an eustachian tube dilation.
What Is Eustachian Tube Dilation?
Eustachian tube dilation is a minimally invasive procedure to open the eustachian tube and clear any blockages. Your physician will insert a balloon through the nose and into the eustachian tube. Once in the correct spot, they inflate the balloon to open the tube and allow air to flow into the tube. The balloon is deflated and removed.
What Are the Benefits of Eustachian Tube Dilation?
For patients who suffer from chronic eustachian tube dysfunction, the procedure can eliminate the need for continual placement of ear tubes. The eustachian tube dilation can also address structural problems associated with the eustachian tube anatomy, giving long-term relief. The procedure is quick, safe and often tolerated using numbing agents. Patients have minimal recovery time and are back to regular activities the same day.
Call Surgery Center of Bluffton at (843) 766-7103 for more information or to schedule an appointment.