This book describes Eustachian Tube Blockage, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases
Just 1 week ago I had a patient who came to the clinic complaining of blocked ear on the left side for about 3 weeks.
He saw his family doctor and was told that he had wax in the ear.
He also had a blocked nose.
His doctor gave him some waxsol ear drops for his wax.
It did not improve so he saw the family doctor again.
There was a buzzing sound in the ear and some pain.

The doctor referred him to an ENT specialist who then flushed out the wax for him but his ear blockage was still there.
Because of this ear discomfort, nose blockage of nose and tearing of the eyes, he went to a 24 hour clinic for treatment.
He was an antihistamine for his cold and eye drops for his eyes.
His eye tearing improved but his nose and ears were still blocked.
He then saw his family doctor again and was given some cold medicines.
His nose and ears did not improve.
He also had a mild cough.
The next day he asked his friend whom I treated earlier for benign positional vertigo where she was treated.
He then came to my clinic to see me.

After hearing his long history, the first thing I did was to ask him to pinch his nose close and blow hard through his mouth (valsalva maneuver)
He did so and said that his left eardrum gave a popping sound and he could hear but after that his ear was blocked again.
I explained to him that his eustachian tube was blocked on the left side.
Using an otoscope for the ear I showed the wife that the right ear drum was normal because there is a silver strip on the ear drum.
On the left ear there was no silver strip that can been seen hence the ear drum was pulled inwards.
I even asked her to take a photograph of the 2 sides to show her husband.
She said it was not necessary and that she will explain the appearance to the husband.
Next I checked his nasal passages.
His left nose passage was blocked.
His throat was also red and inflamed.
His lungs were clear.
Since he complained of yellow mucus from his left nose indicating infected I started him on a course of antibiotics.
Most importantly he was given decongestant for his nose and a drying agent and a cough mixture for his cough.
I told to do the valsalva maneuver, use a shower cap to prevent water entering the ear and drink lots of warm water 8 glasses a day.
I did tell him that if he did not improve that he may have to go for a myringostomy to open the eustachian tube.

The next day he rang me to say that he woke up in the morning fully able to hear on the left ear.
He asked whether he needed to finish his antibiotics.
I told him that antibiotics must be completed.
The rest of the medicines to be taken depended on whether he still had a blocked nose or ear.
It was a successful treatment.

The Eustachian tube is normally closed, but it opens from time to time in the back of the nose, such as when the patient yawns or swallows.
When the patient pinches the nose in an effort to pop the ears open, air is forced up the Eustachian tube to equalize pressure in the middle ear space.
If these tubes become obstructed, the patient might have Eustachian tube blockage (ETB)
If the disorder gets worse, it can become chronic and lead to hearing loss.
Partial or complete blockage of the Eustachian tube can induce sensations of popping, clicking, and ear fullness and sometimes moderate to severe ear pain
ETB means that the Eustachian tubes cannot adequately equalize pressure due to:
Colds
Chronic sinus problems
Some other blockage...