North Baltimore Journal

Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers can provide relief to patients who are suffering from eustachian tube pain or discomfort.

Eustachian tubes are small tubes that run between the middle ears and the upper throat. They are responsible for equalizing ear pressure and draining fluid from the middle ear, the part behind the eardrum. The eustachian tubes are usually closed, except for when a person chews, swallows or yawn, according to Healthline. These passageways can get plugged for a number of reasons. Blocked eustachian tubes can cause pain, hearing trouble and a feeling of fullness in the ears. This is referred to as eustachian tube dysfunction

Frederick Breathe Free uses eustachian tube balloon dilation, which is similar to the procedure used for blocked sinuses, to gently open the blocked eustachian tube, explained otolaryngologist Dr. Jamie Oberman.

"I'm currently the only person performing eustachian tube balloon dilation in all of Frederick, Maryland," he told the North Baltimore Journal. "The eustachian tube goes from the back of the nose to the middle ear. It has the same mucosal tissue lining as our paranasal sinuses. So they have the same pathophysiology, the same things that cause inflammation and swelling of the sinuses cause this -- the swelling and dysfunction of the eustachian tube."

Patients with dysfunctional eustachian tubes may find that they get recurring ear infections. Severe or recurring cases may require a visit to the doctor.

"They constantly feel like they're underwater and they can't either hear or they have pressure in their ears," Oberman said. "I have some patients who literally stopped traveling because they can't tolerate the barometric pressure changes."

Before balloon dilation was available, physicians had limited treatment options.

"All we could do was offer some medical management, which was never really effective," Oberman said. "But with this new technology, we can address the underlying problem itself, which is the dysfunction of the eustachian tube, by ballooning it open."

The procedure is outpatient, performed right at the clinic under local anesthesia. "It's really well-tolerated," Oberman said.

If you think you could benefit from seeing a doctor about your ears, sinuses or allergies, take this free online quiz.