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Sub-Category:

Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

Specialty: Ear

Category: Structural and Functional Ear Disorders

Sub-category: Eustachian Tube Conditions

Symptoms:
ear fullness; muffled hearing; popping or clicking sounds in the ear; mild ear pain; difficulty equalizing pressure (e.g., during flights or diving); tinnitus; dizziness in severe cases

Root Cause:
Dysfunction in the opening and closing of the Eustachian tube, leading to improper ventilation and pressure regulation in the middle ear. Causes can include inflammation, allergies, or anatomical abnormalities.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Patient history, otoscopic examination, tympanometry, and audiometry. Nasopharyngoscopy may be used to assess the Eustachian tube opening.

Treatment:
Address underlying causes (e.g., allergy treatment, nasal decongestants), autoinflation techniques, and surgery (e.g., balloon dilation) in refractory cases.

Medications:
Nasal corticosteroids (e.g., fluticasone ) to reduce inflammation, oral antihistamines (e.g., loratadine ) for allergies, and decongestants (e.g., pseudoephedrine ) for short-term symptom relief.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common, affecting both children and adults; prevalence increases in individuals with allergies or upper respiratory infections.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Upper respiratory infections, allergies, sinusitis, smoking, obesity, and anatomical abnormalities such as cleft palate.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most cases resolve with treatment of underlying causes. Chronic or severe dysfunction may require surgical intervention.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic otitis media, tympanic membrane perforation, and conductive hearing loss.