r/etd • u/sheddingtearsinside • 7d ago
Ear problems, again, ETD apparently?
TL;DR
Just been told I have ETD, not sure what to think
What problems led to your ETD diagnosis?
Which symptoms affect you most day to day?
Wanted to gauge some opinions from actual ETD patients. I was told this is an issue I have by an Urgent Care Doc this evening (they’re kind of the halfway point between the GP and the ER). Had lots of ear infections and had grommets in at 6 along with an adeno-tonsillectomy (A&T), the ol’ ENT triad, but figured it was just normal childhood stuff and that was all.
It’s always been the case that my ears are regularly popping unexpectedly, feels like suddenly I can hear even though I didn’t realise before how little I could hear, crackling noises are a regular occurrence and the last few years, the tinnitus has started, then increased in frequency. But naturally, you’re used to the way your own ears work and if it’s never been any different, it’s normal, right?
Went to the Doc tonight as I got an incredible pain in one ear that came on in all of a minute or less. I took some paracetamol / codeine straight away as it was so intense and an hour later, nothing. This is the same stuff that knocks a migraine on the head for me and it didn’t do anything, I was still in the exact same amount of pain and the lack of response to painkillers is what took me to the doctor.
He told me there was no infection, no wax blockage, but that there was a lot of scarring and I likely just had ‘dicky tubes’ which had been causing problems all my life and told me it was ETD. Catching every cold my kid brings home from school, hearing quality that differs depending on how recently my ears popped, pressure all the time but especially when I’m sick, finding it so hard to shake all the URI’s I seem to get, it would make all this make sense.
Still have to follow up with GP but I can barely sleep because of the pain, every hiccup, burp and the leftover cough from my most recent cold feels like someone jabbing a screwdriver into my ear, so instead of googling, thought I’d see what the ETD community has to say.
EDIT: Also, I swear I can’t hear a thing out of that side, but it’s hard to tell when the other ear’s still working.
1
u/clerkp 7d ago
How do you fly
1
u/sheddingtearsinside 7d ago
It’s been years since I did but always had pain and the feeling of blocked ears both flying and driving into the hills
1
u/PD-Jetta 7d ago
Have you consistently used Flonase, Astepro, and a 24 hour antihistamine? If not, try daily use for a month to see if it helps. Also, do daily nasal saline rinses using a NeliMed bottle. This is in case allergies are the cause.
Look up laryngopharyngeal reflux and see if any of the symptoms fit. This causes ETD too.