Plugged ears / Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

[Deb B]

I’m not sure chemo,radiation,allergies have caused my left ear to crackle, plugged feeling, feels like drainage.  I saw an ENT & she could not see fluid.  Told me it’s most likely permanent hearing damage. My ears unclog & clog during temperature changes. She told me to use an antihistamine & Flonase.  Her PA told me Eustachian tube dysfunction. Confusing.  My oncologist told me early on that I would just need tubes in my ears to drain fluids.  Has this happened to anyone else?  Should I get a 2nd opinion? Or go back to the same ENT? Or wait & see if it ever clears?  It started a few months after chemo & my brain surgery

[Tom Galli]

Deb,

Wow -- you have a lot going on!  I wouldn't know what causes your ear problems.  I have them and indeed they are the first symptom I have when I catch a cold.  Ears clock first, then sore throat and then chest congestion.  I use Flonase to symptom relief but it does nothing for the cause of my ear ache.  It takes a couple of days for Flonase to clear my clogged ears so give it some time.  OBTW, an eustachian tube dysfunction could be almost anything or a wide range of several things.  So I'm not sure there is a conflict between your ENT and the ENT's PA.

I always suggest a second opinion when one loses confidence in the doctor that is treating them.  It won't hurt anything to see someone else.  I hope this helps you.

Stay the course.

Tom