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T Tube And Wax In Ear, Pressure In Ears. Tried Olive Oil And Garlic. Can Skydiving Be Done?
Question: i have a t tube and wax in my ear and can't seem to equalise (can normally pinch my nose and blow and hear/feel air coming out but can't now) felt pressure in my ear when in wind tunnel which has change of pressure now want to skydive tomorrow. tried olive oil as saw people doing it but there was some garlic in there too. is that ok? I had the t-tube put in after several grommits for skydiving as my sius is blocked
Hi,
Thank you for your query.
1. Thus means that your T-tube is blocked and that your Eustachian block still persists.
2. You need to get an ENT Specialist to examine your ears. Get an opinion on any ear wax build-up. Wax dissolving drops will be ideal in case of wax build-up. If the T-tube is blocked, your ENT doctor may prescribe ear drops initially and then may attempt to flush the tube under a microscope. Avoid olive oil and garlic.
3. This is not something that you can always treat on your own. You may require ear cleaning, medicated ear drops (sometimes antifungal), steroid nasal sprays, anti inflammatory medication, anti-allergics, decongestants, mucolytics and steam inhalation. This should be done under medical supervision.
4. You should avoid skydiving until this is settled. This will avoid any additional Barotrauma.
5. You may share your past investigations, such as clinical and operative notes, Sinus CT scan images, audiograms, tympanograms for further treatment options.
6. You may also explore Balloon Sinuplasty. Under active development is a new Eustachian Tube balloon dilatation procedure.
7. Is your problem one sided or in both ears. What are your nasal and sinus clinical findings?
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Thank you for your query.
1. Thus means that your T-tube is blocked and that your Eustachian block still persists.
2. You need to get an ENT Specialist to examine your ears. Get an opinion on any ear wax build-up. Wax dissolving drops will be ideal in case of wax build-up. If the T-tube is blocked, your ENT doctor may prescribe ear drops initially and then may attempt to flush the tube under a microscope. Avoid olive oil and garlic.
3. This is not something that you can always treat on your own. You may require ear cleaning, medicated ear drops (sometimes antifungal), steroid nasal sprays, anti inflammatory medication, anti-allergics, decongestants, mucolytics and steam inhalation. This should be done under medical supervision.
4. You should avoid skydiving until this is settled. This will avoid any additional Barotrauma.
5. You may share your past investigations, such as clinical and operative notes, Sinus CT scan images, audiograms, tympanograms for further treatment options.
6. You may also explore Balloon Sinuplasty. Under active development is a new Eustachian Tube balloon dilatation procedure.
7. Is your problem one sided or in both ears. What are your nasal and sinus clinical findings?
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
thank you for your reply. was very helpful.
do you know if there are any over the counter ear drops that i could use temporarily and is there anything i should do to stop any damage the olive oil and garlic could have done?
the problem was with one sinus and now that ear that has the t tube. I don't know the clinical findings other than the one sinus was blocked and hurt when he put the camera up there. nothing done since then to look other than another grommit then t tube.
What barotrauma could skydiving cause? I only ask as it is my job so don't really want to stop.
thanks again :o)
do you know if there are any over the counter ear drops that i could use temporarily and is there anything i should do to stop any damage the olive oil and garlic could have done?
the problem was with one sinus and now that ear that has the t tube. I don't know the clinical findings other than the one sinus was blocked and hurt when he put the camera up there. nothing done since then to look other than another grommit then t tube.
What barotrauma could skydiving cause? I only ask as it is my job so don't really want to stop.
thanks again :o)
Hi,
Thank you for writing back.
1. Ear wax softening drops are available over the counter. There will be many brands such as Otex, Earex (Boots) or Cerumol.
2. You need to get an ENT Specialist to examine your ears so that other conditions resembling wax buildup are not missed. After the use of wax softening drops, it maybe necessary to flush the ear by syringing with water at body temperature.
3. Olive oil (including garlic) is usually gentle on normal ears and will not cause any damage in an ear with an intact eardrum if used once in a while.
4. Skydiving can cause Barotrauma due to the rapid rate of descent which causes negative pressure in the middle ear. In people with normal ears, the pressure changes are quickly compensated and equalized through a functioning eustachian tube. In your case it may cause discomfort. A more serious issue would be if these sudden pressure changes cause dizziness or vertigo resulting in complete disorientation during the sky dive.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Thank you for writing back.
1. Ear wax softening drops are available over the counter. There will be many brands such as Otex, Earex (Boots) or Cerumol.
2. You need to get an ENT Specialist to examine your ears so that other conditions resembling wax buildup are not missed. After the use of wax softening drops, it maybe necessary to flush the ear by syringing with water at body temperature.
3. Olive oil (including garlic) is usually gentle on normal ears and will not cause any damage in an ear with an intact eardrum if used once in a while.
4. Skydiving can cause Barotrauma due to the rapid rate of descent which causes negative pressure in the middle ear. In people with normal ears, the pressure changes are quickly compensated and equalized through a functioning eustachian tube. In your case it may cause discomfort. A more serious issue would be if these sudden pressure changes cause dizziness or vertigo resulting in complete disorientation during the sky dive.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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