Do you suffer from hearing loss or ear pains when your sinuses flare-up? It's not your imagination.
There is a connection between your sinuses and ears.
If you suffer from sinusitis hearing problems, here's the information that should help you out.
The Eustachian Tube The ears and the throat are connected through the Eustachian tube.
The nose and the sinuses are also connected to the throat.
If infections from the sinuses travel through the nose and throat, it can reach the Eustachian tube and start to affect your ears.
This isn't as uncommon as you think.
If you suffer from flare-ups, you would've noticed the ease with which the infection can spread to your nose and throat.
In fact, having a runny nose and a sore throat are two of the most common symptoms related to a flare-up.
Infection of the Eustachian Tube The Eustachian tube is used by the body to equalize the pressure inside and outside the ear.
This is very important for the inner ear to do its job of processing sound, which are vibrations in the air.
If an infection reaches this tube, it can swell shut or get blocked by mucus.
This can lead to further problems because the mucus, the fluid, and even the air inside the ears are trapped.
Middle Ear Infections With the mucus and the fluids trapped in the middle or inner ear, the area becomes very favorable for bacterial growth.
This can lead to middle ear infections that can sometimes cause hearing loss.
Some people actually go through complete hearing loss in at least one ear.
This is temporary most of the time.
However, the buildup of fluids and air pressure inside the middle ear can cause permanent damage.
Due to the high pressures, your ear drums can actually rupture.
Solutions Should you suffer from sinusitis hearing problems, you'd want to get to the sinusitis first.
Usually the problem can go away without medical treatment but if you don't treat the flare up that led to the ear infections, you can suffer from repeated bouts of hearing problems.
In getting to your sinus problem, you should consult your doctor to get a proper diagnosis on what you actually have.
If you can get to the cause, the treatment should be much easier.
Also, you can conduct some self-care techniques like drinking plenty of fluids and resting to help your body repair itself and clear up the excess mucus that could cause the blockages in the nose and throat.
If your ears start to hurt and you fear that you may be suffering from an ear infection, it is again best to consult your doctor.
Again, most of the time the problem will go away on its own especially if you've treated the flare-ups, but it is always a good idea to be sure.
Some middle ear infections require antibiotics and other meds because the area inside the middle ear has become very favorable to bacteria and bacterial growths are rampaging inside.
It is very important that you consult your doctor before attempting remedies to this kind of ear problem.
Also, do not self medicate if you don't know the cause of the problem.
Misuse of drugs can lead to further problems.