Ear “throbbing”

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dldugan

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Oct 5, 2018
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203
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
09/2018
Country
US
State
illinois
City
Mahomet
Left ear seems to be quite often “throbbing” a little. I have worn hearing aids for several years and have occasionally had this feeling, but not this often and for this long. Could this be ALS related? This kept me up for some time during the night. Could not get back to sleep for awhile.
 
by throbbing do you mean pain? or just sensation of pressure changing? i get a lot of wax and some pressure going in and out. seems to be related to reduced chewing and swallowing, so kind of indirectly als related. but i have no ear pain.
 
by throbbing do you mean pain? or just sensation of pressure changing? i get a lot of wax and some pressure going in and out. seems to be related to reduced chewing and swallowing, so kind of indirectly als related. but i have no ear pain.

No pain. Pressure going in and out may be a better way to describe it.
 
pressure and throbbing sensations, and sometimes the ability to hear one's own heartbeat, can be signs of eustachian tube dysfunction. It can be similar to the sensation one encounters with elevation change, like driving up a mountain or diving to the deep end of the pool.

Sometimes it can be improved with a nasal decongestant and/or a nasal corticosteroid, such as nasacort. If you have high blood pressure, or irregular or fast heartbeat, the steroid would be the safer option to try. Be patient, if you try that route. It has more of a cumulative benefit, and can take up to 1-2 weeks before optimal results.
 
so spraying plain nasal decongestant in the ear canal can help with the ear ''throbbing sensation'' ? my mom has been complaining about this for a while now. The doctors tell me its als related and theres nothing we can do about it.
 
The nasal decongestant is sprayed in the nostrils, not the ear.

The sinuses and the inner ear passages are linked. If someone has sinus congestion, they often will note ear plugging. Relieving the sinus congestion may help unblock the ears.

That said, it’s also reasonable to make sure the outer ear canal is free of excessive wax buildup. There are products over the counter that help dissolve wax.
 
Karen, isn't there like a tube that goes from the back of the throat into the
inner ear that will force fluid up into the inner ear if one coughs or sneezes
real hard?

I've had throbbing happen after a bad choking spell.
 
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I had a horrible tickling sensation in my ears long before I got diagnosed with ALS and the doctor said it was spasms from too much flying. He told me to take Sudafed. That worked really well for me.
 
The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx. Its function is to equalize pressure in ear with atmospheric pressure. The tube is made of soft tissue, and can be tortuous in some individuals. It is prone to swelling shut, especially at the nasopharyngeal end if there is inflammation from a cold or allergies. When it occludes, the pressure difference in the ear keeps the ear drum from vibrating properly, which makes everything sound muffled. When the pressure releases, you usually encounter a "pop" or rumbling like fluid in the ear, followed by everything sounding louder. The loudness is the result of improved ear drum function.

Shrinking the swelling in the nose with a decongestant or steroid allows the eustachian tube to remain open, enabling improved ear drum function and better pressure adjustment.
 
btw, yawning and or chewing can sometimes give relief because those activities slightly pull the eustachian tube taut, allowing pressure to release. Think of a kinked garden hose being straightened, followed by the surge of water then normal flow until it kinks again.
 
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