Video of Eustachian Tube Popping Open with Valsalva

Ever wonder what the eustachian tube looks like when the ear pops open with valsalva maneuver? Valsalva is accomplished by trying to blow air out a nose that is pinched closed. The eustachian tube is a tunnel that goes from the back of the nose to the ear.

Well, here you go! Video provided courtesy of Dr. Vijay Anand.

Watch this video to see where this eustachian tube is exactly located.

Read more about ear popping and when one is NOT able to pop the ears, a condition called eustachian tube dysfunction!

New Webpage on Cochlear Hydrops

Sense of ear fullness or clogging is one of the most common reasons to see an ENT. Common causes of such a symptom include eustachian tube dysfunction, sudden sensorineural hearing loss, or fluid in the middle ear. However, cochlear hydrops is another potential, but rare cause for ear fullness.

Other symptoms that a patient with cochlear hydrops may exhibit include:

• roaring sound in the ear
• fluctuating hearing loss
• noise sensitivity
• speech/sound distortion

A new webpage has been written regarding this problem and treatment for it.

Check it out here!

WP: Runny Nose Due to Spinal Fluid Leakage and Not Allergies!

The Washington Post published a story on January 19, 2010 entitled "Doctors changed diagnosis after woman said allergies weren't causing runny nose." In this story, the patient's runny nose from only one side was actually due to a CSF leak (cerebrospinal fluid leakage) and puts her at major risk for meningitis. Unfortunately for this particular patient, the hole through which this fluid was coming out from also had some brain tissue. She required major surgery in order to correct this problem.

An interesting trivia related to CSF leaks is that actor George Clooney suffered one after a blow to the head while filming a torture scene in the 2005 movie "Syriana".

The take-home message is that not all runny noses are due to allergies, especially if it is continuous and only occurs on one side.

Read the story here.

Image taken from wikipedia.