About Harriet Jacobster, Au.D. Expertise I can answer questions regarding non-medical treatment of hearing loss such as hearing aids and aural rehabilitation. I am also able to answer your questions regarding hearing testing, what types of tests are appropriate, what information a hearing test gives you and what it doesn't give you. As a classically trained musician, I can also answer issues dealing with hearing loss specific to musicians.
Experience I am a Board Certified Doctor of Audiology with over 25 years' of experience working with both children and adults. I have given lectures on Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids to several state chapters of national organizations for the deaf and hard of hearing. I also taught Speech Reading and Aural Rehabilitation both privately and for the Florida Deaf Service Center.
Organizations American Academy of Audiology
American Speech Language Hearing Association
Education/Credentials Au.D. Doctor of Audiology, Nova Southeastern University 2000
Question I seem to have great difficulty in getting my ears or ear to "pop" so to speak as they seem to close up from what I believe is a sinus related problem. When I drive up and down the local mountains they will "pop" and I can hear pretty well, then they tend to sometimes close up again where I feel as if my head is in a bucket until they "pop" open by them selves. They do this quite often and I'm going broke driving up the local mountain to open them again. What can I do about this problem? Thanks for your kind help...............
Answer Hi Catch,
What you describe seems to be a Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). The ET is a little tube that runs from your nose to your middle ear and helps to maintain normal pressure in your ear. That popping sound is your tube opening. It can be related to sinus problems; when your sinuses are swollen, your ET will also swell or close up. There are several things you can do to help. First, you can try a saline nasal spray which will shrink the nasal passages, your sinuses and in turn, the ET. Medications for allergy such as decongestants, systemic or local antihistamines and nasal topical steroids are commonly tried. If these do not work, then you may need to see an ENT who can give you a prescription medicine. There is a chance that ETD can become chronic and the tube may not open. In these cases, you are at risk for middle ear infection. At this point, an ENT may consider middle ear ventilation tubes.
Hope this helps.
Harriet B. Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified in Audiology
