About Charles Cusumano, PA-C, DFAAPA Expertise I`m a Physician Assistant in medical practice since 1975. I`m a nationally certified Physician Assistant and am a nationally credentialed Family Medicine Practitioner. I was also honored as a Distinguished Fellow in the AAPA.
Experience Radiologic Technologist 1963-1973;
Training in Hand and Upper Extremity
Microvascular Surgery at the Mayo Clinic;
and injury of the hand and upper extremity. I have taught pediatric ambulatory trauma. I'm ACLS certified.
I serve as Honorary Chairman from Kentucky to the Republican National Congressional Committee Physician Advisory Board.
Organizations AAPA, KAPA
Awards and Honors Distinguished Fellow American Academy of Physician Assistants
My husband cannot take off work until Friday to get to the doctor, so I was hoping you might have some idea what this sounds like. My husband felt his ear was clogged with water after swimming. So, he used a q-tip to try to dry it (bad move, I know.) After that, he put the swimmer's ear stuff in it (basically alcohol) but it did not help. This last week he could not hear out of the ear. Last night it started feeling sore. This is weird, but when he burps he will feel relief, like it cleared for a brief moment but then goes right back to where it was. Does this sound like swimmer's ear or just maybe fluid build up?
Answer Hi Michelle,
This sounds like eustacheon tube dysfunction. The tube will swell shut and impede drainage from the middle ear causing pain. The burping forces air up the tube , popping it open and relieving the symptoms till it shuts again. Sometimes something as simple as using a decongestant will help this problem. He still needs to be seen by his doctor though.
