Is there a sinus connection to the ear canal?!
Question: I have started using a sinus irrigator to clear out congested nasal passages due to a recent severe cold, however I've had a lifelong history of congested sinus cavities.
While using the irrigator there was a sensation AND moisture in the ear canal on the side of the head of the sinus to which the irrigator was being applied. The irrigation did clear out the congestion.
So my question is... is there a normal physical connection between the ear canal and nasal sinus cavity.
There are no symptoms of a ruptured ear drum, and routine
hearing tests / exams have not revealed anything out of the ordinary.
So is there a normal connection between the ear and the sinus cavities. I frequently use earplugs to block out noise and wonder if moisture buildup in the ear might be a cause of the
chronic sinus congestion.
Thanks for your help !!
Answers: I have started using a sinus irrigator to clear out congested nasal passages due to a recent severe cold, however I've had a lifelong history of congested sinus cavities.
While using the irrigator there was a sensation AND moisture in the ear canal on the side of the head of the sinus to which the irrigator was being applied. The irrigation did clear out the congestion.
So my question is... is there a normal physical connection between the ear canal and nasal sinus cavity.
There are no symptoms of a ruptured ear drum, and routine
hearing tests / exams have not revealed anything out of the ordinary.
So is there a normal connection between the ear and the sinus cavities. I frequently use earplugs to block out noise and wonder if moisture buildup in the ear might be a cause of the
chronic sinus congestion.
Thanks for your help !!
The Eustachion is the connection from the ear to the back of the throat. The first illustration does show there is a connection to the sinuses (gray thing at the bottom) and if you have a long history of sinus infections, this connection may be larger, just because of the tissue damage in the past. Pressure from major sinus infections can and will break the thin membranes between some of the chambers in the head that normally separate different functions - this is normal, but can lead to more interaction of fluid between these two areas than is normally expected. It does allow your ear canal to serve as a release vent for some of the infection product while you are having an infection - so be sure to get treatment promptly to avoid irritating the ear canal any more than necessary.
Yes, it is called the Eustachian tube...the purpose of this tube is to provide drainage of fluids in the ear and also ventilation.....
itscalled the eustachian tube.