text: Eardrum Can't Hold Air Pressure | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum
  Eardrum Can't Hold Air Pressure
  Discussion in 'Support' started by Mike K, Jan 27, 2016.
  When I plug my nose and blow air, causing my ears to fill up, my right ear doesn't quite hold the air pressure in there. Normally both ears hold the pressure until you pop them. But with my right ear kind of inflates then deflates without me popping them. Is this a sign of a blockage, or a ruptured eardrum?
  Three nights ago I went to bed with my right ear feeling pressure, and a sensation like fluid filling my ear. I can't say for sure fluid was doing so, but the fact that my ear makes this noise when I push air into it makes me think there is fluid stuck in there, possibly in the back of the E-tube or in my middle ear. The noise sounds like when you have water in your ears from swimming and you shake your head to get it out. No pain, no drainage of fluid out of my ear.
  I'm just extremely annoyed that I have a new issue. I wake up every morning with both ears feeling very full and plugged, and it goes away after a shower. But every morning it's the same thing. Why the hell is it taking so long for my body to get over this sinus issue?? A week ago I was feeling great, and confident that I was finally getting better. But now I feel a bit worse than I did before. The only doctor I can really see is the one at my college, and she diagnosed me with labyrinthitis 10 weeks ago when I first had tinnitus and dizziness. That was very incorrect. Might as well go anyways and see what they can do, but I doubt they have the same insight as an ENT.
  Mike K, Jan 27, 2016
  When I plug my nose and blow air
  When I plug my nose and blow air, causing my ears to fill up, my right ear doesn't quite hold the air pressure in there.
  You should go to a doctor to make sure you haven't ruptured an eardrum while popping your ears.
  It's not recommended anybody do this, but if you do, it should be done gently. There is a big steep hill by my house that I drive down and sometimes my ears will pop on their own. Other times if I have a cold or something they feel plugged after driving down it and they won't pop, so I will use this holding nose/blow method to force it. It works.
  Michael2013, Jan 27, 2016
  Sounds like you could what's called eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD), @Mike K. Sometimes, that can lead to a feeling of fluid trapped in the ear (or to having actual fluid trapped in the ear). You should get to a doctor pronto. Sinus problems can hang on for a long, long time. If you had ruptured your ear drum, I think you would know it, though. It's supposed to be gawdawful painful.
  BTW: What you are doing with your nose holding/blowing is called the valsalva manuver. Do it rarely and do it gently, as @Michael2013 said. It can screw up your ears.
  Thanks for the replies everyone, I'm not even sure I am able to pop my ears when I do this, I just get to the point where my ears feel plugged then I relieve the pressure, I've never popped them directly from the valsalva maneuver. I will go to the doctor tomorrow but I'm pretty sure I haven't ruptured my eardrum. I am very confident that I have ETD because my ears have been clicking when swallowing louder than normal in the last few weeks, but it must've gotten worse in my right ear.
  TMJ might play a part as well because since I constantly try to relieve the pressure in my ears by moving my jaw, my right side has developed a click when I open my jaw.
  I know we have spoken before about our ETD. I can totally relate to this. If I pop my ears, my left ear opens and pops normally, whilst my right ear (with tinnitus) makes a rather pathetic hissing/squelching sound as it seems to partially inflate. I made a strange observation recently that if I open my jaw (which naturally opens the tubes a bit more), perform the Vasalva maneuver, then close my jaw before releasing the pressure in my ears, the pressure remains in my right ear whilst it deflates normally in my left. If I then reopen my jaw widely, my right pops again and the air is released, as if a pocket of air is trapped somewhere.
  Some good news, though. I spoke to my audiologist on Tuesday and she agrees that it doesn't sound right, so she is referring me back to the eNT with advice to specifically investigate for some anomaly and see if there is evidence of something else blocking them. It's going to take a while, but fingers crossed.
  Owen, Jan 28, 2016
  I saw a doctor today and she did not see any rupture in the eardrum which is great news. She gave me flonase to help keep the sinuses open and kill this lingering sinus issue that's been around for 3 months now. I'm not sure if that's really going to help, but I might as well try. I'm sick of feeling better only to relapse a few days later. I think that we both have some fluid/blockage in our one ear that isn't allowing the E-tube to open up all the way. Just annoyed that my right ear felt completely clear and is now filled with more fluid....The tinnitus has taken a back seat in my concerns; it's there most of the time now (after 2 days of sweet silence) but that's gotta be because my sinuses have acted up once again.
  I just pray that once I do beat this once and for all, it doesn't happen again, or nearly as severe as it has been this time.