53 points

The Eustachian tube goes between the middle ear and back of the throat and is there to equalize the air pressure in your middle ear. When you yawn or swallow it opens. That’s why yawning pops your ears when you’re in an airplane. Often children’s Eustachian tubes so not develope and they have chronic issues with fluid in the middle ear that can’t drain, so they will have “tubes” installed in their eardrum which allows fluid to drain out of the middle ear into the ear canal.

I currently haven’t been able to hear for 3 weeks because of trapped fluid due to some kind of sinus issue. The problem is that the snot gets thicker as it sits in there so it won’t drain out. Hopefully it resolves on it’s own, but I may have to have my eardrum sliced open and have it sucked out.

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20 points

Wait

It shouldn’t always pop ?

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25 points
*

Lots of people can pop their ears on demand by flexing the muscles that open the tube. Those muscles are the same ones that flex when yawning and sometimes when chewing.

If your ears are always popping, I don’t think that’s necessarily bad, but maybe you’re more susceptible to ear infections? If it’s not painful and has always been like that it’s probably fine, but mentioning it to your doctor next time you see them won’t hurt.

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14 points

This is my superpower

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8 points

It can be bad. I also have this superpower, I can pop my ears (open my eustachian tubes) by flexing my throat muscles. The bad part comes when this happens on its own over and over and makes me dizzy. Thankfully that’s only happened twice, but once was almost a whole day. I pop my ears much less now to try and avoid overdoing it.

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6 points

I mean pop when I do the thing you just said that makes them pop (there should be a german word for this) / yawn

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4 points

I thought everyone could pop the ears

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5 points

You might be able to clear (or at least relieve) some of the pressure by doing a Eustachian Tube Massage

Apply pressure to the area below the ear and just behind the jaw bone, then follow the jawline down to the neck (I’m not sure if you go under the jaw or straight down the neck. I do both)

Obviously, if this causes pain, don’t continue

(I am not a doctor)

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6 points

I’ve been trying all the tricks I can find including that one. Been breathing in steam from a bowl with a towel other my head, using a various forms of heat on my ears and face. Taking the good cold medicine that they keep behind the counter at the pharmacy plus Flonase, and antihistamines. Went through a week of antibiotics just in case. I started wearing a mask at work and outside in case it is allergies. I have one side that is getting unblocked finally, which was the first side to get blocked.

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2 points

One thing I will say about tubes in the ear is that when done right, the procedure for getting them in is pretty painless. Had tubes throughout most of my early childhood, so I don’t really remember them, but I did have to get a tube put in within the last 5 or so years. Worst part was the slight burning sensation of the stuff they put in to ensure it wouldn’t hurt. Otherwise, no pain whatsoever.

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2 points

Did having the tube in affect your healing at all?

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1 point

If you mean hearing, then probably as a kid considering I used to get a lot of ear infections. Pretty sure it might have helped last time as well because of the inside being cleared of things blocking sound.

As for healing, it must have been doing something helpful as a kid considering I think I had something like 2-3 sets put in to help with fluid/whatever drainage. And I assume it helped last time considering they found out I needed another one when I went in for an ear infection.

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18 points

eargasm

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13 points

Sho shatishfying

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5 points

Ever notice how people open their mouth when listening intently? You will now.

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4 points

“Upgraded” 🤣🤣

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