When you hear the term “sinus infection,” you probably picture symptoms like congestion or facial pain and pressure. Those symptoms do typically accompany a sinus infection, but you may also notice seemingly unconnected symptoms, like those present in the ear.
The Ear to Sinus Connection
Your ears, nose and throat are all connected. A thin canal called the Eustachian tube links the middle ear to the back of the upper throat and nose. When you don’t have a sinus infection, each tube works to equalize pressure in and drain fluid from the ear. But when your sinuses are inflamed, the inflammation can spread to the ear via the Eustachian tube, preventing the tube from doing its job properly. As a result, you may experience a few ear symptoms, including:
- Ear pain
- Feeling of fullness in the ears
- Popping or crackling sound in the ears
- Dizziness or balance issues
- Muffle hearing
The connection works both ways. If you have an ear infection, it may spread to your sinuses, causing pain or congestion.
Tips To Relieve Your Ear and Sinus Symptoms
There are a few things you can do to relieve your ear and sinus symptoms, including:
- Drink plenty of fluids. Staying hydrated will thin the mucus in your sinuses, making it easier to drain and reducing overall pressure. You can get your daily hydration from water, coconut water, Clean Juice beverages, smoothies and anything else with a high water content.
- Irrigate your sinuses. Saline sprays and nasal irrigation systems will clear mucus from the sinuses, ideally reducing pressure in the ears as well.
- Apply warm compresses. A warm compress placed over the face or ears can soothe inflammation and promote fluid drainage.
- Decongestants. Short-term decongestants can reduce inflammation and improve drainage in the sinuses and ears.
- Pressure equalization. You can manually equalize pressure in your ears by yawning, swallowing or gently pinching your nose and blowing through your nostrils.
If you’re prone to sinus infections, we may also recommend simple procedures such as a Balloon Sinuplasty, functional endoscopic sinus surgery or a Propel sinus implant to reduce your risk of infection.
To learn more about long-term treatments for sinus or ear infections, call Collin County ENT today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.