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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000023.txt from 2006/07

From: Dr Murray Finkelstein <murray.finkelstein@-----.ca>
Subj: [DR-L] Re: Ear Effusion
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 10:20:53 -0400

You might try a Valsalva Manoeuvre.... Pinch your nose shut, and blow
hard with your mouth tightly closed. This may force air up the
Eustachian tube, opening it, and allowing some fluid to drain.

Small children commonly have their drums incised to drain fluid and to
have tubes placed. I am not aware that there is a substantial
complication rate.

>------------------------------
>
>Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:30:52 -0500
>To: "doublereed-l" <doublereed@-----.org>
>From: "Miriam Williams" <mwquacker@-----.net>
>Subject: inner ear fluid problem
>Message-ID: <004601c6a49a$69db33d0$6601a8c0@DELL>
>
>Maybe our Dr. Dawson can give some advice on this one, too.
>
>I have had fluid blocking my inner left ear canal for over a month. My
>regular MD said I'd have to wait for a full month before I saw an ENT
>specialist. So I did. The ENT said I should take decongestant pills (like
>Sudafed) for two more weeks and see how that went before outpatient surgery
>to unblock it. He also said I have a small canal (which I knew already) and
>a bend in it.
>
>I don't hear as well as I do normally; it's like wearing a foam ear plug all
>the time in one ear. Needless to say, I can't judge dynamics or tone quality
>very well, although with teaching beginners, that can be an advantage!
>Fortunately, it's not painful and not infected, just annoying.
>
>I'm thinking of getting a second opinion from another specialist.
>
>I've never had this before, at least as an adult, and don't remember having
>ear problems as a child either.
>
>Might there be any other way to clear this besides surgery? Or perhaps an
>extra delicate way to puncture the ear drum? There is no garuntee the ear
>drum will heal over, I was told. And there would be some risk of infection.
>The decongestants don't seem to be doing anything.
>
>Thanks,
>Miriam
>
>
>

Murray M. Finkelstein PhD MD
Department of Family and Community Medicine
Mt Sinai Hospital
Toronto

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