Creator: Dr. Vikram Vel
Published: 2014-10-14T06:57:58-04:00

Q. Suffering from autophony. Will tuboplasty provide a permanent relief?

Answered by

Dr. Vikram Vel

and medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team.

This is a premium question & answer published on Oct 14, 2014 and last reviewed on: Jul 06, 2019

Patient's Query

Dear doctor,

I am a 19 year old male. From the last three years, I have been facing the symptoms of Patulous Eustachian Tube with the eustachian tubes partially open few times in a day. My own voice becomes distorted and sounds like it is coming from a vacuum.

Breath sounds are enhanced and swallowing and chewing becomes disturbingly loud as they vibrate inside my own ears. I had previously consulted a doctor and after following his medication there was a temporary relief but after 3 to 4 months, those symptoms have again started occurring but not severe and, it occurs for a short time and when I suck air by closing my mouth and nose, the heaviness of sound diminishes.

The problem with my left ear is more severe than the right one and left ear shows disturbing signs more frequently. Please help.

Answer

Dr. Vikram Vel

Otolaryngology (E.N.T)

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I feel a naso and otoendoscopy is first necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

The condition is not dangerous unless it leads to some middle ear problem.

If you can manage by doing a manoeuvre like how you described, it might help in symptom control and you may not need any intervention.

Tuboplasty can be done for this condition but the diagnosis has to be established and assessed before attempting anything.

Revert back to an ENT otolaryngologist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/ENT-Otolaryngologist

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Patient's Query

Dear Doctor,

Following that manoeuvre is giving only a temporary relief, as it did before.

The autophony does not occur continuously but like once in a week or sometimes once a month and sometimes it occurs daily for few days.

And it disturbs the peace of mind and makes me feel very depressing, which takes weeks to recover back to normal state of mind and with same confidence.

It is affecting my studies and social life with friends and family.

It has already destroyed too much of me and I even have a huge inferiority complex, cannot even walk properly in college.

I want to know if this tuboplasty is a successful cure with permanent relief from autophony and will not end up giving any complications in middle ear?