Blowing out auditory tubes is a medical manipulation performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in diseases of the ear.

Indications for the procedure

Blowing is recommended in such situations:

• to assess the condition of the ears after a disease called tubootitis;
• to normalise and restore the passability of the tube;
• to diagnose the state of drainage and ventilation function.

Also, the procedure will be required when:

• there is a sudden drop in hearing acuity;
• there is persistent pain in the ear;
• there is a feeling of stuffy ears;
• autophony syndrome (increased perception of your voice).

In what cases is it prohibited?

The blowing of the auditory tubes by Politzer is not recommended if there are the following contraindications:

• inflammatory process in acute form;
• acute processes in the sinuses;
• diseases of the oropharynx during an exacerbation.

With these pathological processes, there is a high probability of infection, which will further exacerbate the course of the underlying disease.

Rules

The blowing of the auditory tubes by Politzer is carried out exclusively by the doctor. First of all, the sinuses are cleaned of accumulated mucous secretions, the mucosa is irrigated with a drug with a vasoconstrictive effect to relieve its swelling.

The tip of the device is inserted into one of the nostrils and pressed down to create a state of tightness. A device used is an otoscope connecting the ear of a patient with the doctor’s. When everything is prepared, the patient should say a few words, for example, “steamboat”, breaking it intonationally into 3 syllables, and then count aloud from 1 to 3.

During the patient’s pronunciation of the words, the doctor is pressing the balloon of the device and delivers air into the auditory tube. When air gets in, both the specialist and the subject hear the same sound in their ears. If a certain hiss is heard, then the pipe passability is in the absolute norm. If obstruction occurs, a click will be heard. If liquid is present in the tube, sounds are heard, as if bubbles burst, the hiss of air is weak.

After the diagnosis of one ear, the doctor proceeds to check the second ear. The process of blowing by Politzer during the treatment of passability of the Eustachian tube is carried out with a frequency of several days, the average number of procedures is from 5 to 10, depending on the severity of the clinical case and the speed of recovery.

Possible complications

Blowing out the auditory tubes is an invasive procedure, and therefore there are always risks of complications during it. Common side effects after the procedure are as follows:

• Barotrauma of tympanic membranes – due to high air pressure, the membrane may be damaged or rupture;
• the development of a purulent form of otitis media, if the procedure was carried out despite a contraindication;
• the start of bleeding;
• emphysema spreading to the subcutaneous and peripharyngeal tissue.

During blowing, a dizzy spell may occur, or the appearance of noise effects in the ear. These side effects are not an indication for the abolition of the procedure.

Blowing the auditory tubes by Politzer causes the patient some discomfort. This method cannot be called highly effective; the procedure for the restoration of auditory tubes helps in no more than 30% of cases. In the absence of positive dynamics from this invasive method, another technique is performed – catheterisation, during which medications can be injected into the auditory tube, which significantly increases the chances of a full recovery.