Contents
Blowing the auditory tubes according to Politzer is a special method in otolaryngology that allows you to eliminate diseases of the hearing organs. The method involves the introduction of air through the auditory canal into the middle ear. For the procedure, a Politzer balloon and an otoscope are used.
Immediately before the procedure itself, the doctor thoroughly rinses the nasal passages to remove all mucous accumulations. In order to prevent swelling of the nasopharynx, vasoconstrictor drops are used. After cleansing the nasopharynx, a disposable sterile tip is inserted into it, which is manually clamped by the wing of the nostril, thus creating a hermetic space in the nasal passage.
An otoscope is used to examine the patient’s ear canal. The patient slowly and articulately pronounces the word pa-ro-hod or another word with vowels and counts from one to three. During the period of naming vowels, the doctor opens the valve, and the air flow from the balloon enters the auditory tube.
Blowing the auditory tubes according to Politzer must be carried out by an experienced and highly qualified ENT doctor. Failure to follow the rules of the procedure can seriously harm the health of the patient.
During the period of air intake, the doctor must necessarily hear the same as the patient: a clean ear canal is accompanied by a hiss; in the presence of obstacles, corresponding clicks are heard; in the presence of sulfuric or purulent formations, the sound of boiling is heard.
The procedure is alternately performed on two ears. In order to restore the normal condition of the ear canal, it is necessary to carry out at least five procedures on each ear. Between procedures, you need to observe an interval of one to two days. The doctor monitors the reaction of the patient’s body to the procedure and can adjust the duration of the intervals. If the first three procedures did not show positive dynamics, the doctor selects other methods of treatment.
Indications, contraindications and complications
Blowing the auditory tubes according to Politzer is carried out in the presence of the following diseases: echo in the head and increased audibility of one’s voice; temporary partial deafness; feeling of congestion in the ear canals; pain in the ear area; lack of ventilation and drainage functions of the ear (ears); complications after a severe stage of otitis media. If the patient has an inflammatory process in the nasal or oral cavity, the procedure is not performed, since it is possible to provoke the spread of infection into the middle ear, as a result of which serious complications and purulent otitis media are visualized. If all procedures are carried out according to the rules, excluding contraindications, then the invasive blowing of the auditory tubes according to Politzer is completely safe and does not cause any complications.
Of the possible complications, it is still worth noting:
- nose and ear bleeding;
- accumulation of air in the subcutaneous tissue;
- purulent otitis media;
- trauma or rupture of the tympanic septum.
All side effects can occur only if there are inexperienced and unprofessional actions of a doctor, carefully choose a clinic and a doctor!
In addition to complications, side effects may also be observed, including: dizziness and tinnitus. It should be noted that these side effects are not an indicator for canceling the procedure.
It is contraindicated to carry out the procedure for patients with the presence of: mental disorders and neurological diseases; acute infectious and inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx; acute viral diseases. It is important to take into account contraindications, since one procedure can significantly aggravate the patient’s state of health.
Disadvantages of the procedure and alternative
Among the shortcomings, it is worth noting the low percentage of the effectiveness of the procedure during the restoration of the patency of the auditory tubes – a positive trend is observed only in twenty to thirty percent of patients. The method is bad. Not recommended for small children. It is worth noting that, according to doctors, the procedure will be more effective if catheterization of the auditory tubes is used, since the method allows the introduction of appropriate drugs into the middle ear.
Some doctors may use an alternative method, dynamic tympanometry. The method allows you to determine the pressure in the tympanic cavity to calculate the gradient when conducting various tests.
Blowing at home
The Politzer method of blowing the ear canal is not recommended to be done on your own at home, as there is a risk of serious injury. At home, you can use alternative methods of self-blowing your ears, which are more gentle.
Valsalva method – the patient must take a deep breath, then cover the nostrils with his hands and exhale as much as possible through the closed nose, as if trying to push the air. In this case, air will enter the auditory canal, and as a result, it will blow through. This procedure is carried out several times, but is not recommended for people with high blood pressure and severe migraines.
Toynbee method – close the nose with fingers, water is drawn into the mouth and swallowed. The procedure is repeated until the ear congestion completely disappears.
The Otovent method is carried out by using the Otovent equipment (a rubber ball with a special nozzle). The nozzle is inserted into one nostril, and when closing the second, you need to try to inflate the balloon with your nose. The nostrils are activated alternately. In order to completely get rid of stuffy ears, it is necessary to carry out several procedures.
No matter how strong the desire to cope with stuffy ears on your own, it is still recommended to visit an otolaryngologist’s consultation. The doctor will not only prescribe and carry out a procedure to eliminate hearing loss, but also determine the cause of the problem, prescribe medication, etc. Remember, self-treatment can cause serious negative consequences!