Root canal and ear problem

niall_walsh

Hi all.

I had a root canal treatment yesterday. Great to have pain gone however i am experiencing a fullness in my left ear above where the procedure took place. I am surprised to have this feeling as earlier in the year i had a vent placed through the ear drum to cure this problem as i have a eucstian tube dysfunction. Now i am thinking it was all related to my tooth.......any views or similar experiences and most importantly cures?

res ipsa

Pain/altered sensation in the TM Joint from mouth opening for a protracted period?

niall_walsh

firstly thanks for reply.
Don't know if this is so. Constant feeling like the ear is blocked now 1 week on from procedure. Dentist thinks possible internal inflamation causing obstruction of tube. Not really sure what to think. I am experiencing no pain.

res ipsa

I searched the Journal of |Endodontics under "ear" and "eustachian" & the only half relevant thing that came up was related to barodontalgia, which amusingly we are discussing on another thread.
If you have the clincal term for the device that was inserted, I will search under that.


Facial Barotrauma and Emphysema-related Barodontalgia

Barotitis media is the most common reaction of aviators to altitude-related pressure changes (3). In rapid descent, the negative pressure developed in the middle ear is usually not resolved spontaneously by the one-way fluttered auditory (Eustachian) tube. As a result, a partial vacuum is created, and barotitis media may result, with tympanic membrane retracting and, later, hemorrhaging as well as vascular engorgement occurring. The symptoms of barotitis media range from ear discomfort to intense pain, tinnitus, vertigo with nausea, and deafness 41, 42. The pain can be referred to the oral region (43). The management of barotitis media includes pressure relief by the Valsalva maneuver or altitude change. On-ground treatment includes antihistamine and systematic as well as topical decongestant. Resistant cases can be managed by systematic prednisone (40-60 mg/d for 4 to 7 days). Surgical perforation of the tympanic membrane is not a treatment of choice, unless there is an emergent need for flying (3).
External otitic barotrauma is mostly caused by the misuse of earplugs. During descent, the relative pressure in that closed cell is negative (compared with outer pressure); thus, the external layer of the tympanic membrane epithelium or of the external canal epithelium (or both) may be sucked away from the underlying tissue. Subepithelial hemorrhagic areas can then be formed. The process of stripping the epithelial layer may be accompanied by pain (3). Gibbons (44) reported external otitic barotrauma caused by expansion of air in earphones expressed as barodontalgia. The immediate management in case of external otitic barotrauma is the adjustment of the earplug (3).

niall_walsh

Thanks again.

The procedure i had was called a myringotomy. ie a grommet(vent) put through the ear drum to alleviate persistant ear infections.

Thanks for all your help

res ipsa

Sorry, nothing coming up under either of those terms.

Big_G

I would go along with Res on this one. Anatomically, the TM joint is closely related to the ear. Swelling of the joint or altered sensation could produce symptoms like you are describing.

Not to mention the chorda tympani which is a peculiar little nerve branch that goes on a very winding course throughout the head, part of which passes through the eardrum. Could be contributing.