Q: I am a 32 years old man, suffering from sinusitis. I feel heaviness in the area surrounding the ears and I feel as if someone is piercing a nail near my ear lobes or near the ear drum. I have hazy vision; my ophthalmologist says it may be due to the imbalance in ear fluid. My SENT specialist says I need to get a CT scan of my nasal and ear region done. There is a lot of irritation in my nasal passage. I get the feeling to cough out my phlegm but it seems to get choked near my gullet. While walking I feel a lump in my mouth and I have to gulp to clear my passage. I get a tingling sensation in my right hand fingers. My specialist is asking me to go in for a cardiovascular examination and diabetes test. My diabetes test is normal. I am using Otina ear drops, Mox 500mg tablets 1-1-1 and Neurobion forte 1BD. What tests should be done and what precautions should I take? I also feel as if water is draining out of my head during the onset of the problem.

A:The problem that you have is somewhat related to the working of the tube that balances the pressure in your ear and outside - the eustachian tube, in scientific terms. The thickening of the secretions that are being produced normally by your nose and the sinuses, these thick secretions get stuck in the sinuses and cause heaviness and headaches. They get stuck in the throat causing feeling of obstruction and lump. When the tube gets blocked it causes the pain in ear and you feel a ringing sensation. An ENT checkup is mandatory and also your ENT surgeon is right in suggesting a CT scan, just to confirm the status of the sinuses and the condition of the bone around the ear. Though by your history, all seems okay but it is still better to be on the safer side and follow the advise of your ENT specialist.