Non Surgical Solutions

The choice to have surgery of any kind is not to be taken lightly. While the risks associated with the vast majority of PET surgical procedures are relatively minor, they are nonetheless there. The following information is provided to help you learn about options that exist - not all doctors support each of the options listed below.

Lifestyle and Behavioral Measures

  • Hydration: Staying well-hydrated can help reduce symptoms.

  • Weight management: Sudden weight loss can worsen PET; maintaining healthy body weight may help.

  • Positional adjustments: Leaning forward, lying down, or tilting the head may relieve symptoms temporarily.

  • Yoga and breathing exercises: Stress and anxiety can worsen PET symptoms, making you more aware of autophony (hearing your own voice or breathing loudly). Breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation lower stress levels, which may reduce symptom severity. Yoga can help, but we’ve found more strenuous exercises can make matters worse.

Medical/Therapeutic Treatments

  • Nasal rinses: Eg. Neil Med Sinus Rinse

    • Moisturize the nasal passages

      • Dry nasal and throat tissues can worsen the sensation of autophony (hearing your own voice or breathing loudly).

      • Saline rinses keep mucosa moist, which may reduce PET symptoms. by keeping the entrace to the eustchian tube plump and closed

      • Gentle saline or buffered rinses help normalize mucosa function and can improve Eustachian tube patency indirectly.

  • Patulend or Citrus-based Water:

    • PatulEND works by physically supporting the Eustachian tube opening with a mucosa-thickening agent, helping the tube stay closed, which reduces PET symptoms like autophony. It’s safe, non-surgical, and targeted specifically for this condition.

    • Lemon juice works as well and can be administered with part distilled water through a dropper or a Neil Med Sinus Rinse device.

  • Nasal or Eustachian tube sprays: Saline or estrogen drops may be used to help reduce tube patency.