3. Smoking
Smoking can damage small hairs in the ears called cilia. The Cilia help protect the ears from infections and prevent too much mucus from building up inside the ear canal and near the eardrum. When the cilia are damaged they cannot work properly and aren’t able to control the mucus buildup. It will eventually move to the eustachian tubes where it can become trapped and cause infections and tube dysfunction. Without the cilia to help clear out the mucus, the problem will get worse.
Smokers can sometimes clean the mucous and build up in their ears but pinching their nose and pretending to blow it. This helps send air through the eustachian tubes and may help force out the fluid. If there isn’t an infection in the eustachian tubes, antibiotics may be prescribed to help treat it. Stopping smoking may allow the cilia to recover and reduce the severity of the eustachian tube dysfunction.