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Can a simple nasal dilator quiet the ear symptoms of patulous eustachian tube?

NCT ID NCT07796139

Symptom relief Sponsor: The Methodist Hospital Research Institute Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 31, 2026 · Last updated Sep 01, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether wearing a small nasal dilator inside the nostrils can reduce symptoms of patulous Eustachian tube dysfunction, a condition where the Eustachian tube stays open and makes a person's own voice and breathing sound loud in the ear. About 50 adults at Houston Methodist will wear the device for 3 to 4 weeks and complete symptom surveys before, right after first use, and at a follow-up visit. The trial aims to see if this over-the-counter device, already used for stuffy nose and snoring, can ease ear fullness and improve daily comfort.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
A small, soft nasal dilator worn inside the nostrils to hold the nasal passage open
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a simple, over-the-counter option to ease the ear fullness and loud self-voice that come with patulous Eustachian tube dysfunction.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early study with no comparison group, so results may not apply broadly. The device may not relieve symptoms for everyone, and some people might find it uncomfortable.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 50 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Apr 2026

Expected to finish

Apr 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 years or older * Treated by a clinician in the Houston Methodist Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery * Positive response to the Cottle maneuver * Able and willing to provide informed consent * Able to complete study surveys * Willing to avoid starting new therapies directed at patulous Eustachian tube during the study window unless medically necessary Exclusion Criteria: * Active middle-ear disease at screening * Significant nasal pathology precluding safe use of a nasal dilator * Known intolerance or hypersensitivity to nasal dilators * Any condition judged by the investigator to increase risk or confound assessments * Unable to provide informed consent * Cognitive impairment preventing completion of study surveys * Non-English speaking, as the PHI-10 and study materials are currently available only in English * Pregnant * Prisoner

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

eustachian tube disorder patulous eustachian tube

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Eustachian tube dysfunction Patulous eustachian tube dysfunction

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Houston Methodist Hospital - Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

    RECRUITING

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

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