Singer and actress IU has postponed her planned autumn concerts and the release of a full-length album due to the worsening of patulous Eustachian tube, drawing growing attention to the condition.
According to the medical community on the 21st, the Eustachian tube is a tube-shaped organ connecting the nose and the middle ear inside the ear. It normally stays closed but temporarily opens when swallowing saliva or yawning, regulating the pressure inside the middle ear.
However, when the Eustachian tube does not close normally and remains open more than necessary, patulous Eustachian tube develops. Representative symptoms include "autophony," in which one's own voice or breathing sounds loudly inside the ear, and a feeling of fullness in the ear.
IU decided to delay the album release and concert schedule after determining that normal singing and performing had become difficult as symptoms of the patulous Eustachian tube she has long suffered from recently worsened.
Through her official fan community the previous day, IU said, "The illness I have is not one that causes pain or makes daily life impossible." She added, "The symptoms originally came and went on their own, getting better and worse, but recently the symptoms have continued for several days day and night, and it has been repeatedly difficult to find my condition when singing."
She continued, "Having lived with this illness for several years, it doesn't significantly interfere with daily life, but singing is directly linked to the condition of my ears. Also, unlike studio recording, experts have advised that holding concerts, which involve a wide range of movement and a lot of sweating, would be too much for the time being."
This is not the first time IU has disclosed her patulous Eustachian tube. At a 2022 concert attended by about 40,000 people, she said, "Starting a year ago, I found myself in a situation where I could not control my ears. My ears got a little worse from the end of yesterday's performance, so I spent the time up to today's rehearsal like hell." At the time, she explained that her ear condition worsened as dehydration symptoms appeared after sweating heavily while performing in hot and humid weather.
When symptoms of patulous Eustachian tube appear, the ears may feel muffled as if underwater or hearing may seem to decline. Based on symptoms alone, it is sometimes mistaken for sudden hearing loss or Meniere's disease.
Symptoms sometimes appear temporarily and improve naturally, but in some cases they persist chronically and cause discomfort. Depending on the patient, symptoms may lessen when lying down and worsen when sitting or standing.
Rapid weight loss is cited as one of the factors that trigger patulous Eustachian tube. Around the Eustachian tube are fat and soft tissue that support the passage so it does not open easily. The explanation is that when weight is lost quickly, tissue in this area also decreases, which can affect the tube's function of closing normally.
Patulous Eustachian tube can also appear in patients who have lost significant weight during pulmonary tuberculosis or anti-cancer treatment. Diseases that cause muscle atrophy, such as cerebrovascular disease, motor neuron fiber disease, and multiple sclerosis, are also cited as causes. Research has also found a link to hormonal changes such as those from pregnancy.
Recently, there have also been reports of patulous Eustachian tube occurring in patients who lost substantial weight after using the obesity treatments Wegovy and Mounjaro. The causal relationship has not yet been clearly confirmed through large-scale research. However, it has been suggested that the change in which fat and soft tissue around the Eustachian tube decrease due to rapid weight loss may be involved in the onset of symptoms.
If related symptoms persist for more than a month, it is advisable to visit an otolaryngology clinic for an accurate diagnosis. Medical staff diagnose by checking the patient's medical history, observing eardrum movement in relation to breathing, or evaluating Eustachian tube function.
Treatment methods vary depending on the cause and severity of symptoms. Adequate hydration and lifestyle adjustments are implemented first, and nasal treatment, local treatment, or procedures may be considered as needed.
