Ear Issues

I'm having issues with my left ear (down in the Eustachian tube) again. I'm trying to to what I can to take care of it with over-the-counter stuff before I haul myself to the doctor (where they usually tell me they can't do anything). I'm starting to wonder if at some point I won't need to get a tube put in that ear. I seem to have trouble with this ear about the same time every year and it is getting really annoying. I could handle it being stuffed up, I just don't like the dizziness. Someone had suggested ginger tablets for the nausea so I am trying that too.