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  • Ear problems driving me mad, help! :-)
  • woody2000
    Full Member

    For nearly 3 weeks I’ve had a fullness in my right ear, accompanied by loss of hearing and an amplification in my existing tinnitus. Went to see the docs last week, fluid behind the ear drum apparently. Gave me a nasal spray and told me to come back in a couple of weeks if it didn’t improve. I don’t think I can stand it for another couple of weeks to be honest, it’s driving me to distraction and sleep is suffering a little (as are my family, it’s making me grumpier than usual).

    Anyone have any experience with this? What would the next step be realistically? Any tips for shifting the “fluid”?

    TIA 🙂

    perchypanther
    Free Member

    Sure it isn’t one of these?

    mikey-simmo
    Free Member

    Do you have an a&he unit which has an ent section? You’d be in for a wait but could put your mind at rest.

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    unfitgeezer
    Free Member

    I’d be straight back to Gp to get referred to ENT so they can investigate properly!

    Went to my gp similar thing refered straight away no way of telling what’s wrong until is been looked at by someone that knows what theyare looking at.

    Waiting for my Mri results

    Your doc sounds rubbish

    beefheart
    Free Member

    woody2000
    Full Member

    ENT was mentioned as next step. GP said he could see fluid so I have to take his word for that, he asked if I’d had a cold or anything (I’d had a very mild one about 3 weeks ago). It hasn’t improved in any way since the symptoms started 🙁

    I’ll see if I can get another appt for a referral, presumably I can ask to be referred?

    EDIT – beefheart, I’ve considered that, believe you me. That and a gun…..

    perchypanther
    Free Member

    beefheart – Good god man! We’re not savages. This is the 21st Century….

    opusone
    Free Member

    Does this sound about right?

    http://patient.info/health/eustachian-tube-dysfunction

    I’ve had that before – it’s unpleasant and it can last a while but it does go away.

    unfitgeezer
    Free Member

    Yes you can ask to be referred

    woody2000
    Full Member

    opusone – that’s it in a nutshell. Mine’s obviously a longer lasting episode for whatever reason!

    fin25
    Free Member

    I’ve had this problem for years, had grommets put in a few years ago, did the trick for a while but now symptoms are worse than ever. Every time I eat I go deaf, so have to sniff loudly between mouthfuls to get some hearing back. Tinnitus is constant, but doesn’t bother me too much. It is always worse over winter and every time I get a cold it’s horrible on my ears.
    Go to ENT, get grommets fitted.

    opusone
    Free Member

    Without wanting to sound terribly boring, I’d follow your GP’s advice – i.e. use the nasal spray as prescribed and give it a couple of weeks. If it doesn’t improve, try to make another appointment to discuss it again +/- and ENT referral. If you do end up getting referred and it (thankfully) clears up before you get to see someone at ENT so you don’t need/want to go to the appointment, make sure you let them know so they can give the appointment to someone else. Hope you feel better soon.

    fieldy
    Free Member

    Same as Fin25. I suffered for quite a while, going through mountains of antibiotics only for the damn thing to come back again. I was referred to ENT at the local hospital who diagnosed a ‘gluey ear’ apparently very common in young children but not in adults the best side of 40? Had a grommet fitted under general anesthetic and it cleared up for almost a year. Now it comes and goes and I have to get used to the fact that I have lost some of the hearing in it. However my other ear is super human so it doesn’t matter much…I can hear a 10 pence drop five miles away…or is that because I’m from Yorkshire 😀

    woody2000
    Full Member

    Update for anyone that might be remotely interested….

    Been to see ENT consultant/audiologist – nothing in my ear, no fluid or wax etc. Hearing in right hear is way down on normal especially at high frequencies & tinnitus is worse than ever and driving me bonkers. Booked in for an MRI but that’s not expected to reveal anything.

    Don’t really understand how I go from normal hearing (barring very mild tinnitus which was totally manageable) to almost overnight being partially deaf with tinnitus so loud I can hear it even with background noise at a decent volume.

    Anyone got any tips for dealing with the tinnitus? I’ve been close to shoving a bloody screwdriver in there…..

    survivor
    Full Member

    Had some good advice off someone who spent a lot of money trying to fix tinnitus. You can’t basically but have to learn to accept it and ignore it! not what your wanting to hear I know but the process works similar to cognitive behavioral therapy. Change your reaction to it and it has less effect on you.

    I followed his advice and it does work. I can now almost tune in and out of it. It’s always there but I try not to react to it.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)

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