Ear Infection & Changes to Tinnitus?

[Allan1967]

Hello,

I've had an ear infection since Monday the 16th September. Swab taken on 17th came back as Pseudomonas.

I've had a course of antibiotics, a couple of ear drops, swabbed again at the start of this week, told yesterday there was nothing in it. I have no pain, like I did on Thursday the 19th, I feel a bit blocked and doctors this week have old me there is still some signs of infection and a white mucus like build up on my ear drum and in the canal.

I was given Ciloxan drops on Thursday and from what I can tell these drops are less ototoxic than the gentamycin range which is also used to treat Pseudomonas.

My tinnitus currently seems very high pitched but focused on the right ear itself.

I've only used the drops since Thursday but I'm in panic mode because I don't want to do myself any damage with these drops yet if I do nothing the infection itself may cause damage.

Is it normal for an ear infection to make your tinnitus seem or react differently?

 

[Allan1967]

I'm told its possibly a thrush infection.

Advice anyone please? So far been told to stop all ear drops, go to GP and get swab done. Tinnitus in my right ear is bad at the minute.

 

[Star64]

I'm told its possibly a thrush infection.

Advice anyone please? So far been told to stop all ear drops, go to GP and get swab done. Tinnitus in my right ear is bad at the minute.

If it is a thrush infection you will need different ear drops than the ones you have been currently taking...

Anti fungal ear drops are required for thrush or fungal ear infections... Ear infections can cause all sorts of problems, including sound distortion, balance issues, pain and yes it definitely can impact on your tinnitus...

 

[Mandalay]

Hi there Allan,

I hope the infection doesn't increase your tinnitus permanently. It can happen, but it can also NOT happen.
I have had at least 7 ear infections already, I mean the so called "otitis media" and they have not increased my tinnitus.

The thing is, the infection makes the tinnitus a lot more prominent because of the swollen area. If it is going to stay increased or not I guess nobody really can predict.

I hope everything is going to subside for you, you suffered a lot the last time. I keep my fingers crossed for you because I have followed your recent postings.

It's autumn in Europe now, is it now the "time of the ear infections"?

Living in Germany I have many reports from friends dealing with ear infections and I also got one, actually.

But mine is not in the ear canal, it's fluid behind the eardrum.
Right now I also cannot get rid of it, I hope we will feel better soon!

 

[Allan1967]

I'm freaking out today because I'm getting nowhere fast with Doctors, all telling me different things and I can't get these areseholes to help me!

I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow after a week sick but my ear still isn't right and my anxiety is just as bad because of it.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Is it normal for an ear infection to make your tinnitus seem or react differently?

HI @Allan1967

An ear infection can often cause tinnitus and aggravate an existing condition. Someone I met through being a tinnitus support contact, 6 years ago had tinnitus brought on by an ear infection. She was in a lot of despair and I advised her ear infection can take up to 3 months to go and the tinnitus with it. It did take a while and eventually the tinnitus subsided.

We now correspond regularly on the telephone and tinnitus is hardly mentioned.

I suggest you follow the advice of your doctor and continue with the eardrops.

Hope you start to feel better soon.
Michael

 

[Allan1967]

HI @Allan1967

An ear infection can often cause tinnitus and aggravate an existing condition. Someone I met through being a tinnitus support contact, 6 years ago had tinnitus brought on by an ear infection. She was in a lot of despair and I advised her ear infection can take up to 3 months to go and the tinnitus with it. It did take a while and eventually the tinnitus subsided.

We now correspond regularly on the telephone and tinnitus is hardly mentioned.

I suggest you follow the advice of your doctor and continue with the eardrops.

Hope you start to feel better soon.
Michael

This is it. The drops aren't helping, but the drops I got are designed for bacteria, not fungal. I can't get them to listen.

All my trouble was caused by this kind of carry on 22 years ago.

 

[Michael Leigh]

This is it. The drops aren't helping, but the drops I got are designed for bacteria, not fungal. I can't get them to listen.

All my trouble was caused by this kind of carry on 22 years ago.

You need to be referred to an ENT doctor as this will be their area of expertise. If a GP is treating you explain how you feel. The fact that you have tinnitus which is problematic at the moment, you might be fast-tracked to seeing an ENT doctor quickly.

Just as suggestion.
Best of luck

Michael

 

[Daniel Lion]

I'm freaking out today because I'm getting nowhere fast with Doctors, all telling me different things and I can't get these areseholes to help me!

I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow after a week sick but my ear still isn't right and my anxiety is just as bad because of it.

Fuck me Allan, shit luck.
Go straight to the ENT, I don't know how things work the UK, but if you have one, just show up tomorrow and say it's an emergency. I am so sorry. I actually lost my hearing in my right ear for 24 hours and was scared shitless.
My son told me it was probably mucus backed up... he was right. I did gobble down about 50 milligrams of Valium to take the edge off... if you can score some Benzos, indulge in them to calm down.

Praying for you buddy... get better ASAP... and let us know...

Love you... got your back.

 

[Allan1967]

You need to be referred to an ENT doctor as this will be their area of expertise. If a GP is treating you explain how you feel. The fact that you have tinnitus which is problematic at the moment, you might be fast-tracked to seeing an ENT doctor quickly.

Just as suggestion.
Best of luck

Michael

Another swab another wait Michael. All the while Michael my tinnitus is focused on my right ear and high pitched.

 

[Allan1967]

Fuck me Allan, shit luck.
Go straight to the ENT, I don't know how things work the UK, but if you have one, just show up tomorrow and say it's an emergency. I am so sorry. I actually lost my hearing in my right ear for 24 hours and was scared shitless.
My son told me it was probably mucus backed up... he was right. I did gobble down about 50 milligrams of Valium to take the edge off... if you can score some Benzos, indulge in them to calm down.

Praying for you buddy... get better ASAP... and let us know...

Love you... got your back.

Another swab @Daniel Lion, another 2 to 3 day wait. Tinnitus just sitting in my right ear, screaming high. I'm losing the will to live. Nothing is going right. There must be an upward swing soon.

 

[Mandalay]

Hi Allan,

Did you go to the ENT or somewhere else?
In Germany all doctors now have to offer special times where emergency cases can visit them.
It means you could go everyday to the ENT if you have any problem.

It's not the same in the UK?

Usually they should know how to treat your symptoms, I wonder why the doctors you visit make it so complicated? I don't understand...

Can I ask you what happened 22 years ago? It sounded like doctors also did not do right at that
point in time. I also just saw on your profile that your tinnitus was caused by ear infection...

Also I guess you can't work like that and no wonder you are worried.

Good luck!

 

[Daniel Lion]

Another swab @Daniel Lion, another 2 to 3 day wait. Tinnitus just sitting in my right ear, screaming high. I'm losing the will to live. Nothing is going right. There must be an upward swing soon.

There will be an upward swing Allen, just get through this infection.
Shit happens. Once your ear is ok, back to tinnitus and coping.
Just get the infection sorted out, and let us know when you do, tnx.

 

[Allan1967]

There will be an upward swing Allen, just get through this infection.
Shit happens. Once your ear is ok, back to tinnitus and coping.
Just get the infection sorted out, and let us know when you do, tnx.

That's almost what I'm scared of Daniel. Back to tinnitus and trying to cope.

 

[Daniel Lion]

That's almost what I'm scared of Daniel. Back to tinnitus and trying to cope.

Don't be scared...
Get rid of the infection...
We will learn to manage the tinnitus... and actually in a few years, there will be real medical treatments to help us.
First, get rid of the infection...
Then, step by step...
That's all we can do my friend.
Let me know when the infection is gone...
Then we can deal with the ringing.
Peace.

 

[Star64]

Another swab @Daniel Lion, another 2 to 3 day wait. Tinnitus just sitting in my right ear, screaming high. I'm losing the will to live. Nothing is going right. There must be an upward swing soon.

Hang in there Allan, as you probably know ear infections can take a while to resolve. Let's hope once the results come back that a targeted plan of action can move things quickly in the right direction for you...

I think your tinnitus will settle somewhat once your body is no longer fighting off the infection... It is a fine line between bacterial and thrush/fungal infections because as you are probably aware the antibiotics to treat bacterial infections is often what leads to a thrush infection.

The antibiotics are like bombs going off inside our bodies to kill off the bad guys but unfortunately they take out a few innocent ones in the process which can cause further problems. You wont know if this is the case with you until your results are back.

I fully understand that you are worried and this is normal, but try and rest up as much as possible and make sure you have adequate fluid intake...

 

[Allan1967]

As some of you know I've had an ear infection these last fee weeks. 10 days ago two swabs said it was clear. My hearing has been muffled last week but seems better this week and I'm not walking around pulling faces like I'm eating a hot chip.

Anyway... today I got the all too familiar pin-prick pain sensations a few times in my right ear. I got to see a doctor tonight and he said there is a red inflamed patch in the centre of my ear drum, around it looked grey and 'not as healthy as the left ear'. I've had one or two popping sensations too.

He gave me a course of amoxicillin in case it flares up into something and I can get something quick.

Should I start taking it or wait and see? Doctor was basically saying wait and see but part of me thinks get in there early and catch it before it starts. Or I could give it a blast with one of the drops that was prescribed?

What would you do?

 

[ajc]

He gave me a course of amoxicillin in case it flares up into something and I can get something quick.

Should I start taking it or wait and see?

Take the amoxicillin. It's a safe antibiotic for tinnitus sufferers and can avoid you a lot of trouble.

 

[GregCA]

As some of you know I've had an ear infection these last fee weeks. 10 days ago two swabs said it was clear. My hearing has been muffled last week but seems better this week and I'm not walking around pulling faces like I'm eating a hot chip.

Anyway... today I got the all too familiar pin-prick pain sensations a few times in my right ear. I got to see a doctor tonight and he said there is a red inflamed patch in the centre of my ear drum, around it looked grey and 'not as healthy as the left ear'. I've had one or two popping sensations too.

He gave me a course of amoxicillin in case it flares up into something and I can get something quick.

Should I start taking it or wait and see? Doctor was basically saying wait and see but part of me thinks get in there early and catch it before it starts. Or I could give it a blast with one of the drops that was prescribed?

What would you do?

I would keep monitoring my ear drum with my otoscope and see how it evolves. If it worsens I'd probably lean towards taking the antibiotics.

 

[Allan1967]

Hi all,

I had an ear infection at the beginning of October 2019. When my right ear was full and muffled I started to hear 2 new noises, one like bells, the other like a wet wine glass rim being rubbed.

As the ear infection and the muffled sensations left the two new noises stayed. The bells has disappeared but the wine glass noise has stayed, sometimes staying with me all day. Sometimes it disappears, others its quite invasive.

It's only last month, so 6-7 weeks this has been with me.

What are the chances of this disappearing or healing?

My main noise... a high pitched tone has also been pretty intense too and I get a hum in my right ear mainly, which I'm pretty sure is related to mh blood pressure which is pretty much 135/103 these days.

All in all I'm pretty sick... the high pitched is like having glass in my head.

Any positive thoughts welcome.

 

[ajc]

6-7 weeks this has been with me.

What are the chances of this disappearing or healing?

Unfortunately I think two months of a new tinnitus sound is a pretty bad sign... but not hopeless!

If it's still there after 6 months, then consider you have to learn to live with it.

 

[Allan1967]

Unfortunately I think two months of a new tinnitus sound is a pretty bad sign... but not hopeless!

If it's still there after 6 months, then consider you have to learn to live with it.

It's on and off.

 

[Seymour]

Unfortunately I think two months of a new tinnitus sound is a pretty bad sign... but not hopeless!

If it's still there after 6 months, then consider you have to learn to live with it.

Well considering ear infections can take 3 months to heal fully I wouldn't throw in the towel yet.

 

[Allan1967]

Well considering ear infections can take 3 months to heal fully I wouldn't throw in the towel yet.

3 months? Can I ask where you get that from please?

 

[GregCA]

3 months? Can I ask where you get that from please?

It took my wife weeks to get rid of her tinnitus after her infection cleared.

Did you take antibiotics to treat your infection?

 

[Seymour]

3 months? Can I ask where you get that from please?

From my doctor. You'll usually feel well sooner but you may have some residual effects for up to 3 months.

 

[Kriszti]

From my doctor. You'll usually feel well sooner but you may have some residual effects for up to 3 months.

And can you develop tinnitus which is connected to the original infection like 1,5 month later? I had a mysterious infection with clogged ears and much liquid leaking from my ears the whole August and started having tinnitus 14th October. Can the two events be related?

 

[Allan1967]

Did you take antibiotics to treat your infection?

Yes.

 

[Michael Leigh]

3 months? Can I ask where you get that from please?

HI @Allan1967

The advice @Seymour has given you is correct. Ear infections are notorious for taking a long time to clear up and the tinnitus with it. I once counselled someone that had an ear infection that took over 3 months to clear up. She telephoned me a lot due to the distress but eventually the infection did go and the tinnitus too. That was around 5 years ago. We talk on the telephone at least twice a week and tinnitus is rarely mentioned.

Try to take your attention away from the tinnitus by doing things that you enjoy and if possible don't read up any information about this on the Internet. Just give it time for everything to calm down. It took me 4 years to habituate for the 2nd time hopefully it won't take you as long.

Keep strong.
All the best

Michael

 

[Allan1967]

HI @Allan1967

The advice @Seymour has given you is correct. Ear infections are notorious for taking a long time to clear up and the tinnitus with it. I once counselled someone that had an ear infection that took over 3 months to clear up. She telephoned me a lot due to the distress but eventually the infection did go and the tinnitus too. That was around 5 years ago. We talk on the telephone at least twice a week and tinnitus is rarely mentioned.

Try to take your attention away from the tinnitus by doing things that you enjoy and if possible don't read up any information about this on the Internet. Just give it time for everything to calm down. It took me 4 years to habituate for the 2nd time hopefully it won't take you as long.

Keep strong.
All the best

Michael

My infection has gone its just the additional noise that remains. I wantbto believe it will settle but am worried its yet another curse i have to deal with. Last night was dreadful and im scared that it will gevome a regular feature.

I just dont know where to turn at all.