Feeling of Fullness in the Ear?

[Louise]

Hi Louise

I used to feel exactly the same. I was convinced that it was fluid & that something should be done. I had mild labyrinthitis years ago & I kept doing the test for it when I went dizzy. So I spent about 2 or 3 weeks (in month 3) believing the same as you do now. But then it changed. The dizziness went away.. the feeling of fullness came and went and the headaches started to dimish & now they've gone.

Your T could be exactly what you think it is though because we could all have different causes and we're no experts. All we can do is share our own experiences.

I'm so sorry you're still not sleeping. Have you tried having white noise mixed with rain playing right beside your head at night? It's the only thing that works for me when it's bad at night. Having slept the night before can really help when trying to cope during the day.

Mine is buzzing today - I prefer it when it tinkles.. so much easier to cope with.

Stay strong.. maybe yours will change too.

Click

Thanks Click.

I have done purple noise (which I find better than white) when Im in bed but Im so used to sleeping with earplugs that any sound wakes me now. So I either go insane with T or be woken up all nght be traffic/dogs barking/house noises.

I've been put in touch with a Hearing Therapist near where I work who is supposed to be very good. She rang last night but I was in an area with no signal so just got her voicemail later. Hopefully I'll see her and get some coping mechanisms in place. All this just because of one night out. One night's stupidity.

 

[DezDog]

Louise, ease up on yourself. You're giving yourself a hard time, and it really isn't helping you. What if, just what if, you were going to wake up the next day with T anyway? You'll have been directing all this negativity at yourself for nothing (it's for nothing anyway); it leads to depression and anxiety and these are things we need to be working on leaving behind! When we're younger, we go to concerts, our ears ring, we get over it. When we're a bit older, we have the ability to worry about it a lot more and ignite a vicious circle; the anxiety then feeds on itself. What if that's all that's happened to you? Just another loud night, after day with the top down in the car, and you just wondered if something was actually *damaged* this time, when really it wasn't?

Even if none of this feels likely, you can still benefit by taking a position as if it *were* true. You can stop thinking about a night of "stupidity" and remember the good bits and focus on some positive stuff instead, try and think how *little* effect T is having on your life.

Well, that turned into a bit of a sermon, sorry . Love yourself a bit, that's all.
DD

 

[Louise]

I can now give some info on this fullness in the ear feeling.... I've had Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage and it has sorted it. The tinnitus ear feels hardly any different to the other one now. It hasnt at all reduced the noise but I didnt expect it to. But its nice to not have the awful fullness feeling at least.

My stress is very high as the T has got worse again but the feeling of fullness is still gone.

Must be some problem with lymph movement after you've damaged your ears with noise.

 

[aliglitter]

Hi I'm new here. I was wondering if anyone ever had this problem?

I discovered that I had some sort of tinnitus around last October. I never went to the doctor but I thought I had acquired it by going to concerts without hearing protection (stupid I know) and there was nothing I could do about it. That last part of last year was so depressing and stressful but I had learned to deal with it and cope with it eventually that for the most part it wasn't so bad that I could sleep with it without using any masking.

However, all of the sudden...I want to say that it was around this Thursday where I had felt my right ear to seem "clogged" and there is a persistent high pitched ringing that is constant. I've never had it this bad before. There's nothing I can do to pop it...holding my nose and blowing doesn't help, yawning or chewing gum doesn't help. It just feels fully "clogged". I don't know if it's air or fluid trapped in there? I am not sick...but had been sneezing a few times earlier in the week which may be due to allergies? But no runny nose. I used mineral oil thinking it could be ear wax but didn't get anything out...maybe I just made it worse.

The ringing it the right ear has made sounds sensitive. If I hear a loud noise it will amplify the loud ringing in my ear...like the toilet flushing. If I cover my left ear I can hear that in my right ear as well. However I can still hear things somewhat clearly if I cover up my left ear but I hear the ringing still and more prominent. It sounds somewhat muffled.

I'm planning on going to get checked out...but does anyone know what this might be? Anything I should stress out over? I don't want to be deaf!


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[click]

Aliglitter - it doesn't necessarily mean you have an infection - in the eustachian tubes or elsewhere.

Many of us with tinntus experience the 'clogged' full feeling that you have described.

Obviously it's advisable to get it checked out to eliminate any obvious cause like an infection but don't panic if they tell you that they can't see anything wrong. It also doesn't mean that you're going deaf.

The full feeling will probably subside as it has done for most of us. Don't panic. Read some posts in here from Erik, Markku, Dezdog, Karl and Louise... and post again in here if it helps. For the sensitivity to sound, try not to block normal sounds out - concentrate on not damaging your ears with exceptionally loud sounds but ensure that you don't gravitate to silence because of the sensitivity.

Let us know what happens when you get checked. Remember that anxiety is your worst enemy - far worse than the ringing and clogged feeling. Stay calm.

Click

 

[aliglitter]

Thanks for the reply click. For some reason I have a feeling it just might be my "tinnitus". I actually wished it was something else, lol.

When I woke up today it felt a bit better. It didn't feel as clogged anymore and no constant ringing like before, but it's still sensitive to sounds. The tinnitus will echo the pitches it's hearing. Don't know if it will clear itself out of this later on because it's kind of annoying. Not sure what I did to help it with the unclogged feeling. I did take one antibiotic just in case it was an infection and 2 dramamine before I went to bed (not sure if that med ever helped with me though) and I swabbed antibiotic cream in my ear canals. Maybe the moisture opened it up?

Both of my ears suffer to T, but I think my right one is worse. It also suffered an ear infection when I was younger.

I can also hear/feel it in my ear when I breathe in. Is this normal?

 

[jazz]

aliglitter,

Please don't pop your ears. That's how I got tinnitus. You might be suffering from allergies, or allergies might be making your tinnitus worse. I don't have any classic allergy symptoms, but my ears often feel full. I take inhaled steroids for them. I don't like taking steroids, but the inhaled ones are supposedly safe. Anyway, you might want to talk to your ENT about it. This is the one drug they give out for many reasons. The ENT's tool box is pretty empty, but inhaled steroids do wonder for inflammation with little adverse effects.

 

[aliglitter]

Not sure if anyone wanted an update...but I think it was an infection of some sort since it finally cleared up (with antibiotics) and no loud ringing...although I still have the normal tinnitus before then. Actually at one point I got into bed one night and kept hearing a buzzing sound but didn't see any bug...wasn't sure if it was me or something else. Ugh, I hate when tinnitus gets like that!

 

[Mahdi]

Allergies surely play assistants to the devil of tinnitus in torturing the victims.

 

[jazz]

Not sure if anyone wanted an update...but I think it was an infection of some sort since it finally cleared up (with antibiotics) and no loud ringing...although I still have the normal tinnitus before then. Actually at one point I got into bed one night and kept hearing a buzzing sound but didn't see any bug...wasn't sure if it was me or something else. Ugh, I hate when tinnitus gets like that!

Great news! Allergies, colds, flu--anything that effects your upper respiratory system can--and will--wreck havoc with your tinnitus. But it's almost always temporary. Thank goodness for little miracles!

 

[Lucy]

The word "fullness" is mentioned in quite a number of posts. Could someone explain to me exactly the sensation they experience.

Thank you.

 

[Hudson]

Does anyone else feel like their ears feel full constantly? Mine have been like that more or less since I got tinnitus. I do smoke cigars... which I don't know if that contributes to it, causes or not. I feel like I need to habitually pop my ears though, and they insantly feel less full, but then 10 minutes later I need to do it again. That was kind of a habit I did even when I was not worried about my tinnitus. Feedback would be great about anyone elses' personal experience with this, if this is normal or what. My audiogram says I have "normal" hearing, but the fullness and tinnitus have always made me wonder.

 

[jazz]

Hi Hudson,

I had the exact same problem so I must warn you about popping your ears. Gently popping my ears last summer gave me tinnitus. The pressure just backfired into my inner ear; I heard a cymbal sound--oddly, a pretty noise--then a week later: tinnitus. (A very ugly noise as we all know!)

Anyway, there are many reasons for ear fullness, and it usually accompanies tinnitus rather than preceding it as in my a case. As you know, smoking is not good for your ears as it promotes inflammation in your entire sinus/ear loop. And ear fullness, whatever else it may be, is an inflammation problem. (My fullness was from eustachian tube dysfunction, i.e., swollen tubes.)

Long story short, I used Nasonex, and within days my fullness was gone. I've tried to come off the drug a few times, but the fullness always returns. Talk to your ENT or GP. He/she might recommend it. No real side effects, but I don't think smoking with nasal steroids is a good idea. Nasal steroids are given both for ear fullness (from ETD) as well as allergies. Not many tools in the ENT toolbox!! The steroids won't increase you tinnitus--but won't decrease it either.

 

[Hudson]

Ugg, I suppose that the smoking of cigars does cause inflammation in my E tubes and by proxy probably my middle ear. I should stop it and see if the fullness and or ringing gets any better. Either way I know it's not good for me, just a habit when I'm feeling nervous about the T.

 

[carlover]

Hi ,this eustachian tube dysfunction ,is it a crutch we hold on to I wonder.I have fullness ,feel ears need popping ,but when i put my hearing aids In ,that fullness eases off.I have allways felt my eustchian tube is not functioning properly (ear pressure tests ,normal) and have held on to the notion "once I get my ETD sorted..... but I sadly think Its a red herring.I think its actually just another symptom of tinnitus.

 

[jazz]

Hi ,this eustachian tube dysfunction ,is it a crutch we hold on to I wonder.I have fullness ,feel ears need popping ,but when i put my hearing aids In ,that fullness eases off.I have allways felt my eustchian tube is not functioning properly (ear pressure tests ,normal) and have held on to the notion "once I get my ETD sorted..... but I sadly think Its a red herring.I think its actually just another symptom of tinnitus.

There's some literature that suggests if you have ETD and can alleviate it, this will reduce--not necessarily eliminate--your tinnitus. The problem with ETD is a lack of therapeutics. Just like tinnitus, there's not much physicians can do with the disorder. This seems to be a common problem with all ear-related injuries. You're on your own! (But ENT's seem to believe nasal steroids help; this has not been my case, but at least the fullness and discomfort are gone.)

 

[jazz]

@Carlover: ETD is a symptom of tinnitus; but it can also cause it. Alas, it doesn't matter much as most ETD cannot be corrected.

@Hudson: You may find this article interesting. If you go to the link, you can read it in its entirety:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22869482

Yonsei Med J. 2012 Sep;53(5):985-91. doi: /10.3349/ymj.2012.53.5.985.
Clinical manifestations of aural fullness.

Park MS, Lee HY, Kang HM, Ryu EW, Lee SK, Yeo SG.
Source

Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract

PURPOSE:​

Even though aural fullness is ubiquitous among patients presenting to otolaryngology clinics, the association between aural fullness and disease development has not yet been clearly determined.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:​

Our study was performed on outpatients from June 2006 to February 2010 whose major complaint was "ear fullness", "aural fullness", or "ear pressure". We assessed their demographic and clinical characteristics, including sex, associated diseases, symptoms, otoscopic findings, audiology test results, and final diagnoses.

RESULTS:​

Among 432 patients, 165 (38.2%) were males and 267 (61.8%) were females, with mean ages of 42±19 years and 47±17 years, respectively. Tinnitus, hearing disturbance, autophony (p<0.01) as well as nasal obstruction and sore throat (p<0.05) showed a statistically significant correlation with aural fullness. Among patients who complained of hearing fullness, tests and measures such as impedance audiometry, speech reception threshold, and pure tone audiometry generated statistically significant results (p<0.05). Ear fullness was most frequently diagnosed as Eustachian tube dysfunction (28.9%), followed by otitis media with effusion (13.4%) and chronic otitis media (7.2%). However, 13.4% of patients could not be definitively diagnosed.

CONCLUSION:​

Among patients complaining of ear fullness, Eustachian tube dysfunction, otitis media with effusion, chronic otitis media were most commonly observed. Performance of otoscopy, nasal endoscopy, the Valsalva maneuver, and additional audiological tests is necessary to exclude other diseases.

 

[MarkW]

I aquried tinnitus a few months back, and also have this feeling of fullness / pressure in my ears. The T I somehow can mask so even though its loud I know that it is manageble. For me the feeling of something in my ears thats not usually there, and something that the doctos cant see, freaks me out. At one point I only had it in my left ear, and I found out that if I put a earplug in the ear, and when I removed it, the earplug somehow cancelled the pressure feeling for a few seconds/minutes depending on how lucky I was. After a drive today in a mountain area I suddently also got pressure in my right ear. It is so annoying, feeling like a cooker inside my head just waiting to explode. I try to stay calm, but its quite a challenge. Anyways, after having read thus tread, it seems that most people with T and with ths pressure feeling, looses the pressure feeling after some time. So that comforts me. Thank you.

 

[erik]

Hey Mark

I experienced the pressure changes and fullness in my ears (sometimes only one ear) and it did last a few months after the onset of my T. Yes, it does eventually go away. It seems that most things that occur with T like fullness, pain, extra noises, anxiety etc. go away or get much better after a while. It depends on the person. It can take a few weeks or in my case it took some months. But I am in a much better place now. I still have T and it still annoys me from time to time but I am 100% back to doing what I did after my T. You will too! Hang on....

 

[Louise]

Hi Mark,

Its most often said to be caused by the Tensor Tympani muscle in the ear. You can google it. I got this for months at first, the only thing that stopped it was when I started saying Clonazepam. I've been tapering that from 2 weeks ago (only by 1/4 of a tablet) and I am now getting the fullness a bit, on and off

 

[Karen]

I had the fullness, too, in only one ear. It took awhile (over two years, in my case), but it finally went away. Time heals a lot of things, and I agree with the others that tinnitus is one of them! Best wishes, Karen

 

[MarkW]

Erik, Louise & Karen,

Thanks for your support and quick replies. It sure is comforting news that the pressure feeling went away for you. Be it months, or even years as in Karens case, it's nice to know that this annoying feeling does not need to be permanent.

Louise, thanks for mentioning the Tensor Tympani muscle - it helps calming down when I know more about the issue. Not knowing anything increases the panic attack. Sorry to hear Louise that your pressure comes on/off. If others can got theirs to go away completely, we have the hope that ours will too

Another strange question, I have noticed that sometimes the pressure feeling "jumps" from one ear to the other. I have had a pressure in my left ear for months, but know where i got it in my right ear, my left ear sometimes feel de-pressurized (or whatever you will call it?) That the presure suddently vanished from that ear.. but thats maybe because im just paying more attention to the other ear.. that used to be my good ear.. argh I´m so new to this thing i still remember pre-ear problems days. Those were the days haha. But nothing else to do than try to stay positivev I guess and take it by baby steps, even though I get freaked out once in a while.

Once again, im so sorry that you all have or have had this same condition as me, but selfishly speaking, its nice to know that Im not alone on this miserable boat

Mark.

 

[Louise]

We understand what you mean Mark

I haven't had it jump from one ear to the other. But I have had T start in one ear only and then after 5 months start in the other too. I think if you read about tensor Tympani you'll find its capable of all sorts of feelings and pain in the ear. Happy researching!

 

[Danny]

Hi,

Along with my T came a feeling of fullness in my ear. It feels sort of full and blocked. There isnt anything in it (that's visible) as I've had it checked a few times now. During my research (endless trawling of the Internet) I've only seen one or two mentions of this feeling.

Does anyone else have it? Does anyone know what it is?

Hi Louise

Constantly don't know what's going on but somedays I feel like someone has stuffed cantelopes in my ears, yes both and it doesn't matter if I'm quite or I'm spiking last for hours at a time, really wierd feeling . No sensations or ear or headaches just feel like my ears are full...really wierd, like many others had 3 different check ups explaing this feeling but no problem found. I'm blaming my brain for messing with me.

 

[Danny]

I only have the fullness in one ear, none at all in the other. If mine was down to stress it would be in both. I did the lymph drainage massage again last night and the feeling of fullness has reduced today. Its something to do with inner ear fluids or the content of the fluids (the potassium and other salts concentrations).

No sleep again for me last night. About two hours I got. Its a relentless high-pitched ringing. There all the time. Never leaves me alone. And I have to sit here and work. Just dont feel like going on. Dont know how people cope with this for years.

Louise

Sounds like your letting this thing beat you? DON'T !!!It's brain music..maybe lousy song but still brain music....it CANNOT hurt you I'm like you I allowed it to consume me for the first 3 months, but I carried on as most members on this site have, and I also have this great built up respect for those who have suffered for years with this affliction...it's just a noise that's all , now you have to keep telling your brain it's just a noise and you CAN'T beat me...

 

[Louise]

Hi Danny, thanks for the thoughts but I wrote that months ago. A lot has happened since then and I've made a lot of posts since then and some of those to help others.

Even though I'm in a better place now, (via medication), I still don't actually subscribe to "its just a noise". I know what you mean though, in the context you've said it. "Just a noise" yes, but as we know a noise can drive you insane.

 

[MarkW]

Hey guys, this morning when I woke up, my pressure feeling in my right ear had more or less vanished!I still have it in the right, together with the T on both ears. However after loosing this pressure feeling one one of the ears, my head no longer felt like a pressure cooker..! I got so relieved, and though Im back to my baseline and new "normal", Im so happy, because i know that things can be so much more worse., and that sometimes some of the symptoms go back again. So its all about hanging in there, carrying on with life and believing that things will get better.

I agree that subscribing to the whole "its just a noise" is easier said than done. Now i "just" have to say it enough times and actually try to believe myself, that perhaps at some point my brain will start listening and accepting that statement.

 

[Sybs]

Hi I'm new here. I was wondering if anyone ever had this problem?

I discovered that I had some sort of tinnitus around last October. I never went to the doctor but I thought I had acquired it by going to concerts without hearing protection (stupid I know) and there was nothing I could do about it. That last part of last year was so depressing and stressful but I had learned to deal with it and cope with it eventually that for the most part it wasn't so bad that I could sleep with it without using any masking.

However, all of the sudden...I want to say that it was around this Thursday where I had felt my right ear to seem "clogged" and there is a persistent high pitched ringing that is constant. I've never had it this bad before. There's nothing I can do to pop it...holding my nose and blowing doesn't help, yawning or chewing gum doesn't help. It just feels fully "clogged". I don't know if it's air or fluid trapped in there? I am not sick...but had been sneezing a few times earlier in the week which may be due to allergies? But no runny nose. I used mineral oil thinking it could be ear wax but didn't get anything out...maybe I just made it worse.

The ringing it the right ear has made sounds sensitive. If I hear a loud noise it will amplify the loud ringing in my ear...like the toilet flushing. If I cover my left ear I can hear that in my right ear as well. However I can still hear things somewhat clearly if I cover up my left ear but I hear the ringing still and more prominent. It sounds somewhat muffled.

I'm planning on going to get checked out...but does anyone know what this might be? Anything I should stress out over? I don't want to be deaf!

Hi Aliglitter. Your tinnitus exactly mirrors mine! I went to the GP and she said I do have a build up of fluid behind my left ear drum - this ear causes a high pitched ringing/whistling sound which is also made worse by certain sounds (toilet flushing and printer at work) I keep trying to get it to drain without success. I have also been trying to locate my tonsillar pillar as I've read, elsewhere on this forum, that you can massage it to drain the fluid. I have also read about several types of decongestants, one in particular called Pseudoephedrine that is supposed to be effective at draining the fluid but can also make the T worse while on it. I am waiting to see an Audiologist. I am hoping that if the fluid is still present when I see them, they might put an ear tube in to drain it. It might not be the total cause of my tinnitus but I am sure it is making it worse, so feel confident that if my ears were clear it would either reduce significantly or go altogether. Have you had it checked since your last post, and what was the result?

 

[Majid]

Hi Friends
I am also feeling pressure on my Ear and feelin so sad
Friends how u cope and survive please give me hints ?

 

[MarkW]

Hi Majid, I am sorry to hear you have this ear pressure feeling. I can tell you honest that for me, my fullness feeling has gone away!! If you read this post, you can see it happened for Erik and others as well. As Erik, it took app. 3 months before mine was gone too Others it took longer time, but know that for most it is not permanent. The fullness thing is just temporary! Stay busy, and focus on living your life to the fullest.

Mark