Hello,
I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I'm seeking advice on behalf of my mom.
She has been dealing with ear problems for most of the year. Since May or June, she's had muffled hearing and pain. Each time she visited our GP surgery, she was given a different diagnosis by a different doctor. Initially, they said it was Eustachian tube dysfunction, then a jaw issue, then an infection, and finally earwax blockage.
In August, she noticed in her GP notes that she had impacted earwax, so she booked an appointment with Specsavers to have it removed. This service doesn't seem to be available on the NHS anymore. During the appointment, they told her she didn't have any earwax, but they cleaned her ears anyway. They also reportedly removed some hairs from her ear canal (my mom says they used tweezers).
Since then, she has experienced additional problems and has been diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss and hyperacusis. However, she seems to be hearing internal sounds louder than external ones. She describes it as clicking, popping, and banging noises when she swallows.
My question is: Could Specsavers cleaning her ears and pulling out hairs have caused this? She didn't have these symptoms before, and it's been ruining her life. She struggles to sleep because of the noises and has a burning pain in her ear. The hearing loss makes simple activities, like watching TV or listening to music, distressing because she can't hear clearly.
At one point, we thought it might be a TMD (temporomandibular disorder) issue, but a specialist ruled that out. A private ENT also confirmed it's not Eustachian tube dysfunction. Unfortunately, our GP has been completely unhelpful, repeatedly suggesting antidepressants rather than investigating the symptoms.
Her mental health is deteriorating rapidly. Even contacting mental health services has resulted in a waiting list of up to 10 weeks for an initial consultation. The healthcare system in the UK is in such a poor state that it feels impossible to get the help she needs.
I'm sorry for the long post, and I apologize if this isn't the right place to ask. We're just getting desperate, as my mom's condition continues to worsen, and no one seems willing to help.
I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I'm seeking advice on behalf of my mom.
She has been dealing with ear problems for most of the year. Since May or June, she's had muffled hearing and pain. Each time she visited our GP surgery, she was given a different diagnosis by a different doctor. Initially, they said it was Eustachian tube dysfunction, then a jaw issue, then an infection, and finally earwax blockage.
In August, she noticed in her GP notes that she had impacted earwax, so she booked an appointment with Specsavers to have it removed. This service doesn't seem to be available on the NHS anymore. During the appointment, they told her she didn't have any earwax, but they cleaned her ears anyway. They also reportedly removed some hairs from her ear canal (my mom says they used tweezers).
Since then, she has experienced additional problems and has been diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss and hyperacusis. However, she seems to be hearing internal sounds louder than external ones. She describes it as clicking, popping, and banging noises when she swallows.
My question is: Could Specsavers cleaning her ears and pulling out hairs have caused this? She didn't have these symptoms before, and it's been ruining her life. She struggles to sleep because of the noises and has a burning pain in her ear. The hearing loss makes simple activities, like watching TV or listening to music, distressing because she can't hear clearly.
At one point, we thought it might be a TMD (temporomandibular disorder) issue, but a specialist ruled that out. A private ENT also confirmed it's not Eustachian tube dysfunction. Unfortunately, our GP has been completely unhelpful, repeatedly suggesting antidepressants rather than investigating the symptoms.
Her mental health is deteriorating rapidly. Even contacting mental health services has resulted in a waiting list of up to 10 weeks for an initial consultation. The healthcare system in the UK is in such a poor state that it feels impossible to get the help she needs.
I'm sorry for the long post, and I apologize if this isn't the right place to ask. We're just getting desperate, as my mom's condition continues to worsen, and no one seems willing to help.
