Need Advice Please — Is This Temporary, Permanent?

[Corykazaam]

So past two weeks it started in my right ear. First fullness, like there was air behind my ear. Ear felt warm I didn't have to touch it just felt warm. Ache and ear pain. Every time I popped my ears the air would come back and it would feel full again.

Now two days ago the left ear feels like the part behind my ear is inflamed. I don't feel air pressure just pressure like the canal is swollen or something. And once that ear started I got a mild case of tinnitus. And I have slight sound sensitivity in my right ear.

Is this temporary? Permanent? I got a hearing test, it was fine, the air pressure test all came back AAA...

 

[Casper]

This sounds exactly like what I'm experiencing. There's constantly a warm ache in my left or right ear, and one of my ears always feels full. When I swallow, it'll open for a moment, but then the fullness returns. In my case I'm fairly certain it's because of an acoustic trauma I suffered three months ago. If nothing serious like an acoustic trauma happened to you, I hope it will just be temporary, especially if it's only been two days.

Did you go to an ENT for the hearing test? They're generally not too helpful with regard to tinnitus or hyperacusis, but they should be able to rule out physical causes like earwax or infection.

 

[Corykazaam]

The weird thing was it only affected my right ear at first. Left ear was perfectly normal. And I went to ent for the hearing test btw. Now that it's crossed over to the other ear it doesn't feel like fullness persay. Feels like the inside of my ear is inflamed I guess. Might be same but it doesn't feel like air behind my ear like my right ear.

 

[Casper]

@Corykazaam, do you also experience it in only one ear at a time? Even though both my ears experience what you describe, it seems not to happen in both ears at the same time. For me it helps to keep my ears warm with a scarf or cap, especially given that this winter has had so many cold and windy days.

I hope that someone with more knowledge about ear conditions can answer to help you out.

 

[Corykazaam]

So where I'm at now. The right ear feels like pressure is not being equalized and also like the tube back there is swollen. My left ear ONLY feels like the tube is swollen. My tinnitus started only when the left ear was affected too. It started out day one at a very mild light bias sound barely notciable even when trying to sleep. The next day got louder and that night was loud and was hard to sleep. However today it doesn't seem to be loud because I was in a quiet bathroom no other noise and couldn't hear anything. So idk if it's fluctuating or what

 

[Corykazaam]

Also I just got home laid down head on pillow and it's no where near noise level it was last night. It's still there but not close to level it was last night. Idk what's going on.

 

[Nikopol]

What about fluid in your ears? Earwax? Did doc check those out? Were you taking any medications prior to onset? Any injury or trauma? It sounds similar to mine and docs are not sure if its vertebral or anxiety-related after ruling out nearly all other triggers.

 

[Corykazaam]

I went to ent checked and said no visible fluid, no wax. It started once the second ear started to feel weird and it slowly started first quit barely noticeable now it's loud during sleep. I went to bed last night has softer than the night before and I woke up in the middle night just because I toss and turn and I noticed when I woke up it was louder again

 

[Corykazaam]

Maybe there's fluid in my cochlear? Or something wrong here idk

 

[Nikopol]

Fluid in cochlear would also result in vertigo. OP didnt mention that. ETD, perhaps? But ENT should notice that during check up so I dont know, sounds weird. OP, did you have last months or longer problem with anxiety, panic attacks or elevated stress levels?

 

[Corykazaam]

My right ear also has noise sensitivity. Not major but I can definitely notice certain sounds don't hurt Persay just are like louder sounding in just my right ear

 

[Nikopol]

Well. I dont know. Run all the tests doc orders and most likely you should get reason for it all. But to be honest, many people who have T have weird feelings in their ears that started with T so its not that uncommon as you might think.