New to This. Can an External Ear Infection Cause Tinnitus?

[Longwaydown]

I went through otitis media and otitis externa with localized furuncles in the past 1 month. Both led to blockage of the ear and around ~40% temporary hearing loss, which is now gone. I passed the otitis media for a week and had a hearing test done, which came out ok. There were no problems for another week after that, until the externa showed up. I took Amoxicillin for 10 days and the furuncles seem to be mostly gone or receded. The thing is there is still a faint ~25db screech left. My ENT doesn't seem to mind it too much and dodges my questions about T, saying it might/will/maybe go away sometimes/eventually/never etc.

Is it possible for the T to be caused by the second infection? Is there some cooldown period after hearing loss for T to dissapear? Should I wait for the infection to completely heal for another 3-4 weeks? Has anyone gone through something similar? Please share if you have something in mind.

 

[glynis]

Hi Longwaydown.
Infections can hang around for a while and mucus in your tubes etc spiking your tinnitus.

Steam inhalation can help and a basic mucous linctus from the chemist.
Might be worth having your ears checked to make sure the infection as gone and can take a few weeks after for tinnitus to settle...lots of love glynis

 

[Longwaydown]

Thanks for the kind words. My sinuses are pretty much clear, so I've ruled out that out. Also, as I've mentioned, my hearing is currently OK and the infection is fading (according to my ENT doc). What puzzles me the most is why I'm getting T from an ear canal infection, since it is separated from the middle/inner ear. Could it be that mucus from the infection is left in the ear canal and somehow irritates the eardrum, since the ENT didn't suctioned it, as to not irritate the epidermis? Anyways, thanks for the reply.

 

[Onnie]

I was about to open a similar thread until I saw this one. I am wondering the same thing as Longwaydown.

I have had t for a while now. My right ear is mostly affected, I would call my left ear my 'good' ear. But a couple of days ago I noticed a mild ringing in my left ear also and I freaked out. The ringing in my left ear is intermittent (I think), so I am not sure what to make of this. I am exposed to some extent of noise on a daily basis because I have a 5 year old kid......

Anyways, I went to the GP yesterday, she told me my external ear canal is infected and is full of wet ear wax and skin peels (sorry, don't know how to call it without being gross). The infection is worse in my left ear but it has also affected my right. I suspect I got this from using foam ear plugs. I lost my special moulded plugs, which are easy to keep clean so have only used the foam ones the last couple of weeks. I was prescribed Triamcinolon eardrops. But I hate putting fluid in my ear so the drops are probably not going anywhere near the place in my ear canal where they should be.

Could the ringing in my good ear be caused by this infection? Has anybody experienced this and had it go away afterwards? Is there anybody who has experience with these eardrops?

 

[Onnie]

Nobody?

 

[glynis]

Hi @Onnie,
I would use your ear drops and also see if you need antibiotics.
Reusable ear plugs are the best and the noise reduction ones not foam.
Tinnitus is caused by wax and ear infections and after the infection clears,tinnitus can be heard for weeks after .
Time is a great healer and hope your tinnitus settles soon .
Keep posting for support.....lots of love glynis

 

[Longwaydown]

Stay positive. My T went from like 3/10 to 1/10 (I have to press my ears to hear it properly and anything louder han a laptop fan masks it) in the last 2 weeks. I think it can go away if it's from infection like mine.

 

[Onnie]

Thank you both!

I think the external infection got worse. Dr could not even see my earsdrum today and there is some sort of glue 'leaking' from both my ears. Also the ringing got worse, in both ears...... I guess there is nothing to do but wait for it to pass.

 

[Gosia]

Hi, almost an year later, I 'm going through external otitis as well. First few days I dodn't notice any impact on T on that side, but even if I do today, I believe it may be caused by the fact, that the canal is swallen, so the sounds getting by the brain get distorted - well, sth is ''different'' for the ear and for the brain so I would assign that to that fact. I'm staying rational and tell myself that as long as the middle ear and the inner ear and not affected, it can't change tinnitus forever..

 

[mysterygal]

Hi @Onnie,
I would use your ear drops and also see if you need antibiotics.
Reusable ear plugs are the best and the noise reduction ones not foam.
Tinnitus is caused by wax and ear infections and after the infection clears,tinnitus can be heard for weeks after .
Time is a great healer and hope your tinnitus settles soon .
Keep posting for support.....lots of love glynis

@glynis My tinnitus started with an external ear infection that caused eardrum and ear canal inflammation. It's been more than a month maybe 4-5 weeks since it's fully healed, but the tinnitus remains. What are the chances of the ringing going away?

 

[glynis]

Still has a good chance in going away...lots of love glynis

 

[mysterygal]

Still has a good chance in going away...lots of love glynis

Thank you, @glynis.