Poll: If You Ever Had Fluid in the Middle Ear, How Long Did It Take to Dissolve?

[bellafjelle]

If you ever had fluid in the middle ear, how long did it take to dissolve?

 

[Aaron44126]

Ehh, I fought with this for almost two months, shortly after my tinnitus started last year. I tried all sorts of things without much success, but I finally took Sudafed (not "Sudafed PE") for a few days and that cleared it up.

 

[bellafjelle]

Did you feel the fluid suddenly disapper? Did you do anything else than taking Sudafed?

 

[Aaron44126]

My problem was in my right ear only. It was strange, I noticed a change in my ear within a few hours of taking the first Sudafed, and I wouldn't say it went away "suddenly"... It was gradual. I was taking 24-hour Sudafed (at the suggestion of my GP) and after the third or fourth one I realized that I didn't have fluid anymore so I stopped taking it.

My right ear was still a bit of a mess, feeling a bit strange and "cracking" when I make certain jaw movements or swallow. That's still going on to some degree (three months later), I feel like it is getting better but very slowly.

Before taking Sudafed, I tried different things like... different maneuvers (Valsalva, etc.), heating pad on my ear, and steam inhalation. I didn't have much success with these. Steam was the closest, I felt like the Eustachian tube was open and the fluid was on the verge of draining right out but it just couldn't (also a strange feeling).

 

[bellafjelle]

I'm so glad that you are better!

Unfortunately we don't have Sudafed in Denmark. So my GP put me on Avamys to try while waiting for the ENT appointment.

Sometimes I feel the fluid moving and tickling, I don't know if thats a good sign.

I also do Vasalva, steam and hot baths. Nothing has helped so far.

The biggest issue is that the fluid somehow blocks in the T so it is extremely loud. It's like having an earplug in.

 

[tiniturtle]

Flonase , sudafed, and ibuprofen did it for me in a few days.

 

[Aaron44126]

Sometimes I feel the fluid moving and tickling, I don't know if thats a good sign.
...
The biggest issue is that the fluid somehow blocks in the T so it is extremely loud. It's like having an earplug in.

I also had the fluid moving and tickling thing. Very intense at times. I think that I waited too long before dealing with it properly (it took me a while to come to an understanding of what I was feeling and the ENT didn't take a very close look). My tinnitus did ease up once this was dealt with. It's still too there but nowhere near as intense as it was before.

 

[bsimo2213]

Accumulation of build up of fluid in my middle ear over time (due to inflammation) triggered my T eventually. I've been taking the CVS Pharma version of Mucinex D (a max strength nasal decongestant) and that has been the golden ticket to finding any relief for me. It has done a great job of making the fluid/mucus thinner so it can drain easier and create space. I also do 2-3 sprays a morning of Nasacort and throughout the morning, some fluid comes through your nostrils.
Once the decongestant kicks in, I use steam from hot water to drain fluid from the ear, lying on my side for as long as 4 hours to drain whatever I can, applying the steam to the ear (but don't burn your ear from the heat). You can't get it all in one sitting, so you progress day by day, and each day, the T has reduced. This has been going on for about 2 weeks now.

 

[JamesAtMvertigo]

feeling a bit strange and "cracking" when I make certain jaw movements or swallow

This.

Mine started after minor trauma to my left ear. I woke up in the morning with a fluid like sensation in my middle ear (not my outer ear) It apparently drained away as I got up.

This continued for years, decreasing slowly until it was just a feeling of drip, drip and then finally sort of disappeared. But then it seemed to just clog up my ET and I still get an occasional cracking sound (sometimes loud enough for bystanders to hear it!) as the ET frees up, followed by a squishing sensation for a few minutes.

Sadly the tinnitus hasn't gone yet!

Once the decongestant kicks in, I use steam from hot water to drain fluid from the ear

You cannot drain your middle ear like this, presumably you mean your outer ear? Unless there is a hole in your ear drum no fluid is coming out of your middle ear. The middle ear will drain into your throat directly via the Eustachian Tube. And if you had a hole in your ear drum, you'd be best NOT to spray anything into it without discussing this with your ENT!

I suggest the OP stresses the distinction between the Middle Ear and the Outer Ear or that survey will be far less useful.