SSHL (Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss) or Allergies?

[Rb86]

I've had regular noise induced tinnitus for 3.5 months now. I've had the clogged ear feeling since onset.

Since yesterday morning my tinnitus sound has been more muffled and hearing has been worse in my left (bad) ear.

I'm getting nervous. What if it's SSHL? I don't usually have allergies and I can breathe fine.

I do have an old course of Prednisone but I think I should wait until a doctor can determine fluid in the ear or not.

It could be an infection for all I know - I wear ear plugs religiously now, and I work outside in sweaty conditions. There's no pain or discharge however.

 

[GregCA]

I'm getting nervous. What if it's SSHL?

One way to find out: go do a hearing test.

 

[Rb86]

One way to find out: go do a hearing test.

Oh I can tell for sure a loss of hearing, more than usual. If I cover my good ear with my palm you hear the usual low blood rush sound that anyone hears when plugging their ear. My left one I don't hear that nearly as much.

 

[Juan]

Since yesterday morning my tinnitus sound has been more muffled and hearing has been worse in my left (bad) ear.

The problem with hearing is that the symptoms you are talking about could be genuine SNHL or could be anything, from a sore throat, to a blocked nose, to some minor hearing infection etc etc.. hearing is slow as hell, and sometimes there is nothing important but it is just muffled for weeks.

And even if there is something wrong sometimes it is not easy to fix or identify the root cause. And even if the cause is detected some stuff cannot be fixed, like noise induced hearing loss, that in turn debilitates hearing when exposed to noise again.

 

[GregCA]

Oh I can tell for sure a loss of hearing, more than usual. If I cover my good ear with my palm you hear the usual low blood rush sound that anyone hears when plugging their ear. My left one I don't hear that nearly as much.

Yes, but "noticing hearing loss" is not the criteria for SSNHL. You need 30 dB losses in 3 consecutive frequencies.

See https://www.entnet.org/sites/default/files/SHL-talking-points-physicians.pdf

At any rate, go do a test. Time is of the essence.

 

[Rb86]

Yes, but "noticing hearing loss" is not the criteria for SSNHL. You need 30 dB losses in 3 consecutive frequencies.

See https://www.entnet.org/sites/default/files/SHL-talking-points-physicians.pdf

At any rate, go do a test. Time is of the essence.

Thanks Greg.

My previous test at onset of tinnitus after NIHL was 35 dB loss at 6000 Hz.

It's odd to me that Ive had ear fullness since then (3.5 months ago) and every once in a while I get a pop and some relief, only for it to return.

This time the clogging feels moreso, and conductive perhaps?

 

[Rb86]

I took Flonase spray today and an allergy pill and found relief of the pressure. Thank God. It's not perfect but improved for sure.

The bad ear hurts a little, but at least when I cover that ear with my palm, it sounds like it does when I do that on my good ear. (Wasn't like that before).

 

[GoatSheep]

I took Flonase spray today and an allergy pill and found relief of the pressure. Thank God. It's not perfect but improved for sure.

The bad ear hurts a little, but at least when I cover that ear with my palm, it sounds like it does when I do that on my good ear. (Wasn't like that before).

Happy that you can still take allergy meds . I have horrible allergies but since tinnitus they spike me.

 

[Rb86]

Happy that you can still take allergy meds . I have horrible allergies but since tinnitus they spike me.

Have you tried various options? I would assume so. I could imagine a pill spiking? But I'd doubt a nasal spray would do that since it sortve opens you up. But we're all different. Make sure you don't have dust or mold in your house/apartment.

 

[GoatSheep]

Have you tried various options? I would assume so. I could imagine a pill spiking? But I'd doubt a nasal spray would do that since it sortve opens you up. But we're all different. Make sure you don't have dust or mold in your house/apartment.

Pills only. I don't use corticosteroid sprays because I don't want to possibly raise eye pressure and increase likelihood of glaucoma. I have dry eye syndrome and lots of floaters as is. I don't need anything else to deal with in that department lol. The non-steroidal ones all have the rebound effect so not much use.

I take singulair for allergy not asthma it helps some.

 

[Rb86]

Pills only. I don't use corticosteroid sprays because I don't want to possibly raise eye pressure and increase likelihood of glaucoma. I have dry eye syndrome and lots of floaters as is. I don't need anything else to deal with in that department lol. The non-steroidal ones all have the rebound effect so not much use.

I take singulair for allergy not asthma it helps some.

I wonder if a neti-pot type thing might help. Hope you find something that helps.

 

[Rb86]

Hell, I doubt any of us can make sense of this but I wanted to share in hopes maybe someone can.

Probably around 2 weeks ago, my left (bad) ear started going through changes. I noticed when I plugged it, it didn't have the high pitched static hiss as much as when I plugged my right (good) ear. So I figured hey, great, improvement. My tinnitus started 3.5 months ago with the bad ear after NIHL, and was a loud warble - sounded like a subwoofer in the distance.

Well a few days later, I was talking on the phone (speakerphone turned away from me) with my sister when that ear started bothering me. That low end warble had returned with vengeance. Thank God it went back to baseline a day or two later.

Well since then, I have an especially clogged feeling in that ear and a low hum. If you plug your ear or yawn it sounds like that, although much much quieter.

Yesterday morning it woke me up. It was so loud it scared the shit out of me. Thankfully as the day progressed it calmed down.

I know people always shoot down allergy guesses, but at it's worst, it truly is cutting out my hearing - like hardly a difference with my finger in my ear or not....

However, I take Flonase and an allergy pill and a few hours later it generally, noticeably pops. "Ahhhh" relief. Then the cycle continues.

So basically I have my TV static, and this new low hum which is mainly noticeable inside the house.

I really suspect an allergy or conductive component because when its worse, I can hear my voice louder in that ear.

It can get so strong that it nearly drowns out my TV static sound.

Anyway, that's the latest.

 

[Rb86]

Out of the blue my low end tinnitus has gotten out of control to like it was at onset.

I've had tinnitus for 3.5 months. I've had to lay next to a box fan all night as that's the only thing that remotely masks it.

It's like a low hum or warble. Like a diesel truck idling outside.

I'm so scared.

 

[GoatSheep]

Out of the blue my low end tinnitus has gotten out of control to like it was at onset.

I've had tinnitus for 3.5 months. I've had to lay next to a box fan all night as that's the only thing that remotely masks it.

It's like a low hum or warble. Like a diesel truck idling outside.

I'm so scared.

Truly sorry to hear you're having a setback. Hopefully, it's only temporary. My heart goes out to you man.

 

[Rb86]

Truly sorry to hear you're having a setback. Hopefully, it's only temporary. My heart goes out to you man.

Thank you. I hate this so much for all of us. We must organize to raise awareness and money for research.

 

[Rb86]

It's calmed down...

Stressed because I don't know where it came from. The previous day's I had been taking antihistamines due to a very clogged ear which finally opened up for a day, and that night the spike started. General pain as well.