Thinking out loud...

[Kris]

Hi there

Have been lurking around these parts for a few weeks now.

Here is my long winded story - I have been experiencing plugged up ears for almost a year. The events that I can contribute this to are: a few consecutive plane trips, swimming for a week while on holiday, a terrible cold where my ears 'filled' for a day, a concert that was quite loud and my ears did ring afterwards.

I saw a number of ENTs and had a basic hearing test (normal hearing right ear, some high freq loss in left ear) and a CT scan (normal). Diagnosis - Eustachian Tube Dysfunction.

I am constantly unpopping my ears to even out the pressure. I do this at least 50 - 100 times a day, subconsciously now. I can do it by swallowing or moving my jaw.

I have some ear noise in both ears, but in my left ear (the one with high freq loss) I have a static sound, which I can really pick up on in quiet rooms.

I think I have always had some head noise as I recall moments experiencing it in the past, and it was my normal 'silence.' I'm wondering if I am just picking up on it more now in light of my ear issues.

The thing that bothers/scares me the most - I have noticed more frequent spontaneous episodes of great pressure in my ear and a loud ring for around 10 - 20 seconds. I know these episodes are 'normal' and I recall having this every now and then in the past, but the frequency seems to be picking up and I am having it a few times a week.

Does anyone here recall experiencing increased spontaneous tinnitus episodes prior to their volume of T increasing?

I understand this whole phenomenon is different for everyone and there are no hard and fast rules. I have a 19th month old daughter and am 5 months pregnant with....twins. I am getting really nervous about my ear issues and how they are going to impact me going forward.

Thanks for reading my ramblings and I wish you all peace xxx

 

[mikey13]

Hi there!

I myself have been experiencing plugged ears/pressure on and off since around September of this past year. It now appears to have led to Tinnitus,which i have had for several days now. I can remember moments,for years,where I would experience that low level noise in my head,but it usually went away quickly. But this is the first time I've had pressure/blocked ears with the ringing that I can remember. My ears also "pop" or make a..."crunching" sound,I guess,whenever I move my jaw. So I definitely think the blocked ears issue is greatly contributing to the Tinnitus.

I guess this can be considered my first spontaneous episode,and the level has definitely increased from what it used to be. Before I barely noticed it. Now I can't unnotice it.

 

[Kris]

Hi Mikey

Can you contribute your blocked ears to anything? Noise exposure? Infection etc?

Periods of louder than usual T are unnerving. I guess one of the greatest fears of a T sufferer is that it is going to get worse!!

 

[Amelia]

I get the feeling of pressure and the loud ring too - freaks the sh!t out of me every time.
I think I also have some ETD and hope it's related to that.
These episodes have also been increasing, so you aren't alone there

 

[Kris]

It's odd - when I am in the car, the pressure seems to increase in my ears. I 'pop' them and it seems to improve for a little while.

The loud ring here and there, scary. Especially now the episodes seem to be increasing. Sometimes I even get a really heavy pressure in one ear, without the ring, and it lasts a few seconds.

Curious as to what everyones audiograms are? I have normal hearing in 250 - 8000 in my right ear, but 25db in my left ear at 4000 - 8000. So minimum loss but enough for the buzzing T I guess

 

[Kris]

Hi Amelia - I hope for both of our sakes it isnt a sign T is picking up. Bleh! Do you have any hearing issues?

 

[Amelia]

No hearing issues that I'm aware of. I've had a hearing screening that's come back normal but I'll be going for another in a months time (to check for the EDT). If I do I think it will only be normal hearing loss that comes with ageing.

I think my T is due to a nasal wash that damaged something ear related

 

[Kris]

Oh really? Like a saline spray wash? What are your symptoms of ETD? I have been trying to get to the bottom of my ear issues for nearly a year now. So hard to make peace with them without knowing what is causing them.

I have been using saline nasal sprays in an attempt to clear anything out of my etubes that may be causing me problems. Maybe I should stop?!

 

[Kris]

Glad to hear you have normal hearing test results though - that surely a relief!!

 

[mikey13]

Hi Mikey

Can you contribute your blocked ears to anything? Noise exposure? Infection etc?

Periods of louder than usual T are unnerving. I guess one of the greatest fears of a T sufferer is that it is going to get worse!!

Not sure yet. I've been having sinus issues for months now,that simply won't go away. My doctor didn't even want to see me! He just called in a prescription for an antibiotic,which I took. After I was done with it,I started to get sore throats and ear pressure/pain, but it went away on it's own. Now I have the pressure back again,in both ears,but the T. is a new thing. I'm goingto an ENT on Tuesday (earliest they couls get me in) which I actually made the appointment for 2 weeks ago for my sinus problem. now i've got this issue to tell him about as well.

It actually is better this morning,or at least my perception of it is better. but it felt that way yesterday,too,and then got louder. So we'll see.

 

[mikey13]

I should point out,I also used a saline wash to try to clear my sinuses out.Been doin it for 2 months,DEFINITELY stopping now,seeing others having T. who did this as well!

 

[Catarina]

I think keeping the nasal cavities as clear as possible is a good thing, so using a saline spray can't be bad. However, I think you should be careful not to overdo it and force water in the back of your nose. If you get water into the eustachian tubes it may go in your middle ear and make matters worse. @Kris, eustachian tube dysfunction is quite common in pregnant women, so it may get better after you've had your babies. I have had the same symptoms as you for a while, my ENT said it was eustachian tube dysfunction due to muscle tension. If your ears crackle when you move your jaw and you sometimes feel fluttering, that's from the muscles. The only thing she could offer was putting in grommets, so I had one put in today in my tinnitus ear. Hard to say what effect it will have, the ear still feels quite blocked and is doing some strange popping things on it own. Just hoping for the best.

 

[Amelia]

I wasn't using a spray ... It was a bottle which you squirted up (on the advice of my ENT - she advised this) and one afternoon when I did it it really hurt - I'm sure I forced the water too hard up there. That night the ringing started and never stopped.

I still use a medicated spray for my allergies