- Nov 18, 2024
- 1
- Tinnitus Since
- 10/2024
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Ear infection
I developed an ear infection in my left ear on 10/10/24 after performing the Valsalva maneuver at the tail end of a nasty cold that lasted weeks and included a severe cough. The infection came on quickly and was extremely painful, but the pain subsided the following day—only to be replaced by tinnitus.
I completed a 5-day course of Amoxicillin, but it didn't seem to lead to any significant improvement. On 17/10/24, about a week after the onset, my GP said the infection appeared to have cleared, and there was no visible fluid in my ear. However, my hearing in that ear was still poor, and I felt like there was fluid remaining.
On 22/10/24, I performed the Valsalva maneuver in a hot shower, which resulted in noticeable drainage and some improvement in my hearing. Despite this, the tinnitus persisted.
On 28/10/24, I started a 3-day course of Prednisone because the tinnitus was becoming increasingly frustrating. On the first day, I noticed that my left Eustachian tube was more responsive to opening. I performed the Valsalva maneuver frequently to try to clear the fluid that seemed to have built up again.
On the second day of Prednisone, I woke up to find that I now had tinnitus in my right ear as well, and it was just as loud as in my left ear. Panicking, I took the remaining antibiotics I had (two tablets over three days). It felt like I had pushed the effusion from the left ear to the right. I never developed a severe infection in the right ear, but I did experience noticeable effusion.
Long story short: It's now 19/11/24, and I still have tinnitus in both ears, which seems even louder than before. I also have near-constant effusion, though the fluid is fairly thin and drains relatively easily. This is accompanied by a pulsating sensation at the back of my head and in my brow. When I cover my ears and lean forward, I can literally hear and feel fluid dripping inside.
Unfortunately, my GPs don't seem to believe me about the effusion. I had a hearing test that came back normal, so I can't see an ENT anytime soon.
I know it can take months for these issues to resolve, but dealing with the sudden onset of tinnitus has been a huge challenge. I've experienced spikes in both the tinnitus and the fluid drainage, especially during periods of increased stress.
I'm curious if anyone else has gone through something similar and managed to come out the other side tinnitus-free.
Tomorrow, I'm getting an MRI, and I'm hoping it will show some kind of inflammation or provide some clarity about what's going on.
Ongoing Symptoms Timeline
23rd September: Developed a nasty cold with a severe cough.
10th October: Attempted to pop ears due to discomfort, resulting in sharp pain in the left ear and a drastic reduction in hearing.
13th October: Saw GP2, who observed fluid in the ear but no eardrum rupture. Scheduled a follow-up in a week.
15th October: Completed antibiotics with no improvement in symptoms.
17th October: GP1 stated the infection seemed cleared, with no significant fluid, but hearing remained poor in the left ear.
20th October: GP2 confirmed the infection appeared to have passed.
22nd October: Heard crackling after coughing, possibly from fluid draining.
24th October: Woke up with fluid in the ear canal after sleeping on the affected ear. No more crackling, but the ear remained sore, with ringing and mild hearing loss. Night sweats suggested possible sweating rather than fluid leakage.
28th October: Saw GP3, who started a 3-day course of Prednisone (50 mg daily). Noticed Eustachian tube was more responsive to opening.
29th October: No improvement in tinnitus or hearing.
30th October: Developed sudden tinnitus in the right ear upon waking. Tinnitus was a lower pitch and pulsating compared to the left ear.
3rd November: Ears popped and drained with jaw movements. Tinnitus remained, with different pitches in each ear.
4th November: Woke up with night sweats and fluid in the left ear (possibly sweat). Tinnitus seemed louder. Voice sounded tinny in the left ear.
5th November: Obtained a referral to an ENT (6-month wait).
6th November: Started using an Eustachi device. Tinnitus worsened after use.
7th November: Tinnitus grew louder. Woke up with sweats and mild ear pain, possibly from jaw muscles.
13th November: Tinnitus remained louder, with pulsations in the brow and skull. Fluid continued draining. Night sweats persisted.
14th November: Hearing test in Goulburn showed good results. On the drive home, noticed bad-tasting discharge from Eustachian tubes. Symptoms (louder tinnitus, dripping sensation, and pulsations) remained unchanged.
15th November: Visited Canberra Emergency, hoping to see an ENT. Triage deemed symptoms not severe enough to involve an ENT.
16th November: Discharge developed a bad taste. No other symptom changes, though drainage became less constant. Needed frequent yawning to clear ears during the day.
18th November: No significant change. Experienced a sudden, loud tinnitus sound in the right ear lasting a few seconds after using the nasal spray and popping ears.
I completed a 5-day course of Amoxicillin, but it didn't seem to lead to any significant improvement. On 17/10/24, about a week after the onset, my GP said the infection appeared to have cleared, and there was no visible fluid in my ear. However, my hearing in that ear was still poor, and I felt like there was fluid remaining.
On 22/10/24, I performed the Valsalva maneuver in a hot shower, which resulted in noticeable drainage and some improvement in my hearing. Despite this, the tinnitus persisted.
On 28/10/24, I started a 3-day course of Prednisone because the tinnitus was becoming increasingly frustrating. On the first day, I noticed that my left Eustachian tube was more responsive to opening. I performed the Valsalva maneuver frequently to try to clear the fluid that seemed to have built up again.
On the second day of Prednisone, I woke up to find that I now had tinnitus in my right ear as well, and it was just as loud as in my left ear. Panicking, I took the remaining antibiotics I had (two tablets over three days). It felt like I had pushed the effusion from the left ear to the right. I never developed a severe infection in the right ear, but I did experience noticeable effusion.
Long story short: It's now 19/11/24, and I still have tinnitus in both ears, which seems even louder than before. I also have near-constant effusion, though the fluid is fairly thin and drains relatively easily. This is accompanied by a pulsating sensation at the back of my head and in my brow. When I cover my ears and lean forward, I can literally hear and feel fluid dripping inside.
Unfortunately, my GPs don't seem to believe me about the effusion. I had a hearing test that came back normal, so I can't see an ENT anytime soon.
I know it can take months for these issues to resolve, but dealing with the sudden onset of tinnitus has been a huge challenge. I've experienced spikes in both the tinnitus and the fluid drainage, especially during periods of increased stress.
I'm curious if anyone else has gone through something similar and managed to come out the other side tinnitus-free.
Tomorrow, I'm getting an MRI, and I'm hoping it will show some kind of inflammation or provide some clarity about what's going on.
Ongoing Symptoms Timeline
23rd September: Developed a nasty cold with a severe cough.
10th October: Attempted to pop ears due to discomfort, resulting in sharp pain in the left ear and a drastic reduction in hearing.
- Saw GP1, who noted an inflamed ear, a bulging eardrum, and fluid in the middle ear. Diagnosed with an infection and prescribed a 5-day course of Amoxicillin.
- Took daily probiotics as recommended by the chemist (possibly a bad idea in hindsight).
13th October: Saw GP2, who observed fluid in the ear but no eardrum rupture. Scheduled a follow-up in a week.
15th October: Completed antibiotics with no improvement in symptoms.
17th October: GP1 stated the infection seemed cleared, with no significant fluid, but hearing remained poor in the left ear.
20th October: GP2 confirmed the infection appeared to have passed.
22nd October: Heard crackling after coughing, possibly from fluid draining.
- Hearing improved dramatically after performing the Valsalva maneuver in a hot shower but still heard crackling when coughing.
24th October: Woke up with fluid in the ear canal after sleeping on the affected ear. No more crackling, but the ear remained sore, with ringing and mild hearing loss. Night sweats suggested possible sweating rather than fluid leakage.
28th October: Saw GP3, who started a 3-day course of Prednisone (50 mg daily). Noticed Eustachian tube was more responsive to opening.
29th October: No improvement in tinnitus or hearing.
30th October: Developed sudden tinnitus in the right ear upon waking. Tinnitus was a lower pitch and pulsating compared to the left ear.
- Suspected Valsalva maneuvers may have spread the issue to the second ear.
- Noticed left ear fluid drained while driving and moving the jaw. Hearing slightly improved. Began a short course of leftover antibiotics.
3rd November: Ears popped and drained with jaw movements. Tinnitus remained, with different pitches in each ear.
4th November: Woke up with night sweats and fluid in the left ear (possibly sweat). Tinnitus seemed louder. Voice sounded tinny in the left ear.
5th November: Obtained a referral to an ENT (6-month wait).
6th November: Started using an Eustachi device. Tinnitus worsened after use.
7th November: Tinnitus grew louder. Woke up with sweats and mild ear pain, possibly from jaw muscles.
- Experienced sudden drainage in both ears, with hearing improvement.
- GP1 noted a slightly concave eardrum, indicating Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). Prescribed a steroid nasal spray (already in use).
- Blood work was ordered. GP2 believed tinnitus was due to cochlear inflammation/ETD rather than an active infection. Suggested Seremind for relief.
- Performed a saline rinse and gently popped ears at home. Noticed squishy, whooshing sounds and left ear drainage. Briefly experienced normal hearing in the left ear.
- Tinnitus became louder and pulsating (like a siren). Felt pulsations in the brow and back of the skull with increased effusion. Could hear fluid dripping in both ears when leaning forward.
- Lying on one side caused fluid to drain into the mouth.
13th November: Tinnitus remained louder, with pulsations in the brow and skull. Fluid continued draining. Night sweats persisted.
14th November: Hearing test in Goulburn showed good results. On the drive home, noticed bad-tasting discharge from Eustachian tubes. Symptoms (louder tinnitus, dripping sensation, and pulsations) remained unchanged.
15th November: Visited Canberra Emergency, hoping to see an ENT. Triage deemed symptoms not severe enough to involve an ENT.
16th November: Discharge developed a bad taste. No other symptom changes, though drainage became less constant. Needed frequent yawning to clear ears during the day.
18th November: No significant change. Experienced a sudden, loud tinnitus sound in the right ear lasting a few seconds after using the nasal spray and popping ears.
