Tinnitus Virtually Gone, Does This Mean My Ears Will Eventually Stop Clicking?

[Mike K]

The title essentially explains it all. In the last 3-4 days the ringing has been basically nonexistent. There were a few occasions where it eeked back through, but I can attribute it to caffeine, stress, and dehydration from drinking a few beers. My tinnitus was caused by a sinus infection. The fact that the ringing has been gone 90% of the last few days tells me that my eustachian tubes are opening up.

But I want to know if anyone has insight into if my ears will eventually stop crackling when I swallow? My left ear is the one with T, but sometimes my right becomes plugged when I swallow. It's like the "air" can't push all the way through my ear and stops the E-tube from completely opening. I can kind of hear my breathing in my right ear slightly. There is no pain, but every morning I wake up and my ears feel like they're being hugged and it takes a shower to get them back to a normal feeling. Could I just be impatient? I know ears take a long time to return to normal, but it seems like this crackling is consistent through my days, and this whole right ear plugging up every so often is quite annoying. I find myself really trying to open my jaw up to relieve the slight pressure.

The fact that my T is virtually gone, or very very low when it comes back, is a sign that I'm starting to really get over the inflammation, right?

 

[Jason_Cohen]

If the tinnitus is going, the ETD should go along with it, like it usually does when you get over a cold/infection. But, it could take weeks, maybe even months.

 

[Nick miles]

Mike

Is your ETD confirmed? Im asking because my ears click when i swallow, some people say its normal and others dont.

 

[Mike K]

If the tinnitus is going, the ETD should go along with it, like it usually does when you get over a cold/infection. But, it could take weeks, maybe even months.

I think it is going as well, it's just been 11 weeks since I have had this minor infection that caused the tinnitus. Hoping it is only another couple of weeks. I would really like to be able to enjoy my last semester in college...

Mike

Is your ETD confirmed? Im asking because my ears click when i swallow, some people say its normal and others dont.

It's not confirmed by any doctor. I made a post about not knowing what a normal clicking sounds like. I've heard it a lower volumes so it makes me think that they shouldn't be clicking this loudly, but I really don't know at this point. It's annoying that I can now hear my breathing in my right ear slightly. This is probably because of the times my right ear has had that vacuum feeling when I swallow (I'll swallow once and my ear will feel like it hasn't completely opening up for 10 minutes, until I work my jaw to open it back up).

I'm sure you feel the same way; it can't normally sound like this right? I do a pretty good job of not letting it affect my daily routine but it's just annoying. I'm still very cautious that doing anything will halt the healing progress. I guess it's fair to say that I've only begun the recovery process after being sick for 9-10 weeks.

 

[Nick miles]

Ive been getting over a cold since christmas day and now Ive got a chest infection too, but yes I know what you mean about the tube noises, as i said to you in another post mine have been like it for about 11 years now, do you get any distortions of sounds?

 

[Mike K]

Ive been getting over a cold since christmas day and now Ive got a chest infection too, but yes I know what you mean about the tube noises, as i said to you in another post mine have been like it for about 11 years now, do you get any distortions of sounds?

I've never heard any distortion of sounds, no. Everything is fine except that my throat still gets a build-up of mucus throughout the day from postnasal drip. My left ear usually clicks louder than my right so that's why I think it's not at its normal volume (also strange that my right ear would be the one to close up every once in a while). 11 years is tough man I'm sorry to hear that, but glad you're toughing through it.

 

[Nick Pyzik]

@Mike K So your tinnitus came on when you found out you had a sinus infection or when you started feeling pressure in your ears? Do you listen to music through headphones or have attended any loud events before this all occurred?

 

[Mike K]

@Mike K So your tinnitus came on when you found out you had a sinus infection or when you started feeling pressure in your ears? Do you listen to music through headphones or have attended any loud events before this all occurred?

The ringing happened at the same time as getting sick, and the initial doctor visit said that it was an infection that attacked my ears first. I didn't have any loud noise exposure that weekend (I heard the ringing on Sunday night) and hadn't had any instances of T before that. It wasn't a crazy awful cold but I was congested and producing a lot of mucus, and have been since it started. The last 3 days I have heard ringing around 30% of the time, which is a lot less than I have over the last 11 weeks. I can feel myself getting better day by day, although it is very slow. Right now the issue is with my eustachian tubes.

My theory: I didn't help my cause at all by smoking pot the first 3 days, and once a week for 3 weeks (I've gone cold turkey for the last two months) so I probably damaged the cilia that help clear out mucus from the eustachian tubes. That's why it is taking such a long time to get full healthy. Since the ringing has subsided significantly, the inflammation in my sinuses are going down. Now it could be a another couple of weeks until the clicking in my ears goes back to a normal volume. Since the E-tubes still probably have a bit of mucus lining them, they "unstick" whenever they open up through swallowing or yawning. I'm convinced my ears don't normally sound like this, but to be honest it's hard to tell when I never paid attention to it so closely before being sick.

 

[Mike K]

Update: I went to bed with my right ear feeling kind of full, and woke up with it completely sealed shut. I swallowed and yawned and could not open up my eustachian tube. It's gotten much better since then, as does anything with sinuses, but my right ear still feels a tiny bit closed up. I honestly thought I was getting better and this seems like a setback...it's brought back the ringing that's for sure.

 

[Hotaru]

Update: I went to bed with my right ear feeling kind of full, and woke up with it completely sealed shut. I swallowed and yawned and could not open up my eustachian tube. It's gotten much better since then, as does anything with sinuses, but my right ear still feels a tiny bit closed up. I honestly thought I was getting better and this seems like a setback...it's brought back the ringing that's for sure.

I'm also having a major setback. I now have glue ear and the ringing is as bad as when it started. Seeing your posts as well as others, this seems to be quite common. So why don't doctors know better answers other than "here's steroids and antibiotics?" These conditions need more care than just those things. I'm on my third antibiotic and seeing a new doctor on the 4th and he better take this seriously.

 

[just1morething]

I'm on my third antibiotic and seeing a new doctor on the 4th and he better take this seriously.

The 4th time is usually a charm...or is it the 3rd? Good Luck! Oh I was mistaken, Feb. 4th not the 4th doc.

 

[Mike K]

I'm also having a major setback. I now have glue ear and the ringing is as bad as when it started. Seeing your posts as well as others, this seems to be quite common. So why don't doctors know better answers other than "here's steroids and antibiotics?" These conditions need more care than just those things. I'm on my third antibiotic and seeing a new doctor on the 4th and he better take this seriously.

It's crazy, it's like our bodies fight and then take a break. My ears feel "normal" now, meaning they are back to the way they have been feeling. Just the clicking noise. My nose was pretty stuffy at least half of the day, and my head has been hurting as well. Oh well, at this point I'm aware it's a very long process and I'm just riding the wave. I would love to be healthy in time for my birthday though.

I'm not on any medication, just drinking tea and inhaling steam every so often. But I agree, why tell me to use Afrin?? I can only use it for 3 days, then I have to take a 5 day break so it doesn't become addictive/lose it's affect. It really provides instant/temporary relief. I'm thinking of buying an over-the-counter decongestant that I can take for a week and hopefully that will aid the recovery process.

What does glue ear feel like, exactly?

 

[Hotaru]

What does glue ear feel like, exactly?

It feels like there's solid matter behind my eardrum. The pressure gets worse when I do anything, even drive or walk. I went to the doctor today and he told me to get Mucinex. MUCINEX! Unbelievable. None of my doctors are taking this seriously.

 

[Mike K]

It feels like there's solid matter behind my eardrum. The pressure gets worse when I do anything, even drive or walk. I went to the doctor today and he told me to get Mucinex. MUCINEX! Unbelievable. None of my doctors are taking this seriously.

That's unbelievable. So sorry that your doctors aren't very attentive...I know you have probably tried this but maybe steam inhalation can loosen the hard matter and allow it to drain?

 

[just1morething]

None of my doctors are taking this seriously.

Maybe you should go to the ER right away and see what they say. It would be another opinion and they could possibly find a more competent ENT for you to see. You don't want chronic tinnitus if you can avoid it, that's for sure.

 

[Hotaru]

Maybe you should go to the ER right away and see what they say. It would be another opinion and they could possibly find a more competent ENT for you to see. You don't want chronic tinnitus if you can avoid it, that's for sure.

I've never been to the doctors more in my life at a time when I don't have insurance. Going to the ER would break me. I get insurance on the 1st, and a new ENT on the 4th. Hopefully I'll be well enough to see Deadpool on the 12th.

That's unbelievable. So sorry that your doctors aren't very attentive...I know you have probably tried this but maybe steam inhalation can loosen the hard matter and allow it to drain?

I tried it, but I'm not sure it's helping. I'll keep doing it though.

 

[just1morething]

Going to the ER would break me. I get insurance on the 1st, and a new ENT on the 4th.

Or to urgent care. You have to weigh out the potential to avoid chronic tinnitus vs waiting until 2-4. I would think you should stay on a antibiotic until then anyway. You could call your new ENT's nurse and explain your situation.

 

[coffee_girl]

Congratulations op, on the recovery.