Woke Up to Muffled Hearing and Tinnitus Changing to a Loud Beep

[MikeO123]

Hey everyone,

At 4 in the morning I woke up with muffled hearing in my left ear and a tone in that ear that has switched from a hiss to a loud beep. Very similar to fleeting tinnitus I've gotten before.

It's now 10 am and it's the same and hasn't improved at all. I'm getting very nervous now as I have never experienced this before.

Has anyone else experienced this or know what could cause this? Thank you for your help.

 

[MikeO123]

I ended up going to the ER yesterday in case it was sudden hearing loss.

They said there was earwax and an ENT's Physician Assistant tried to remove it with a curette.

Now my left ear is way more muffled than it was before and I can barely hear out of it all all. The tinnitus in that ear also increased to a whole new level. She said the earwax is still there and that she moved it but it was too hard to remove.

Now I'm very worried that more damage may have been caused.

Since coming back from the ER yesterday, I've been using baby oil ear drops. When I put the ear drops in, I hear the sound of stuff moving in my ear. I'm hoping this is just an earwax blockage and nothing else.

Now I really regret going to the ER.

 

[Matchbox]

It will probably fade in time. You're pretty lucky that it's earwax, once it's out it will probably fade over a few days.

I doubt someone moving the earwax caused any permanent damage.

 

[MikeO123]

It will probably fade in time. You're pretty lucky that it's earwax, once it's out it will probably fade over a few days.

I doubt someone moving the earwax caused any permanent damage.

That's reassuring, I'm hoping the spike does fade.

 

[MikeO123]

Just got back from the ENT who removed the earwax manually. My hearing has improved in the ear that was muffled but there is still a slight full sensation and the spike is still there.

He said I have oil/liquid wax on the eardrum and that he would only be able to remove it with miscrosuction which would be quick. I opted to not do the microsuction after reading all the horror stories about it.

Now I'm not sure what to do, is there any other way to get rid of that liquid wax stuck to my eardrum? Maybe I could keep putting oil in my ears? Did I make the right choice not doing the microsuction?

 

[Matchbox]

A "little" soap + water and a lot of pipette squirting might work.

 

[mohn]

@MikeO123 - I hope your issues are resolved. Any status update? Did the baby oil fix your earwax issues?

 

[Neil Butcher]

Do not squirt any water into your ear as that is how I got my pulsatile tinnitus. I have had it for a year now and it is not fun.

 

[IntotheBlue03]

Hey @MikeO123, has your muffled hearing improved?