Woke Up with Ear Fluid in Right Ear — ENT: No Detectable ETD (Eustachian Tube Dysfunction)

[JYD]

This morning I woke up with my right ear wet from fluid of some kind. This has never happened before in my life that I can recall. When I saw the ENT on Monday, 3 days ago, they said they saw no fluid in either ear.

I mentioned to them both ears feel clogged like they have water.

Anyone experience this before?

I had sudden constant tinnitus, moderate level, for 3 weeks now. It intensified after taking 3 doses of a 5 day Z-pak.

From the hearing test, we did confirm hearing loss at a high frequency, but "hearing is still pretty good." I am fearing the ENT isn't doing enough and I am a musician, so they are dismissing the possibility of an ear infection or some sort of ETD they cannot see.

Why would I all the sudden wake up with ear fluid in one ear?

 

[Keith D Mitchell]

I literally had a similar experience. I went to the ENT and they said my hearing was fine. I told them I feel congested, my right ear feels full and there's always a liquid in my right ear.

They pretty much didn't care, said all was fine and I left. What you're saying doesn't give me any confidence that these ENT's are trying anymore.

 

[JYD]

I literally had a similar experience. I went to the ENT and they said my hearing was fine. I told them I feel congested, my right ear feels full and there's always a liquid in my right ear.

They pretty much didn't care, said all was fine and I left. What you're saying doesn't give me any confidence that these ENT's are trying anymore.

Sorry, mate. How long ago was that and where do things stand now?

 

[Keith D Mitchell]

Sorry, mate. How long ago was that and where do things stand now?

I've dealt with tinnitus for 7 years now and I've had a handle on it. But as of last week, I developed a clicking sound that only happens around certain sounds, or movements, like walking, typing on the keyboard, or even touching my hair. I was hoping it's because I'm sick as I noticed when I do get sick, my tinnitus does weird stuff. And now I found out that tinnitus could spike because of the weather and we got a lot of snow as of last week and it's been colder than usual.

As of now, the sounds are still there. It's like a metallic click, it's hard to describe. It only persists as long as an offending sound persists or when I'm doing certain things. I want to say it's gotten lower in pitch, but I don't want to jinx myself. I've been using a nasal spray to help with ETD, as I can barely get my ear to pop. And cold meds, because I'm sick.

I really hope this passes or I learn to deal with it, because it sounds. I was fearful my tinnitus would change into something else as I got older. I don't hang around loud noises, I don't have any hearing loss and I still don't know how I even got tinnitus in the first place.

 

[Gareth Davies]

Hi JYD,

I've had what I believe to be ETD for 7 1/2 months - so I might be able to help you narrow it down.

Was it wet in the sense that the 'exterior' of your ear had leakage, or does the interior of your head feels wet inside?

Does your Eustachian tube hurt or feel swollen?

Is there any pain in the ear?

Is there any feeling of movement?

How much liquid was there?

 

[JYD]

I've dealt with tinnitus for 7 years now and I've had a handle on it. But as of last week, I developed a clicking sound that only happens around certain sounds, or movements, like walking, typing on the keyboard, or even touching my hair. I was hoping it's because I'm sick as I noticed when I do get sick, my tinnitus does weird stuff. And now I found out that tinnitus could spike because of the weather and we got a lot of snow as of last week and it's been colder than usual.

As of now, the sounds are still there. It's like a metallic click, it's hard to describe. It only persists as long as an offending sound persists or when I'm doing certain things. I want to say it's gotten lower in pitch, but I don't want to jinx myself. I've been using a nasal spray to help with ETD, as I can barely get my ear to pop. And cold meds, because I'm sick.

I really hope this passes or I learn to deal with it, because it sounds. I was fearful my tinnitus would change into something else as I got older. I don't hang around loud noises, I don't have any hearing loss and I still don't know how I even got tinnitus in the first place.

Thanks for sharing, Keith. Hang in there and I hope yours calms back down.

@Gareth Davies, answers below and let me know what you think. Thanks.

Was it wet in the sense that the 'exterior' of your ear had leakage, or does the interior of your head feels wet inside?

• Exterior. I gently felt it using my finger. No color. A small amount.
• This was in my RIGHT ear.

Does your Eustachian tube hurt or feel swollen?

• No pain, but my LEFT and RIGHT feel clogged.
• My LEFT feels more clogged than the right.
• I feel like they need to pop, like after you fly in a plane, to get them back to normal.

Is there any pain in the ear?

• Same as above.

Is there any feeling of movement?

• No movement. Nothing like having swimmers' ear or clogged with water.

How much liquid was there?

• Just a little. But what was interesting is after I wiped it out of the outer ear with my finger, the outer ear got wet again. So like it was leaking as I was trying to clean it out.

Thanks for your help and I look forward to your thoughts!

 

[Gareth Davies]

Sorry for the delay - I'll try my best, but I'm obviously not an ENT / medical practitioner.

My answers are based on my opinion and experience with ETD and I am a sample size of 1 person.

My ETD was caused by a middle ear infection and what I believe is swollen E tube tissue, not mucus or the like.

Here we go:

• Exterior. I gently felt it using my finger. No color. A small amount.
• This was in my RIGHT ear.

Three possible answers.
1. Sweat
2. Melted ear wax
3. Drained ear infection fluid.

My ear infection liquid had no colour, no smell, no blood and dribbled out in small quantities for about 3 weeks before stopping.

Like I haven't rinsed my ears properly after a shower levels of quantity - HOWEVER, my infection was in July when it was warm / hot - it could have been any of the 3 above liquids really. I never had the liquid analysed by a doctor - a mistake in hindsight.

Perhaps get a sample (if possible) and have it analysed to determine if it's one of the above.

• No pain, but my LEFT and RIGHT feel clogged.
• My LEFT feels more clogged than the right.
• I feel like they need to pop, like after you fly in a plane, to get them back to normal.

1. A clogged sensation sometimes indicates noise damage, that unfortunately that can take months to go away.

2. Ear infections cause a "fair bit" of pain to "a LOT". BUT - they can go from nothing to a lot in a few days as the infection rears it's head and gathers momentum; see if you experience pain this coming week.

3. Pressure from ETD could cause your entire head to feel congested / squashed up, hence the clogged feeling on both sides of the head.
However, although the sensation can feel spread throughout the head, in my experience, it's massively focused on the ear that had the infection / mucus. One ear should feel a lot more clogged / blocked than the other. You mention the LEFT ear - it's the tinnitus mostly in your LEFT ear?

4. After a few weeks of infection / ETD it felt like there was a melon in my ear.

5. DON'T force pop your ear. You'll hurt yourself.

6. ETD can cause a MASSIVE pressure imbalance, where you sometimes you just CAN'T pop your ear. It can also cause pain because of this imbalance. Sometimes the pain is minimal, sometimes it's terrible.
But after a few months you should be able to pop your ear at will, with ease (focus on the EASE - it should no take effort) multiple times a day, almost everyday with no change in altitude (this doesn't improve the T or the blockage - it's just a symptom of ETD).

• Same as above.

Wait a week and see if there is any pain.

• No movement. Nothing like having swimmers' ear or clogged with water

Movement is more of a long term symptom of chronic infection ETD, I think. But I was curious to check.
We can ignore this then.

• Just a little. But what was interesting is after I wiped it out of the outer ear with my finger, the outer ear got wet again. So like it was leaking as I was trying to clean it out.

See if it keeps leaking and re-leaking in a mild temperature room where you are relaxed and not focused on your ear (as best as you can).
If it leaks regardless of factors like heat and stress, that could be an indicator - in which case try to get checked by a doctor again.

I hope that helps.