OK, I have been thru Hell and back again with clogged ears and vertigo 24/7. I have been told I have TMJ (fact) that I have fluid in the middle ear (contraversial) and that I have anxiety (no duh). So, to make a over a year long story short, I got my splint yesterday for TMJ from the maxillofacial specialist. He looked in my ear and said it was opaque and abnormal looking but told me to see my doctor and would not elaborate on it. I was scared because a week ago, I was told my by MD that my ear was looking better from what he said was a "glue ear" conditon. I was treated with decongestants, antihistimines, etc for that and nothing worked. At this point in time, I am on xanax for anxiety. The specialists feels that the situation was caused by a stressful environment and muscle spasms play a huge roll in this process of my etubes not functioning correctly. I wonder what the opaque means. I cant get into my MD because they are booked. He hasnt returned my call yet and I am upset as to what this means. I tried to have him see this yesterday so that he could relay what the other guy had seen at the same time but he couldnt see me. I refuse to see another ENT after seeing 5 or 6 and they didnt even pick up on the glue ear in there for months and months. An MD did!! How about that one, guys. Anyway, does anyone out there know what an opaque eardrum means? I know it sounds cloudy and thick, but what does it mean or suggest? Thanks........

I THINK opaque eardrum meand that there is thisk fluid/pus inside the middle ear so that light doesn't shine through "translucently". That fluid has to go before you can begin to be well.
TRY lots of steamy fluids, steamrooms, VALSALVA inflations (popping the ear- tricky but it can be done several times a day) and take Sudafed (pseudoephedrine daily....maybe 25 mg twice a day...find generic at your dollar store).

If after a month of this there's no clearing, maybe surgical intervention (YOI) through the eardrum is required.

NB....Valsalva involves holding nose and throat and "inflating" til ONE BULBBLE pops in the ear....this will push the slop gently down the eustachian tube (don't lie down after doing this, let gravity help)...steam and humidity will loosen the stuff and the pseudoephedrine will open the canal slightly. Be patient but most of all BE GENTLE...you dont want a blowout. A single "BLURP" is all you want each time.

With MUCH practice you can learn a SUCK action which is the reverse so you can play your eardrum like a typanum but the reverse Valsalva is a more than a bit tricky....sorta like sucking your head in on itself!:D:D

(I presume somewhere along the line you had a course of antibiotics and we can asssume the fluid/pus isn't virulent. If not, you SHOULD!)

Thanks for the response. I went to my MD yesterday to confirm the opaque ear. He said it is opaque but he also said a normal drum can be like that. He said the light reflex was normal, glistening and otherwise normal. He said there is "some" congestion, but I am to the point of feeling completely clogged and I am loosing it. I tried sudafed, it didnt work. I tried Allegra and Zyrtek, they just made it dry out more. I am trying Robitussin and it just makes more mucous it seems. I can hear it move, It makes me dizzy like I want to pass out. He said the ear was maroon and grey before, now it is just opaque and pink but I still feel horrible. The anxiety is horrible and I am on xanax soon to change to Ativan. sometimes it clears other times it is so bad I am loosing it. I am 48 years old otherwise in excellent health and a body builder. This is ruining my life as I knew it. I am being treated for TMJ with a splint that I just got. The TMJ guy said it is caused by muscle spasms closing off the etube. Who knows, I just cant take this anymore. I do know one thing, cigarettes make it way worse. I am trying to stop. Down to 5 a day. If I miss two days in a row the ear feels a little better. Maybe this is the cause. I need to find the cause.........to help this heal. Thanks for the help. No tubes for me!!!!!!!!! I cant I am afraid of it...