Aliba

Greetings all,

In January I caught a cold. I don't remember the exact symptoms. But one Sunday I laid down for an afternoon nap on a couch, with my right ear against the pillow and while I was sleeping my right ear plugged. It wasn't a usual cold type of plugging though, it didn't feel filled with fluid, but the sound into it was different. Also there was a loud ringing in that ear.

I saw the doctor who said I had an infection and cold and gave me antibiotics. I went back to see him 2 days later as I was concerned about the ringing - never had that with a cold. He gave me some drops and said come back in 2 weeks if not better.

I got over the cold but the ringing stayed and the hearing wasn't any better. A week after that I developed another cold but this came on with the loss of my voice and a bad cough (likely bronchitis). My other ear developed the ringing but no hearing problems.

It is now March and that first ear (the right) still has occasional hearing problems (every second day like clock work) and ringing is constant (although lower volume).

What has me concerned though is one symptom that developed with the second cold and never went away. That is a pain in the right side of my throat, approximately near or below the adam's apple and causes pain in the right ear as well. When swallowing saliva I hear crackling in both ears, but when swallowing hot or cold liquids I get pain in the right throat and right ear. Almost like a burning. Swallowing with food is no problem.

I did have a dysphagia with pain in the chest for about 2 years when eating bread, potatoes and occasionally liquid, but disappeared shortly before this started.

This is 2.5 months now on the ear. My doctor would like me to see an ENT but it is a long wait and I have to travel to see him. Is it worth it? Are there any tests I could direct my doctor to in the meantime?

I'm hoping this isn't laryngeal cancer or something but with the onset near the time of the cold it would seem suspicious.