I'm about to go nuts - Hearing Disorders Message Board

sfritts · 04-21-2004, 07:04 PM

I have a ENT appointment NEXT Tuesday...I think I may go insane before then.

I am a flute teacher, so the clogging of my left ear is really starting to affect my work.

Last summer after I would go to the barn, my left ear would clog, I would put some ear drops in it, it would go away....we all had ear popping problems and assumed sweat might be getting down in the ears.

Winter came, it all went away.

Now for the past three weeks, my ear is constantly doing this...I went to a Doc in a Box, they put me on antibotics and a mucus thinner, feeling like this would alleve the problem....it seemed to get better and the weather cooled off a bit.

Now it's hot again and the problem is back...when I get out of my car at the barn to walk the dogs, the ear immediatley clogs...Now I can bend down or tilt my head and it will temporaily relieve the pain.
It will continue this until night time and it will usually go away.

The Doc in the Box then put me on predinsone and Sudafed....I had some relief for two days and now it is worse than ever, it's clogged tonight as well.

I just don't get why it comes and goes...it feels more like an air pocket than water in my ears....the ear drops do nothing...There is no pain, no dizziness, no headache, just feel like that side of my head is in a tunnel.

If I eat, it will sometimes alleviate the problem as well.

It seems to be an allergy problem...and I am curious if anyone else has dealt with this.

zip2play · 04-22-2004, 06:27 AM

Your left eustachian tube is clogging and the pressure is lowering as your blood absorbs the oxygen. When you chew you sometimes let a little more air work it's way up.
It may be an allergy (hay?) or the remains of a recent cold (remember one?). It WILL clear up, but to hasten it take some steamy showers; sip plenty of hot tea and broths (steam room if you belong to a gym.). This loosens the clogging goo.
Pick up some Sudafed (or generic pseudoephedrine)- around 25 mg. and take one every morning til it clears.

If you can hold your nose, blow ever so gently til you POP the ear, it will help with the drainage (Remeain upright after you do this to help clear the gloop withe gravity.)
GENTLY is the operative word...you don't want earbones all over the barn

.

Replicon · 04-22-2004, 02:15 PM

Through earaches (i guess), I developed the skill to pop my ears. I don't have to go through pretend motions like swallowing, chewing, or yawning... I can just do the popping (by moving my jaw bone in position, opening my mouth, and doing some funky, hard to describe thing with my tongue). Anyway, you may want to try to figure it out, it'll get you out of those annoying airplane situations, etc.

One thing I find is that sometimes (especially when I have a cold), I'll pop it, and it'll be ok, and it'll gradually get painful again, cause of a pressure change. I suspect it's because the liquid in there is flowing out slowly, but as a result, pressure in the middle ear is dropping or something... it's real annoying, have ot do it over and over to get it right...