pacfan

Hi All

I've had tinnitus symptoms for 2 years now, deriving from a cold I conracted in May 2010. What I have now, is a strong sensation that there is fluid behind my left ear. When I lie down on my left ear and apply pressure on the pillow, I feel pressure build up to the point where it relieves with a "popping" sensation. It feels as though the fluid is deep within the middle ear and the pressure I apply when lying down on my ear in someway disrupts this "stagnant" fluid and causes some kind of movement.

At least, this is what I think. I've seen numerous GP's/ENT consultants and I've had different people tell me different things. The general concensus from ENT consultants is that I have no visible signs of infection or fluid behind the ear drum. That said, in my most recent appointment with an ENT consultant (1st March 2012), I was told:

There is some space behind the eardrum, space in which fluid could become trapped and be undetectable through an otoscope.

I'd also lost some hearing over the course of a few months, most notably my ability to recieve higher pitched noises, a potential side effect of having this "trapped fluid" within my ear. No one has ever really explained this to me. The other diagnosis is that the nerves within my inner ear have been permanently damaged and that the strange, fluid like sensations/tinnitus are just sideaffects of the damaged nerves. Anyways, he's signed me up to have a grommet insertion.

Questions:

1. Has anyone got a similar to experience to this? Have they had grommet treatment and how did it to anything to cure the symptoms?

2. I am terrorfied after having read some tinnitus stories of the possibility that a grommet could make my tinnitus worse. I remember when it all first started, I was on the edge of a breakdown. Two years on however, the volume has decreased significantly and the only time I ever really experience any tinnitus is when im in bed. The more notable symptoms are the pressure/fluid sensations which cause pain and spontaneous "squirming" sensations throughout the day.

What are the chances that grommet insertion could make my symptoms worse? The sensations/pain are the least of my worries, it's the tinnitus that bothers me. I would be mentally crushed if it reverted back to the initial severity I experienced when I first notices symptoms.

Any feedback is very much appreciated!