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Sudden Ringing in Left Ear, Bunged-Up Sensation & Pitch Changes

Posted , 7 users are following.

GarethW1979
GarethW1979

I originally posted on the thread “Sudden Ringing in my left ear along with a slight full feeling and pitch change“ by James Foley but my issue has some significant differences so I have started to new thread for people experience this exact issue. I would love to hear from anyone who has experienced the same thing.

I’m 36 and from Hampshire in the UK, on the 16th of May 2016, suddenly out of the blue my left ear went bunged up/pressure/feeling full and started to ring. It felt a bit like suddenly being deep under water but only in the left ear. There was initially also some distortion of certain sounds (high frequencies I think) but that has gone way now. I went to the doctors on Saturday (21st of May 2016). I had a lot of wax at the time in that ear and she said I had to get it out before she could say what it was. I have since had it syringed and the ringing is still going on though it might be a shade quieter than it was to start with. I saw an ENT expert, (on the 13th of July 2016) and he could provide no explanation to what it was, but arranged for me to have a hearing test. When I pushed him for answers, he said what I described was consistent with sudden reduction/loss of hearing. I doubted this very much as I had not noticed any reduction in hearing. I had the hearing test at Andover hospital on 15th of September 2016 and the results were normal in both ears and both ears the same. The ENT did not get back to me after the hearing test so I had to make another appointment myself :-( and my next appointment is this Wednesday (23rd of November 2016).

The ENT and every other doctor I have seen say that I haven’t got an ear infection so that rules that out. The pitch and volume of my ringing changes every now and then. This ear is also often itchy in the earhole but not always and sometimes crackles too. This is a total nightmare! Has anybody else experienced this and had a diagnosis?

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • jenny16777
    jenny16777 GarethW1979

    Posted

    Hello it can be caused by your eusthian tubes when those get blocked they cause pressure full feeling and ringing you can mention this to your ent and see what he says I'm shocked they didn't even consider that as a possible cause because all the symptoms you have lead to that not hearing loss best of luck

  • GarethW1979
    GarethW1979

    Posted

    I had the ENT appointment today and he has arranged for me to have an MRI scan in Winchester. Basically, he said the most likey thing that happned is my hearing levels changed suddenly (slighly reducing my hearing to high freqiencies) and the ringing started and then I got used to the new hearing levels but the ringing has continued. However, he did also say (and this is not an exact quote but words to this effect) maybe or possibly or potentially the hearing levels reduced suddenly (when the ringing started) but then reurned to normal later (but the ringing continued). So that's two possibilities but neither of them really explain why it was only one ear that was and is effected (he didn't say hearing in one ear, he just said hearing) and doesn't explain the distortion of sounds that occured for a while afterwards or the crackling that I sometimes get in it. Anyway, I will be going back for more analysis after my MRI scan.

  • GarethW1979
    GarethW1979

    Posted

    I had the MRI scan on the 6th of January (2017) at Andover hospital but I have not heard back from my ENT. It’s three weeks now. Despite them (the ENT doctor) saying they would contact me after the scan results came back, I don’t think they are going to. So basically that is the end of the road. When I saw the ENT before my scan he tried to send me off without saying anything about what it was but I asked him if the scan finds nothing what would he say it was? It’s a good job I did because they’re not going to contact me afterwards like they said they would! He said (and this is not an exact quote) probably a slight change in hearing levels occurred on the 16th of May (2016) when I got the full/bunged up feeling ear and the ringing started and the ringing just didn’t stop when the ear went back to feeling normal and now I have tinnitus. I don’t know how correct that actually is but I expect that’s the only answer I’m ever going to get. I also want to stress that I wouldn’t even have got that if I hadn’t pressed him for an explanation at the appointment. He wanted to send me on my bike without any diagnosis at all!
  • virg23
    virg23 GarethW1979

    Posted

    Wondering if you've heard back about your MRI? I have basically the same problem and have an MRI coming up in a couple of weeks. I might try to get it sooner, because it's making me nervous.

    Thanks!

    • GarethW1979
      GarethW1979 virg23

      Posted

      What country are you in Virag? - No I haven't heard back, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to either. My ENT didn't contact me after my hearing test or MRI scan, it was completely shambolic! My tinnitus is reducing over time, it's not as strong as it was when it first happened, so I think in time it will just go away or reduce to a volume that doesn't really matter. I'm a bit p*ssed off because when my tinnitus started it was very dramatic and came with significant distortion to certain sounds and caused me a lot of worry and I have not been given any sort of diagnosis or explanation for it. Not formally anyway. The only answer I've ever had from my ENT I had to force out of him when he was just going to send me away to get the MRI scan. It's a good job it did because I never heard from them again!

    • virg23
      virg23 GarethW1979

      Posted

      Hi, I'm from the US. You? It's weird you never heard back, but I would have called and insisted on the test results. I was told that if it's in one ear, it can be the result of a Growth that's benign but somehow puts pressure on that ear, causing tinnitus.

      I'm kind of dreading the MRI but I want to figure out what it is if possible. Hope you can too.

      Thanks.

    • GarethW1979
      GarethW1979 virg23

      Posted

      I'm from the UK, it says that in my opening post. I think the fact is (here) if they don't find anything they don't contact you, probably to save money. In my opinion the ENT should provide a proper diagnosis and explanation of what's wrong after all the tests but they don't. You just don't hear from them again. I could make an appointment myself but I won't get any more of an explanation than I already have so I thought what’s the point? - I think it’s safe to say I haven’t got a benign growth or they would have contacted me pronto. If your symptoms are the same as mine you’ve probably got the same thing that I have, it’s just something that happens to some people, actually it’s quite common. It’s bloody annoying but not life threatening. Not in most cases anyway. Let me know what the scan shows when you get the results. In my experience the tinnitus starts to get milder after about a year. Mine started in May (2016) and in July and August was really bad, now it’s not so bad, it’s still ringing but I think it’s getting fainter. The scan is a precaution so try to stop worrying, I know that’s quite difficult! I’m a massive hypochondriac with anxiety. I worry all the time. That’s why I’m on this forum!

    • virg23
      virg23 GarethW1979

      Posted

      Oh I did see you said the U.K. just forgot because I've read a few different posts from different people. Yes I have heard it's a fairly common thing but the concern seems to be when it's only in one ear (I'm sure you've heard that). You're right about it being annoying!! It first began when I was taking an antibiotic which I blamed it on, but the Dr. didn't seem to think so. I also have been taking ibuprofen for a long time, which can also cause it. But again it's usually in both ears with medications. The MRI Isn't for almost two weeks, but I will try not to worry. I will let you know. Thanks for the support!!

    • ocean57787
      ocean57787 virg23

      Posted

      Hi virg23 this is my advice.

      You may just have a misalignment in your body so go and see an osteopath and one whos been doing it for years as they will know more. I have tmj which basiclly means i grind my teeth at night and put pressure on my jaw so now i have ringing in my ears. Tmj causes the jaw to be slightly out of line and that causes the ringing, also neck issues also cause it. So go get checked out. Also book is with your dentist to get them to check you out too. I myself will be seeing an osteopath to correct the issues. 

      Doctors dont know as much as most think and they dont have the time so you need to get the ball rolling.

      Your bed and pillow could also be the problems.

      Now the next two things to do are make sure you take vitamin b12 and a good brand most brands dont work. The best brand is misol b12 which you can get on amazon and will last your 3 months.

      third on the list would be oxgey therapy, its amazing and has great effects the sooner you act.

      you could also see a the best nutrionist and herbalish in england, his name is dr chris etheridge. He is far more skilled then any gp as he is trained in both.

      to have your ears cleaned properly you should see an audiologist as they go deeper. Let me know how you go

      ​stay positive

  • ocean57787
    ocean57787 GarethW1979

    Posted

    Hi garent you may just have a misalignment in your body so go and see an osteopath and one whos been doing it for years as they will know more. I have tmj which basiclly means i grind my teeth at night and put pressure on my jaw so now i have ringing in my ears. Tmj causes the jaw to be slightly out of line and that causes the ringing, also neck issues also cause it. So go get checked out. Also book is with your dentist to get them to check you out too. I myself will be seeing an osteopath to correct the issues. 

    Doctors dont know as much as most think and they dont have the time so you need to get the ball rolling.

    Your bed and pillow could also be the problems.

    Now the next two things to do are make sure you take vitamin b12 and a good brand most brands dont work. The best brand is misol b12 which you can get on amazon and will last your 3 months.

    third on the list would be oxgey therapy, its amazing and has great effects the sooner you act.

    you could also see a the best nutrionist and herbalish in england, his name is dr chris etheridge. He is far more skilled then any gp as he is trained in both.

    to have your ears cleaned properly you should see an audiologist as they go deeper. Let me know how you go

    stay positive

  • ocean57787
    ocean57787 GarethW1979

    Posted

    At some point im going to get all the information i can on ringing in the ears and all the help thats truely out there and by doing so i can help others. Its great to have people who can understand
  • GarethW1979
    GarethW1979

    Posted

    They finally got back to me with a letter dated 5th of June 2017, which was offering me an appointment with the ENT on 14th of July 2017 which I attended. As I expected from the huge delay in contacting me, the scan found nothing. The ENT said the episode which started the tinnitus in the first place might have been a bit of hearing loss at certain frequencies occurring, and it might be hereditary which makes some sense as my mum says she has it in both ears. If you’ve got the same thing no exact or definite explanation for it will be provided. It’s not something physically wrong with your ear that can be identified like “that bit has gone wrong”, it’s just something that happens in some people unfortunately. So this has now all been resolved, unfortunately it’s permanent and that’s it. End of road medically speaking. It’s not that loud so I can live with it but it is annoying. Anyway, this will be the last I post on this thread. I hope this was helpful to somebody and good luck to everybody who is struggling with this issue.
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