Clogged ear for 5 month - lots of exams that show nothing
Posted , 73 users are following.
Hi everyone,
I must say that I thought about writing down a post here, but I didn't do it till now.
It's been almost 5 month since my misery had started, meaning, the ear pressure, to be specific, it's only on the right ear.
It all started one day, with lymph node that got swollen next to my tragus, at that day, I visited the ER since I was afraid it was something that might be dangerous.
The ENT gave me some antibiotics and some nasal drops, he also mentioned that it will take some time until the swollen lymph node will decrease and vanish.
Few days after this issue, my ear got clogged. only the right one..
To make a long story short, I visited almost 10 ENTs, Neurologist, Orthopedist, TMJ (Mouth and dental doctor), few Dentists and other alternative therapists - such as accupatre and chiropractor.
Took tons of medicines - including few types of antibiotics, nasal drops (steroids and other), pain killers, anti-inflammation medicines etc.
Did a lot of exams - Head CT, Head MRI, tympanometry, audio test, ultrasound exam, X-Ray to my neck and spine, FOL (optical fiber) test and other tests that I can't remember.
All of the exams didn't have any conclusion to what was the issue, all the exams came out fine! - meaning, I'm stuck with it.
I must say,
I'm 30 years old, vegetarian, eat healthy, working out, working in non-physical job and pretty much having no other issues.
I'm reaching out for your assistance,
Anyone had experienced it also? Can you assist me with finding what is the root cause of it?
I feel like my life turned 180 degrees, from being a friendly guy and leaving happy life, I turned out to be grumpy, unhappy and most of all, exhausted of this situation.
Hopefully I'll find an answer here,
Thanks,
FM.
4 likes, 259 replies
Trout1983 ForMartha
Posted
Hi Martha,
I really understand how horrible and scary a blocked ear can be.. For the past two weeks my left ear has been 100% blocked.. Every second that passes is hell.. Nothing is enjoyable . I have become rude, obnoxious, and even violent. Usually I'm a happy go lucky kinda guy that everyone loves and always have a positive attitude. Now I have panic attacks and keep to myself .. Every second of everyday all I can think about is being able to hear.. It started out with a mild ear ache and sore throat .. I went to Dr and was told it was due to wax build up.. I cleaned my ears out but still no relief. I went to Walmart yesterday and scheduled an appt with the Miracle Ear rep and was given a free consultation and hearing test.. The test confirmed my hearing loss... Three days ago I was given an antibiotic that a friend of mine was give for a sinus infection but never took.. I have religiously taken antiobiotic and have also maxed out on pseduoeferine (240 mg) .Here comes the good news..Yesterday my ear unplugged... I went on a car ride and went from sea level to 5000 ft in an hour's time and at the grapevine summit at 5000 feet my ears popped.
Maybe it was the meds or maybe just the change in elevation.. I also went on utube and found an exercise where you blow up balloons with the clogged nostril .. on utube there is a ton of exercise s to unplug ears.. it's worth giving them a try.. As as last resort there is a new medical procedure where a balloon is inserted into the ear tube and is innflated so that the canal gets unclogged.. Hope this info helps...
Best of luck,
Chris
rhonda61691 ForMartha
Posted
I always have trouble logging in. But have followed this thread for awhile. To the person who was negative about this thread u are welcome to unfollow this conversation.
Anne, i used the prednisolone and it helped my ears unpop. I used nasak drops. ETD is horrible. It makes you feel so miserable, i avoided telephone calls. Noisy restaurants.
What helped.
Was prednisone just a few days
Cotton balls with over counter solution - one has a smell that unblocks noses. Just helps tolerate outside noises better.
Be sure you don’t have wax clogging your ears. Some ET’s are so tiny it can only be seen by specialist. I have mine cleaned out by suction with ENT or crystal clear ears (google). Australia. Don’t use water.
As you get older the job of the UT is slower to function. Men with hairy ears often have problems.
Make sure it’s not water clogging ears. Tubes can be placed in ears in children, they can still be used for adults with small Estachian Tubes. When I get a cold my ears get clogged , it takes ages to reverse. It takes 12 weeks to get over chronic lingual tonsillitis. Diagosed by ENT. I have allergies. Sinus problems etc.
I don’t have continuous Tinitus, like my mother has please seek a different thread for that as there are some good ideas. Mum has nausea and vomiting with it. See GP for help with all issues.
Most of you would have held your hand over your nose and blown gently. Do they pop?
Don’t do it if it doesn’t, this delays ET going back to normal.
But u know when U go up a hill or in an aeroplan, your ears block and coming down they come back to normal. Some take longer than others. Sucking on a barley sugar helps. Get a drink with a staw and blow bubbles. I have hated swimming lessons and flying from a young age as i can see now ETD started young.
My ears don’t drain when i get water in them. So no syringing for me. (Swimmers ear can cause ETD later in life). Ear plugs can push wax onto ear drum.
Music in your ears constantly will also cause problems later in life. Get hearing checked.
Whilst suffering from clogged ears, i drove up into the mountains one day. The opposite happened, my ears unclogged. As we came down they blocked.
My ears don’t drain out debris. No matter how much waxol i put in. It needs to be done by suction.
But the little thing that opens and closes in your ear, gets slower and malfunctions with age.
But prednisone (cortisone tablets) and nasal spray with cortisone helped me. Thanks Anne. So whilst nothing shows up on tests, an ENT and your local doctor should be able to explain what is actually happening and why.
Treatment may be surgery.
Never clean your ears with cotton buds or q tips. Use oil products, sparingly. Using them on a cotton ball can stop itchy ears. Tinnitus is not clogged ears. If your doctor is not helpful try another. Practise good ear health.
Rhonda. Melb. Australia
anne05078 rhonda61691
Posted
Morning Rhonda,
I've only just seen your post. So glad what I advised helped me has helped you too.
I quite agree with your sentiment that getting older our Eustachian tubes can become dysfunctional. However, like I've said in the past mine is all due to sinus issues and post nasal drip, that's usually really bad during the night with lying down....it's even given me a chesty cough now from the drainage.
I must say I've been really good for 15 months with only the occasional blip with left blocked ear. I continued using the Flixonase Nasule Drops, but only every 4/5 days. But during the night I'm woken with a bad blocked left nostril, so use decongestant nasal spray called Otrivine, I'm then able to sleep.
I had a nasty episode 2 weeks ago, my left ear became blocked and very crackly. I do use the method by pinching nostrils and gently blow, 9 out of 10 times it does pop open, but then closes again. I was wondering whether the drops coupled with mucus (I make a lot of mucus suffering allergies and sinusitis) if that was the noise I was hearing. When I wiggled my finger in my left ear it seemed very squelchy too. So I've left off the Flixonase, haven't used it now since the 18 June this year and although not perfect is certainly feeling less crackly. I know we all make wax in our ears, but I don't think that is what makes my ears block, it's the mucus that seeps into the eustachian tubes.
I saw the nurse practitioner at my doctors surgery, she couldn't see a perforation, like I thought I had again, as it sounded the same when this has happened in the past. I've had approx 7 perforations in my left eardrum. Because of my history she thought she's protect me by prescribing antibiotics called Doxycycline 100mg tablets. After having an overload of intravenous penicillin during my illness of meningitis (caused though Eustachian Tube Dysfunction) and several courses over the years for ETD I can no longer take penicillin, it causes an allergic reaction. The nurse thought Doxycycline are good for sinus problems and stop the post nasal drip.
However, because I managed to pop the ear so haven't taken the antibiotics, as they ruin our immune systems. They kill the good bacteria in our guts leaving us susceptible to illness. I think hospitals and doctors now realise that patients should take either live yogurt or a course of Acidophillus tablets with billions of good bacteria in them, which I always do after a course. I'll keep these antibiotics by me just in case !!
I feel so sorry for anyone suffering the very debilitating condition, that definitely does wreck lives. There isn't an easy answer for eradicating the condition permanently, it's just finding what's right for you that gives relief, is only for a short while. As I've said before I've now suffered this problems for many, many years and find it so hard to believe I still suffer from time to time.
I also find if I get too hot my ears can block up and definitely driving up steep hills also does it. NielMed Nasal cleanse is good for cleansing the nasal passages. If anyone uses this, it has to be done really slowing so no water getting into the eustachian tubes. I also put cotton wool into my ears when washing my hair.
Kind regards to you Rhonda and all fellow sufferers
Anne
Tbone1 ForMartha
Posted
amanda04724 ForMartha
Posted
shaynicole554 ForMartha
Posted
I AM GETTING BETTER!!!
I have had the SAME symptoms! For over 6 months! It all started with an ear infection, led to pressure in my head and mild loss of hearing in both ears. I did the Myringotomy surgery in both ears. That did help with the pressure, but my ears never actually got better. I have had a full feeling in my ears ever since, and always feeling the need to "pop" my ears. I did all the tests, everything came back NORMAL, CT Scans normal. It felt hopeless, like I was going to have to suffer like this for the rest of my life, every day!
I was recommended to try "Sweet Oil" (Olive Oil). I have been putting it in my ears now for the past month. MY EARS ARE GETTING BETTER!!! There are days where I dont even notice the symptoms! Some days are better than others, but over all, my ears are becoming more and more normal!!! I sleep with one side full of Sweet Oil every night! (Every other night do the other side)
I feel like I have tried everything! This is actually working!
"And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them." (Mark 6:13)
"Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." (James 5:14)
shaynicole554 ForMartha
Posted
I AM GETTING BETTER!!!
I have had the SAME symptoms! For over 6 months! It all started with an ear infection, led to pressure in my head and mild loss of hearing in both ears. I did the Myringotomy surgery in both ears. That did help with the pressure, but my ears never actually got better. I have had a full feeling in my ears ever since, and always feeling the need to "pop" my ears. I did all the tests, everything came back NORMAL, CT Scans normal. It felt hopeless, like I was going to have to suffer like this for the rest of my life, every day!
I was recommended to try "Sweet Oil" (Olive Oil). I have been putting it in my ears now for the past month. MY EARS ARE GETTING BETTER!!! There are days where I dont even notice the symptoms! Some days are better than others, but over all, my ears are becoming more and more normal!!! I sleep with one side full of Sweet Oil every night! (Every other night do the other side)
I feel like I have tried everything! This is actually working!
"And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them." (Mark 6:13)
"Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." (James 5:14)
E1d2w3i4n ForMartha
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E1d2w3i4n ForMartha
Posted
priscilla_66015 ForMartha
Posted
mikescape ForMartha
Posted
I had a similar problem that started 5 years ago with my right ear slowly shutting off and pressure then it would start to get better but come back. After seeing 3 internal medicine doctors who gave me antibiotics which I wrongly thought helped (come to find it was coincidental only) I saw 7 ENTs who all called it Eustachian tube dysfunction and told me things like Flonase, sinus wash and other useless things. Went to 2 allergists, 2 chiropractors, a TMJ dentist and homeopathic before deciding to looking into the balloon dilation. Rather than travel I had one refer me to a local ENT who did balloon dilation. He was the only one to thoroughly look at everything and said I had muscle spasms of the Tensor Tympani muscle. I said that makes sense as when I took a Xanax because I couldn't stand the muffled, underwater feeling it relieved it. There is something called TTTS - Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome . .. .I have learned to control stress, etc and it is gradually getting better
?Just something for you to consider
dheeraj65270 mikescape
Posted
mikescape dheeraj65270
Posted
At first my ear would close off once about every six months in stay closed for a week or so. Then I noticed this happening a lot more frequently and staying closed for a week to two weeks. Then it was closing off about every couple weeks and start to open up then close back down. I noticed when I stretched my jaw doing an exercise it helped. Having my ear closed off seem to happen whenever I was stressed at first I thought it was the Ambien I was taking to help me sleep and maybe I was sleeping on it wrong. My ears will crack when I move my jaw and yawn. Sometimes when they start to close I couldn't hear very well and any sound was like a cymbal or loud ringing in my ear. I couldn't stand to be around loud noises sometimes after it has shut down. Overtime it had gotten worse send when I understood what it was and tried to control my stress by staying away from stressful situations and using Xanax it has seem to got better. The other thing I get is when I'm stressed I start to lose my voice as well as my ear starts to clog up and sometimes it's to the point where I'm almost hoarse. When all this happens and I try to talk loud I feel the pressure going up in my ear. But things that helped a lot as far as exercise was put the tongue in the roof of my mouth stretch my jaws apart until it was hard for my tongue to touch the roof and that seemed to stretch the tympani muscle. I hope that helps clarify some of it. If you have symptoms I haven't described you can ask me if I had them and just forgot. My symptoms are much better now than they were 2 years ago. This whole thing started about 6 years ago
Leonarddoohicky ForMartha
Posted
Hello ForMartha! I hope your hearing cleared up. I've had this same problem most of my life, I usually wake up and my ear is plugged up, there's no pain or pressure, just a clogged ear. I've been to doctors, they tell me to use eardrops. They don't work, I just have to wait until my hearing comes back, the longest time for me was 6 months, I hope this helps you.
coconutty ForMartha
Posted