Eustachian Tube Dysfunction and Sinusitis :(
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hey there. Hoping you kind people can help a girl out 
So I've had ETD for the last year and am a Lupus sufferer for about 4 years now. I have also suffered from chronic sinusitis with post nasal drip for over ten years. ( I know, I know I am fit for the bin at this stage lol ). I also get staph infections in my nose on the right side which is also the side that is worst with the ETD. My symptoms include ear fullness, clicking/popping when I yawn or eat, headaches, ear pain and intermittent vertigo. The vertigo is at its worst when my ear feels very blocked. Sometimes I get pain shooting down my neck from my ear but not sure what that is! Anyway, I am basically at my wits end with this damn vertigo and ear fullness. I had a septoplasty 2 weeks ago, followed by another round of augmentin (I've been on antibiotics for about 3.5 weeks in total as I have a sinus infection before the op). The ear fullness/vertigo has been so much worse since then due to all the inflammation (or so I think). The only time I felt a bit better was whilst in the hospital because they were pumping me with steroids and antibiotics. Has anyone got any advice on how to manage this horrible condition before I actually lose my mind 
I have tried Avamys nasal spray but I think I'm immune now. Also, Sudaplus helps a little. I am back with the ENT tomorrow and I think I will end up sobbing his chair because I am so fed up. He did a CT of my sinuses but said on the phone there was nothing serious to report.
Thanks so much for your help
EmeraldLupie
0 likes, 20 replies
dymaz EmeraldLupie
Posted
Sorry for taking so long to respond.
You’re right, my ENT never asked me how my tinnitus sounded like. He saw my audiogram, which according to him, I had minor hearing loss. I was exactly at the 25 db at 500 hz. He says he has tinnitus too.
My tinnitus, for the most part, sounds like a pipe leaking air or sea shellish for the most part. There are some days it does sound tonal. Using an app I matched it at about 3,500 hz.
I do snore and I have sleep apnea, which I am using a CPAP machine nightly.
When I clench my teeth, the tone of my tinnitus changes.
A couple weeks ago I was diagnosed with early pneumonia and they gave me cortisone shot. For the next 4 days, my tinnitus was very quiet. Eventually it’s gotten back to it’s usual noise.
I saw my ENT today and I told him this. He said he didn’t know how a steroid would quiet my tinnitus since steroids don’t affect the auditory nerve.
Would you have an idea of why cortisone quieted my tinnitus for a few days? I read that steroids can cause mania, you think it just made me feel better and as a result, was able to ignore my tinnitus?
TY,
Dymaz.
Ver. dymaz
Posted
Hi Dymaz, I was appalled, once again on the ENT response because what you said was quite telling. This off and on ... quiet down... etc. of this specific tinnitus. It never gets documented in reports. I personally feel there's nothing wrong with your auditory nerve which is good news. The cortisone likely helped reduce the inflammation triggered by a viral or bacterial cause, which in turn seem to have helped the mucous production involving your eustachian tubes (ET). I've read and heard other people say the same thing on how the steroids seem to help this (because it reduced the inflammation). No, I don't think steroids would cause mania... not heard of this as Drs can & are only supposed to prescribe only so much for short periods at a time when needed. The ET & middle ear problem may be what's causing your tinnitus which went out of whack (making you feel manic!) Describing the tinnitus is important and the sounds you mentioned is atypical with other ET tinnitus sufferers.
The other important thing is, the CPAP enforces air into your middle ear space which can affect your ossicles, especially when you're have eustachian problems. There may be some issues there. There's been publications in regards to people losing some hearing from CPAP - I believe to do with affecting the stapes. The number one thing is to make sure to keep your sinuses and eustachian tubes functioning/healthy, so they can equalize pressure in your middle ear space while you're asleep. Maybe turn down the air pressure a bit and see how that helps? Do you use it consistently or occasionally?
I hope this helps in some way. I'd like to know what else you've noticed that helped or seems to make this worse from your perspective. -V.