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Help! Hearing problems following infection.

Posted , 53 users are following.

Supergav
Supergav

Hi,

I'm 36-year old male and about 3-weeks ago I went to my doctor with typical flu-like symptoms. He informed me I had a Respiratory Tract Infection and prescribed some antibiotics and pain killers which I took over the course of the following week. The problem did not clear-up and, after developing a chesty cough and severe pain in one ear, I returned to the doctor who then told me the infection had most likely spread to my chest and most certainly in to my ears - particularly my left one. He prescribed stronger antibiotics and pain killers and a nasal steroid spray, all of which again I took religiously over the following week once again.

Although my cough and general flu symptoms have pretty much cleared up, for the past week or so I have been left with almost complete loss of hearing in my left ear. It feels as if there's still a wee bit of pressure both in and around the ear itself with a sort of numbness when i touch the skin on my face and head around the ear. This extends in to my hair-line, over my left cheek and a short distance down my neck below my ear. There's also a small amount of ringing from within the ear and it sounds as if I'm hearing things "internally" all the time. Hard to explain but extremely frustrating and my concern is that the infection has somehow managed to damage my hearing permanently.

Can anyone offer any advice please?

Thanks in advance!!

Gavin

1 like, 134 replies

134 Replies

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  • jenny10708
    jenny10708 Supergav

    Posted

    Hi Supergav, I had a virus in May 2014 and it took the doctors over 8 weeks to finally refer me to ENT after numerous antibiotics. I was seen across the following year during which time my hearing had not returned. Finally I was diagnosed with Dead Ear. If I had been given a high dose of steroids immediately the damage to my hearing may not have happened. I now have 2 hearing aids fitted to help with surround hearing but I am now totally deaf in my left ear. Anyone with similar symptons must insist on an immediate ENT referral and perhaps suggest to your doctor the steroids.

    Hopefully your symptoms will improve and you don't go through what I have

     

    • nanbeeba53341
      nanbeeba53341 jenny10708

      Posted

      I also lost hearing in both my ears after a virus infection, upper resp tract infec, and went to ENT about three weeks later when my ears were still blocked; if i had known i would have gone to ENT a lot earlier. Antibiotics did not unblock my ears but cleared everything else up; ENT gave me steroids and helped unblock right ear; most of hearing loss is in left ear. I now have hearing aid. As the last post says, go to ENT asap and let them give you steroid and help so as to lessen chances of hearing loss.
    • Rebecca764
      Rebecca764 jenny10708

      Posted

      that should have never gotten that far.  Your primary physician should be fired.  Any problems like this an ENT wont even be able to fix.  I have had stapes implants, 2 of them.  I had them removed this last time and my Neurotologist made the bones out of the cartlidge in my ear.  I still have some fluid issues and its been since feb. since I had this procedure and I can hear GREAT at times.  He said that this will come and go and will eventually clear up.  He has been right.  A neurotologist is above an ENT and will have to go to a big city to find one.  I believe you could get this fixed and do away with the hearing aids.  I know its frustrating when the ENT doesnt know what to do but dont refer you to a neurologist.  I believe that is neglagence on their part and should be sued.  Your hearing is one of your 5 senses and it is very important.
  • 1Brinny
    1Brinny Supergav

    Posted

    I'm going through this now but I already wear hearing aids.My big problem is I have only about 30% hearing in both ears to start with and loosing hearing in one ear is hard to take in/ My whoe job relies on me being able to communicate with people and make phone calls. My dogtor has no idea what I'm going through and just says take these or take that and come back if no change. Tomorrow i'll demand an ENT consult.
    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286 1Brinny

      Posted

      I know it is so frustrating noone can help us its a very terrible feeling.if u hv 30 percent hearing g can still use hearing aid?my ent Dr say can't offer me even earing aid!the other ear also gets blocked.my affected side the face gets numb there say cannot do anything for that ....
    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286

      Posted

      Be strong we will get through this 😊time will help us
    • 1Brinny
      1Brinny sheetha20286

      Posted

      My hearing aid has become an ornament i cant hear anýthing with it, beforehand it was my only source of sound. Silent world im in now, good job i can write and use BSL but i want my hearing back even as poor as it was
    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286 1Brinny

      Posted

      Sorry to hear that😯my main problem is the pins and needles in body doesn't allow me to sleep.my cystle in the ear.i am living each day by day hoping god will send someone to help me.
    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286

      Posted

      How about your balance ?u can manage that
    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286

      Posted

      I went for my mri the neurologist found that I had actually a stroke in my brain which cause lack of blood flow that's how I got my earing loss.my numbness are all due to this he has given me ginko tablets to help reduce the numbness and to improve the blood flow.as my blood pressure is low he can't start me of any medinice now.
    • Rebecca764
      Rebecca764 1Brinny

      Posted

      go and see an ENT first and if they dont get this under control, make them refer you to a neurotologist and he/she will fix this problem.
  • suyin
    suyin Supergav

    Posted

    Hi Supergav,

    I would like to know how are you and your left ear doing now? I've got a similar problem to yours, which had started abut 4 years back. Spent $$$$$$ at 3 ENTs who couldn' t supply me any solutions.

    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286 suyin

      Posted

      Still the same everyday living in hell some days I feel fine some days the whole head is like a baloon. Now my plts are dropping..seeing dr tomorrow again .drs here don't seem to care about your physiological apect of a patient .my left ear is still blocked gigok tablets are helping abit but I think it should be taken long term.i am taking 40mg three times daily.i pray it works for u.
    • Rebecca764
      Rebecca764 suyin

      Posted

      I advise you and the others on here to get referred to a neurotologist.  they are ear specialist.  The ENTs are not taught like they used to be.  Their schooling is lacking in many areas.  I also have spent hundreds of thousands on my ears.  I had an old ENT that taught procedures all over the world.  His name is Dr. Slobadan Joseph Jugo.  He is croatian but moved hear to the US quite some years ago.  I went to him for over 25 yrs and people from canada who came here told me about him.  She was right and he was a wonderful doctor.  He is getting older now and tried to send me to another ENT to do my last surgery.  The last ENT took too much mastiod bone out and my skull collapsed into my ear cavity with my brain going down into the hole.  I had about died before they found the ENTs screw up.  Took 2 1/2 yrs.  lost balance, fell asleep standing up, photophobia, seizures, etc.  I now have brain damage from what he did.  NO, ENT FOR ME ANYMORE.  all the old ones are good and know what to do but these younger ones are not taught half of the stuff they used to know.

       

    • suyin
      suyin sheetha20286

      Posted

      I am almost cleared now. Got alternative therapy. Saved myself from taking medication and saved myself from polluting my body with medication and sprays. Took me about almost 3 months to see results than going to 3 ENTs who know almost no solution that took years.
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