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Help! Hearing problems following infection.

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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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  • gjl3109
    gjl3109 Supergav

    Posted

    Sounds like we all have something in common.  Loss of hearing after some type of sinus infection, cold, flu,

    For me, it started out last month.  A severe sinus infection that went into an upper respiratory infection, a fever with a temp of 100, sore throat, cough  and a dual ear infedction.  My first 2 visits were to an urgent care since I was unable to book an appt with my PCP (Primary Care Physician).  10 days later on another oral antibiotic. still had the dual ear infection still in my chest but it appeared sinuses were better.  2nd visit to urgent care got me on another 10 days of a different oral antibiotics after this, I had made a appt with my PCP regarding this issue.  Hearing loss was about 90% in both ears.  PCP was concerned if other doctors check my ears, because the one, he couldn't see the ear drub because of build up.  After flushing the ear, Infection still in the ear.  Another 10 days of yet another different oral antibiotic,  Purchased some inexpensive hearing aid type devices to be able to cope with friends and family trying to communicate with me.  While sinuses appeared to be ok, and cold, virus, flu, infection in the chest was gone. On my last visit to my PCP he once again flushed my one ear that had a build up and while it didn't appear to help,  I was told, I may have to accept the hearing loss as perminate..  I was given one last antibiotic that use to work for me when I was a child and had ear infections, but again 10 days later, still no hearing.  While not giving up, I asked for my PCP for a referal for an ENT (Ear Nose & Throat).  ((Special Thanks to this Site & this thread)).  1st visit was encouraging.  ENT gave me a shot after a routine check up.  Confirmed my ability to hear and took me off everything the previous doctors had me taking..  Had me move to OTC (over the counter) cold and sinus medication. (I believe this has helped to cause drainage from the ears at night when I am sleeping) or it could be the shot which I was told is an allergy shot by the ENT and not an antibiotic).  Upon waking and feeling the discolored puss in the ear canal, I use and ear wash it to clear the debre.  While in 2 weekly visits and 2 shots along with the cold and sinus medication every 4 hours, I have regained about 30% to 40% of the 90% loss of hearing.  I still have one more visit with him this next  week.  While this ENT confirmed my SINUS issue is Severe and recommended Surgery for it, I advised the doctor that this is something I was aware of when I was a child and my doctor told my parents that we would have to move to ARIZONA.  T

    • gjl3109
      gjl3109

      Posted

      Continued:.  That didn't happen either.   If the ENT doesn't have any other way to go after this next week, I am going to try a few ideas of my own.  I am thankful for this thread and will keep you all up to date on any different findings that I run across.  Thanks again.
    • gjl3109
      gjl3109 sheetha20286

      Posted

      Hello sheetha20286;  Sure will keep you and others aware of what I am doing and trying to rid myself of this.  This coming friday should be my last day with the ENT.  He believes everything is good with the one ear, even though I have regained only about 30% hearing from a loss of 90% hearing in that ear.  The other ear is only about a 20% gain over the 90% loss.  Will still give him the benefit of the doubt and treatment as I am still getting drainage / discharge out of the left ear.  When I wake in the morning, if I can tell there is fluid in the ear, I make my way to the bathroom sink, and use the ear wash plunger to flush the ear and get out the build up.  I am trying to hold off doing anything extra myself that I may see as a possible solution to this problem but is really still something from what the ENT has done for me.  But it is hard.  This is like a bad dream, not being able to hear.  But I am not feeliing like this just for me,  I read all these post here, and feel bad that it isn't taken more seriously by the professionals.  Anyway, I have 3 ideas that I am anxious to try after I am done with the ENT to see if I can regain another 30% of my hearing.  If it turns out to work for me,  I will post it.  No guarantees, but while I am not a medical professional, I am a trouble shooter, and I have found something that really needs t   . 
    • gjl3109
      gjl3109

      Posted

      (continued)..  I hate with when the browser send the message before I am done.   to finish my statement, and I have found something that really needs trouble shooting.  smile
    • Rebecca764
      Rebecca764 gjl3109

      Posted

      if you have had ear problems your whole life then you have an ear disease that is autoimmuned.  Neurotologist know what to do with this kind of thing where an ENT could potentially do you great harm as they did me. 
    • gjl3109
      gjl3109 Rebecca764

      Posted

      Rebecca764, Thank you for the info and the insight.  While the last time I had an ear infection of any type was in my teenage years and I am almost 60 years old now..  From an age of 4yrs to about 15 years old, I suffered from chronic ear infections.  My nephews had the same issues all their young lives only for their parents  to do the tubes in the ear route.  After their teenage years, they have been fine.  I will see if I need the referral from the ENT or from my PCP (primary care physician) for a Neurotologist..  While I know most doctors don't like patients who think they know their body better than their doctor does,  they also don't like a patient tell them what medication to prescribe them, and they hate it when a patient escallates a problem up the chain to the next specialist.  With all that said, a patient needs to be somewhat diplomatic when moving forward.  Meanwhile we live with our bodies everyday and know what is normal for us.  A doctor sees you 1 to 4 times a year.  We know what medications work for us in the past, and what ones don't.  So it really should be ok to make a request for a certain medication.   Thank again. 
  • sparky99
    sparky99 Supergav

    Posted

    OK - so 7.5 months following hearing loss my hearing recovery seems to have plateaued - although the ENT said it could take up to a year for for everything to reach the 'as good as it gets' stage? Anyway, so far I'm left with raised tinutus that is definitily worse with lack of sleep, but most disturbingly is this annoying low hum (sub frequencies) for several minutes after listening to music on earphones (which i now try to limit or reduce volume). At first I thought it was a truck outside until realising it was being generated my own ears! WTF is this?! Also have difficulty equalising pressure, but this seems to be improved from what it was. The ENT has basically signed me off as my hearing is 'within normal limits' and there's nothing more he can do! I sense my hearing is diminished volume wise and as a result I tend to mishear TV / conversation, however I seem to hear the full frequency range, it's just that the tinitus takes over when I'm in subtle / quiet environments. So it's manageable, although I think my speech is getting getting louder to compensate...so I feel a bit down about it as I've always had GREAT hearing and I'm conscious of it all the time...one last thing is that I seem to be worse at pinpoiting where sound is coming from 360 degrees, although stereo imaging is fine?
    • gjl3109
      gjl3109 sparky99

      Posted

      Sparky99; Sorry to hear about the 7.5 months, but glad to hear that their is somewhat of a positive side here,  where the hearing has returned.  While since my loss of hearing, I have used 2 points of reference when it comes to volume.  #1. My T.V. and #2. My home stereo.  When this first started for me over a month ago, to be able to hear and make out the voices, I needed the volume level to be at 70.  Currently I can hear at 24 to 26 (which is loud for the wife and the dog) but hits the spot for me if I concentrate and focus on a T.V. Program.  Before this VIRUS complicated my life and compremised my hearing, the TV was good at 14 to 16. While you need to consider that you want to use as a reference.  Listen to the TV program, rather than the commercials, because most of the time, those commercials are compressed, and their audio levels can actually be louder than a regular program..   My stereo use to be fine at  a volume level of 12, now I need about 30 for regular music, and again if I concentrate and focus on the music, I can actually make out some of the words.  While I have said, this hearing loss started for me a little over a month ago, I guess I have a long way to go.  Yet

      while everyones situation with this hearing issue has like different highlights or properties.  Just a thought that might help out with the tinitus.  Try using white noise on an ipod or mp3 player at different audio levels.  While it sits in a frequency range that we can't make out (many businesses use it in call center environment so others can't hear each others conversations)  It may trick the ears and brain connection that the tinitus is not so bad.  No guarantees, just a thought.  Thanks for sparking some hope for the rest of us.  Just remember, plateaus are ment to be broken, it just may take a little more time.

    • Rebecca764
      Rebecca764 sparky99

      Posted

      Tinitis sucks.  Ive had it since a child.  It about drove me crazy at one point because it got so loud.  I have not been able to stop the tinitus.  I have found that the sound of crickets and critters in the night breaks up the noise inside of my head.  Mine is a high pitched noise.  My husband sleeps with the fan on but that dont help me none.
    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286 gjl3109

      Posted

      Yes I am praying i could get back alest 40 percent of hearing in order to fit a earing aid it's been 4mths since after the viral attack but I am totally deaf on my right side. plus Ai need to cope with my inbalance and vertigo
    • gjl3109
      gjl3109 sheetha20286

      Posted

      Sheetha20286, sounds like you have a bit more going on than me.  I know over 7 years ago I was fitted for a hearing aid due to loss of high frequency loss.  $5000.00 dollars later I had those frequencies back.  But with this issue after the virus / infection / flu, that hearing aid doesn't have the gain for me to hear.  I did get 2 hearing aids on the Internet for under &100.00 each that is allowing me to cope with this and hold conversations with others.  Its gain is high enough that I can listen to the t.v. And stereo with some ease and not drive my wife or dog to another room or country.  Matter of fact, these hearing aids appear to be better than the more expensive hearing aid that I was fitted for in the past. (Just my opinion).
    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286 gjl3109

      Posted

      My only concern now is about the numbness and blocked ear on my left side but non of the ent drs can find out what's wrong.they say it's because 8 am stressed
    • gjl3109
      gjl3109 sheetha20286

      Posted

      While I am not recommending this for you, but yesterday I developed a soreness on my right side from my ear down into my jaw.  I used several drops of hydrogen peroxide in my ear.  It bubbled for about 15 minutes.  The rest of yesterday and this morning,  No more pain.  The ear is still plugged and it appears like the ear canal is now swollen but the pain is gone.  Like I say, whatever this is, it is like nothing I have experienced before.
    • gjl3109
      gjl3109 sheetha20286

      Posted

      Scary, is waking up one morning, and no longer having your hearing.  Flash ahead 2 months later after seeing 4 to 5 different doctors,  still you don't  have your hearing back,  Not to forget, my PCP (Primary Care Physician) advised you that it may never come back and I will have to live with it, even without being sent to a specialist to confirm.  It appears for most of us, we are living a bad dream.  While reasearching this issue and other issues regarding the ear, I have seen where peroxide has been used to help with issues of softening wax and helping out with ear infections.  While I am checking multiple resources and not just following only one thread. I am attempting to tread lightly through the vast amount of information and mis-information on the web.  Out of the 100% of information out there on the web, I can only believe and follow 30 to 40 percent.  Yet this virus, flu, infection, bacteria appears to have been around for some time now with few answers to the question of why or how can it be cured.  Our bodies are miraculous machine, and in even some cases can cure itself.  While really not for this message board I will tell you a quick story of something else that was strange that happened about 5 years ago to a friend of mine.  She visited the doctor monthly.  Had blood work done monthly, was even healthy until one day.  she was diagnosed with diabetes. Not in her history or her family history, but after a spider bite, she started to feel weird.  she went to her doctor, had blood work done, that she had just had done 2 weeks before, before she was fine,  Now it showed diabetes.  (strange?)  ((End of story))  but currently I am checking my temp (both forehead and in the ears) my sugar levels, my blood pressure, my blood oxygen levels with an oximeter and fluid in the lungs with a stethoscope.  I have been doing this for some time now, and can usually see some of the signs of infection, fluid in the lungs and other health issues that could be coming my way.  Yet I have to say, these days before this I have been a bit lazy at this task.
    • gjl3109
      gjl3109 sheetha20286

      Posted

      While my previous message is waiting for moderator approval or denial,  I will let you know with this message, that I had my 3rd visit with the ENT.  He advised me that my infection in the ears is gone, but advised that my ear canals are narrow.  He gave me shot #3 on the steroids and is expecting to see me again next friday.  Meanwhile I had expressed my concerns regarding glue ear, and he didn't seem to bite on that one or any other suggestions that I mentioned.  My ENT is not a newbee at about 58 to 60 and being from the orient.  While I feel confortable with him and what he is currently doing, 
    • gjl3109
      gjl3109 sheetha20286

      Posted

      I love auto send when I haven't hit send, but it is gone.  To continue,  This time he did give me some ear drops to try and open up the canals.  In checking my hearing once again with his low and high frequency tuning forks,  This time I heard both in both ears.  As I had mentioned to you before that I was put on a hearing aid originally about 7 to 10 hears ago for loss of the high frequencies.  3 weeks ago, I couldn't hear the high frequency tuning fork in the left ear confirming the loss of the high frequencies.  Today, I heard both at the same level from each ear.  Yet more than 4 to 8 inches away from the ear,  I need the hearing aid.  Still actual hearing is only about 35 to 40 percent back from the 90% loss, but as long as I see improvement, and the doctor hasn't given up on me,  I must continue forward.  Will let you know of any progress or set backs.  
    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286 gjl3109

      Posted

      Sometimes when I wakeup in the morning I pray that I am having a nightmare everything will go back to the normal state but it doesn't my balance sucks my vertigo drives me crazy the numbness in my ears and face no dr can answer drives me crazy ....Dr say I hv anxiety attack why shouldn't I? 😨
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