1. Community
  2. Ears, nose, throat and mouth
  3. Ear Problems

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

Prev Next
  • bfree
    bfree Supergav

    Posted

    Has ANYONE gotten any relief?! I'm going crazy. My problem started off as a cold, then I began to have sinus pressure. Once my sinuses cleared I began getting pain in my temples and in my ears. I went to urgent care and they prescribed me a steroid and antibiotics which didn't help. I went to my doctor who of course saw nothing in my ears. I don't know what to do. I have an appt with an ENT in a few days but it can't come soon enough. I'm currently taking ibuprofen 800mg and a muscle rrelaxer. The ibuprofen doesn't really help and the Mus me relaxer just makes me feel weird and worsens my anxiety. I feel like this is never going to go away. It's so Damn annoying and painful. It's been over 2 months already and I'm never one to complain but this is becoming unbearable
    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286 bfree

      Posted

      I know its a terrible feeling I been suffering for 4mths now .I have a heavy head so much pressure until I feel like it's going to explode
    • bfree
      bfree sheetha20286

      Posted

      I can't until Tuesday when I finally get to see my ENT. Hopefully he can give me some answers. I also have a bad tooth that needs pulled on the same side I'm getting most pain on.. So I'm wondering if that has a part in all this madness. What brought yours on of you don't mind me asking?
    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286 bfree

      Posted

      I had no fever no symptoms suddenly had a ringing sound in my hear and the veritgo started .drs say it's a viral infection .I had treatment but until now 0 sound on my ears.my balance totally off and my right ear also gets blocked.
    • suyin
      suyin sheetha20286

      Posted

      HI. You need not have to suffer from the pain, discomfort and mental anguish like this. I was like you. I tried alternative therapy after 3 ENTs couldn't help me and I spent $$$$ but to no avail.

      I empathise with you and your condition. I recommend you try this alternative therapy and combine this alternative therapy with your ENT's precribed medication and/ or other forms of treatment.

    • sheetha20286
      sheetha20286 suyin

      Posted

      I am not sure what alternative treatments are there ?I hv tried acupuncture no without and help.now I am suffering from sinusitis causing me more inbalance. Each day goes by I am still hoping to find a cure to all my problems
  • sheetha20286
    sheetha20286 Supergav

    Posted

    It's been 5mths since I had sudden sensorineural earing loss on my right ear .I suffer acute labyrinthitis vetigo and now sinitis and my other ear is also blocked.gone through so much sometimes feel like giving up.now I am on nasal spray and delfast nothing is helping.i been on physio all this no improvement. 😢
  • philip77564
    philip77564 Supergav

    Posted

    To everybody with ear trouble, even those who now got better. Please look up online sternocleidomastoid muscle trigger points, many problems are cause by this part of body getting out of line or strained or not working correct after a bad cough. Important "Please Dont Treat It Yourself", find someone who does bowen theraphy or a manual theraphist. it will take at leat 3 treatments to clear things up. from 2012 i had ear problems over for year & 1/2 in year and and helped getting sternocleidomastoid sorted helped it,  last month i took bad cold and blocked sinus blockage/ear blockage/tinnitus and nothing worked again until got sternocleidomastoid worked on, the amount mucus comes down throat afterwards is totally unreal
  • julie30428
    julie30428 Supergav

    Posted

    I know this is late to reply and I hope all you problems worked themselves out. I was going to tell you to find a good acupuncturist. I know a lot of people don't believe in such, but they can and do help. I had a sinus infection that was so severe I thought I would die. Everything from my neck up was swollen, stopped up and couldn't hear. I had my acupuncturist work on me and the first time went alright and the next week I felt better (had to take antibiotics) but my ears still stopped up and I was about to freak. By the time I left the acupuncturist, everything was flowing freely. I felt like grabbing and kissing him but we are both married so wouldn't have been appropriate. Lol. He has also helped with a lot of other stuff, but this was one that pertains to your problem. Hope it helps for any future problems!

  • louis21660
    louis21660 Supergav

    Posted

    Hi Guys,

     So same story here, Massive ear infection leading to hearing loss (40%) in left ear that stays even after 10 day antibiotic treatment (oral and ear drops). next stop ENTdoctor.. ill keep you guys posted.. 

  • Gustites1
    Gustites1 Supergav

    Posted

    3 weeks ago I went to my doctors for a sore throat and pain in my ear. The sore throat I had for about a week however the ear pain started a week later. The doctor informed me that I had a viral infection and an internal and outer ear infection (swimmers ear). She put me on Bactrim (antibiotic) and an antibiotic ear drop. About 4 days later I woke up and could not hear out of my left ear so I made another doctors appointment and this time she diagnosed me with a fungal infection in my ear and refered me to a ENT . The ENT informed me that I did NOT have a fungal infection but I had dry skin over my ear drum and he gave me moisturizing ear drops that "should" help. That was last week and my hearing has totally gone now and my other ear is starting to go now so I don't know what to do!!!!

  • louis21660
    louis21660 Supergav

    Posted

    So went to the ENT and they ran a hearing test on me to determine that my lef had fluid behind the drum. he said it could take weeks to months for it to fully drain but that he was pretty sure it would go away on its own. but just in case he prescribed be steroids and nasal spray. i would say after 2 and a half weeks now i've gotten about 10% hearing back on its own (up to about 70% total hearing now) so after i take these prescriptions ill let you guys now if im 100% again soon.

    • louis21660
      louis21660

      Posted

      Oh also he checked my ears and there was pretty much no compacted ear wax in either one.. I was hoping that was the easy fix lol..
  • louis21660
    louis21660 Supergav

    Posted

    Alright I'm healed! like 95% anyway lol. so yeah about 2 weeks ago the ENT prescribed me some nasal spray and oral steroids to help drain what he said was some liquid behind my ear drum. but yeah 2 weeks later (1mo since infection) im back to 95% Looking good! I am very grateful for my hearing smile

    • gjl3109
      gjl3109 louis21660

      Posted

      Louis,

       

      Good to hear a happy ending for you.  Sorry for the late responce, but I guess I didn't go through this entire thread till now,   If you are still watching and posting on this board,  If you could let us all know what type of spray and oral steroids you were on, maybe if that is not out of line with the moderator on here, it may give others that read this thread, and idea of what to recommend to their GP or ENT as a possible direction to look at when treating whatever this is that we have all been suffereing with.

      I realize while you may have had something that appeared to be the same that that each and everyone of us appears to have.  Wheather it is a different strain of WHATEVER, or maybe the same, but affecting others differently.  If you could share more info on the treatment, it may offer some solutions, or at least some peace of mind to others.  The more tools we have in our tool belt, the better chance we all have to a SPEEDY RECOVERY from this.

      While I too have gotten about 90 to 95 % of my hearing back (Over a period of about 6 months),  My treatment from my Doctors were a bit different from yours (Max Strength OTC (over the counter) Cold/sinus medication along with the Steroid ALLERGY shots for a period of 6 to 8 weeks).

      Yet my ENT told me that my sinuses made it that I couldn't hear.  To me it sounds wierd and funny at the same time, but I will take it as a win when I can say my hearing has returned (at least 90 to 95%).

      I still have some ringing in the ears from time to time (more so than before this issue).  Sometimes and some days I still get a fullness in the ears (I grab the OTC Max Strength Cold/Sinus Pills).  My ENT advised me that if I get a sinus infection / cold that this could happen again and I will have to revisit him.    My feeling is that some of us have found a BANDAID for this problem, but not necessarily a cure for it.  But at this time, I think we would all take the bandaid and hope it leads to a final cure.

       

      Thank you for your post, and ANY OTHER info that you can share.

Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.