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[John Huntington]

For the last couple days, I've had a really weird ear problem.  Before I go to some random ear doctor, I thought I'd post here and see if anyone has had anything similar.

I've had it in both ears; right now, it's only in the right ear.  What it sounds like is that there is a shelving filter in place, boosting everything below about 200 Hertz by about 10dB.  It's like massive bass, but without the air movement that you can feel in your chest.

It has been in place when I've gotten up in the morning, and usually goes away after a couple hours.

On my last Dr. visit he said I had some big ear wax build up, so I thought that might be the situation, and I tried two different ear wax removal systems I got at the drug store.  That didn't seem to help at all.

Has anyone else ever had anything like this?  I'd love to give some guidance to the doctor...

Thanks!

John

[Dick Rees]

I have never found an off the shelf ear wax removal system that worked for me.  I go to the clinic twice a year to have my ears cleaned, more often if I need it.

Works for me.

[Silas Pradetto]

That happens to me when I'm really congested. Take a decongestant?

[Thom "Fig" Fiegle]

My day gig is in the Musician's Clinic here in Chicago.

John, don't mess around with your hearing health.  Get out of the drug store aisles and into a doctor's office.  Not trying to frighten you, but every day it persists counts.  Nobody here can diagnose you via internet, and any one who claims to is a liar.

You should not have to give any guidance to any ENT or doctor of audiology (AuD).

Email me off board if you would like a referral.

[Chuck Fudge]

It does sound like the same thing that happens with me....conjestion....fluid buildup behind the eardrum caused by conjestion or swollen Eustachian tube.  Make an appointment at an ENT!!!! in the mean time try an allergy medication...anything that ends with the -D and a nose spray.  Make an appointment with an ENT!!!!  

The ENT will first do a hearing test, but a look inside the ear should tell the story if it is in fact conjestion.

I have also been told to force air into the Eustachian tube by doing the same thing as equalising pressure...hold your nose and blow....about every hour.  

Good luck!

[Jim McKeveny]

Time to go to a pro. Hypertension/eustachion buildup/whatever. If has been this persistent it needs attention.

[Kristian Johnsen]

Chuck Fudge wrote on Tue, 04 January 2011 18:18

I have also been told to force air into the Eustachian tube by doing the same thing as equalising pressure...hold your nose and blow....about every hour.   Good luck!

Problem with this is that when you have a cold you basically have snot up those tubes and in the middle ear.  Even if it may feel like relief when you do it all it really does is to push the snot further up.  I'm one of those people that can equalize while diving without holding their nose.  When my inner ear gets congested the sound I hear when equalizing is different and I know right away to take measueres to stop an ear infection forming.

I have a funny looking plastic "horn" that I fill with luke warm salty water and use to let water flow into one nostril and exit through the other.  Even if all it really does is clear your nose it helps fresh air get to the opening of all the sinuses and hence reduces the risk of infections all around the face and head, including the eustachian tubes.

One thing that works for some people is to lay on a bed with no pillows or even have your head hanging backwards off the end and use nose drops.  Sometimes some of the active ingredients will work their way to the affected ares.  I'm not a fan of using more chemicals than needed, but this technique is just about the only one I know of that works for this problem.  For some people, pulling on their ear lobes (if they have them) while taking the meds can help the drops find their way to the right places.

[John Huntington]

Thanks to all!  Anyone have a recommendation for a doc in NYC?

John

[Ryan McLeod]

I've had similar issues, and to make matters worse my eustachion tubes are goofed from when I was a kid, so my ENT and I used to see each other frequently   and to top it all off, most decongestats contain Pseudoephedrine (think Sudafed) and I'm one of the 1/100 that have a nasty reaction to it, so I couldn't take it.

My simple solution has been salinex - it's a simple saline nasal spray and wonderfully safe - think of it as lube for your sinus -works great!

For starters, get to an ENT and don't take your hearing health lightly - Once the pressure building behind my eardrums was so bad that he purposely popped my eardrums - it was a very odd feeling but it did a world of good in the end, and of course getting "a little stuffed up" for me is a big deal and salinex has worked well for me for years.

[John Huntington]

I have an appointment with an Otolaryngologist tomorrow...

Thanks!

John
www.controlgeek.net

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