Ear Query

[Eve]

Evening Sqad, I wondered if I could get your take on this, or from anyone else who might have an idea. About two weeks ago my worse ear (with T Tube grommet) went a bit muffled. Gave it a while to see if it settled itself down, but it didn't, so tried a couple of of olive oil drops in case it was wax causing the issue. Have been able to blow air through the grommet throughout.

After that things went a lot worse and have much reduced hearing, increased pressure and a constant very annoying fuzzy kind of white noise with a high pitched whine which, hearing wise, "feels" like it's over a far larger area round that side of my head. I've been getting the occasional bubble like feelings, which "pop" but doesn't relive or change anything. Still got the usual clicking (kind of like loud Rice Krispies) in both ears most of the time, which is normal for me.

It's making hearing very difficult as it feels like it's taking over more than just the hearing in that ear (if that makes sense) and is quite disorientating. Even my own voice sounds weird. A bit of discomfort, maybe more from the pressure, but no pain or discharge or temperature to suggest an infection. No sign of a cold or anything like that.

GP had a look, no sign of infection and he could see the grommet still in. He's deferred to ENT so waiting for an appointment, hopefully soon as it's making things quite difficult. I wondered if you had any idea what might be going on from that?

[Sqad]

Slightly worrying Eve.
You need to see an ENT surgeon as we may well be dealing with an inner ear problem rather than just a middle ear problem and only hearing tests will identify that.
It may well be the time to take out the ventilating tube.
I can't say more than that at this moment as you do need to see an E.N.T surgeon.

[237SJ]

I don't want to teach you to suck eggs but how do you know that you can blow air through the grommets? I was never aware that I could do that when I had grommets.

[Sqad]

237....nip your nose, purse your lips and blow down your nose....if the tube is patent then one can hear air coming through.

[237SJ]

I had otitis media when I had grommets in. All of the usual symptoms - muffled hearing etc

[Eve]

Thank you Sqad, I'm grateful for your thoughts. That has been my increased worry, that it's something going on further in. Fingers crossed I can get an appointment soon. I'm under a Meniere's clinic within ENT and they usually aren't too bad a wait for appointments. I explained briefly when I spoke to the consultant's secretary earlier.

Ha, I do 237SJ, though I found out "accidentally", was a rather alarming nose blowing incident if I remember rightly, got a bit of a shock! :)

[Sqad]

Eve.....will be interested in your further investigations and results.

[Eve]

Thanks, I'll update you when I know more.

[sunny-dave]

Can't help with the problem - but just want to wish you well & hope it can be sorted soon.

D xx

[Eve]

Thanks Dave, I really appreciate it Xxx

[Eve]

Got my appointment letter through already!!! For the end of October...sob :(

[Sqad]

Eve....that is no service.
Go privately.

[Eve]

I've got a work health plan, will see if anything is covered on that. I'm going to see if I can get anywhere ringing Monday too. It's far too long a wait, I'd be too worried that something that might be able to be helped now may not be by then and I'm really struggling hearing wise.

[Eve]

Evening Sqad, hopefully you'll see this as an update. Saw ENT and they said there is a big lump of wax in my ear! He questioned about didn't the GPs see it, but both of the GPs who had a look said that there was no sign of wax or infection when they checked my ears, a few weeks apart.

So I'm hoping that that is it and it's easily fixed, which will be a huge relief as I was getting very worried. He said when I put the olive oil drops in that it would have swelled the wax and that explains the worse drop in hearing after I put those in.

He tried to get it out but couldn't as there was a hard bit on it so he has put some ointment in my ear and I will get an appointment to go back in 2/3 weeks and hopefully that will have made the wax easier to remove and will hopefully mean I can hear properly out of that ear again!

[Eve]

Just a bump for Sqad as you are about, in case you didn't see the update, given that it has been a while since the original post.