Gone deaf.

[Kimbers]

So I was working Saturday and after a long day I was doing some paperwork and I suddenly went deaf. Wendy thought it was probably a wax blockage but been to see the doctor today and his words "I'm stumped, I really thought it would be wax but your ears are clean as a whistle and your drum is intact." I may have to see an ENT specialist.

 

Anyone else suffered with this? I really need some encouragement as I can't do what I love doing or work like this.

 

It's like being in a plane when your ears pop but it hasn't popped. I can feel pressure behind my ear and both ears are making a "Singing noise" high pitched whistle. Even though only my right is really bad (I can't hear anything out of it) my left whistling makes it really hard to hear anything!

 

Doc said it's something behind the ear drum and that because I haven't had a cold and don't get hayfever it's unlikely to be a blockage from the nose to the inner ear!

 

It's driving me scatty!

 

 

 

 

[iainskea]

Hey Tony, I looked up Sudden Deafness and there is a noted syndrome - good news it is probably an infection and will be back to norm in a couple of weeks. Gets 1 in 5000 people, mostly in their 40-50s. Glad you went to a doc. ENT can speed up recovery.

That's my engineers professional opinion

[Kimbers]

Pardon?

[molemot]

Sounds exactly like a blocked eustacian tube....used to get weird effects in unpressurised aeroplanes. Our late lamented unpressurised Mk4 Jet Provost used to be able to descend at quite a rate..throttle closed, airbrakes out, point nose down to Mach 0.7....and that would produce instant deafness if you had the slightest blockage. Trying to talk on the radio, fly the aeroplane, watching out for the level you wanted to level out at (once came down from 25,000 feet to 2,000 feet like this) and simultaneously holding the nose through the oxygen mask and blowing as hard as possible to force air into the inner ear.....sticks in the memory!!

 

Never heard of Sudden Deafness......(!)

[Bibs]

You would think a doctor would be aware of eustacian tubes and perhaps checked their function too, or suggested it if he thought it may be the issue.

[Vulcan Grey]

I'm also guessing congestion in middle ear, with goo damping the ossicles.

 

Alternatives would be ototoxic drugs like antibiotics or other.  Look them up on the internets and see if you have taken one!

 

Some diseases can cause sudden loss of hearing, like Rubella.

 

Do you have any dizziness?

 

Sometimes tissue can grow in the middle ear and prevent the middle ear bones from moving, which can cause deafness, It's called otosclerosis or cholesteatoma ...

 

Other causes here

http://deafness.about.com/od/articlesandnewsletters/a/causes.htm

 

I often have long lasting congestion, in one ear after a cold, that can cause sound to be distorted, I can tell it is goo on the back side of the ear drum and on the middle ear bones.  Taking decongestant for a while after a cold makes it go away.

[Kimbers]

You would think a doctor would be aware of eustacian tubes and perhaps checked their function too, or suggested it if he thought it may be the issue.

 

He said it could be one of several different things. I didn't write any of them down and they were in Doctory speak Will ask Laura when I see her next. First things first I'm on a sinus decongestant to see if it's a blockage of the Sinus. Then Anti-biotics if that doesn't work (and it hasn't so far) and lastly Steroids.

 

I just want it to stop, the pressure on my ear may not have seemed bad to begin with but it is driving me nuts now. Add in to that this gad damn high pitched whistle out of both ears and I am going to go insane soon if I don't shift it.

[Iconic Ride]

What a right royal pain, Kimbers. I know that the UK medical coverage rules can be somewhat arcane, but are you permitted to get a "second opinion" from another ear doctor? Or would that mean a month long wait to be seen?

 

Hope it clears up soon. Can't imagine how frustrating this condition must be for you.   

[Vulcan Grey]

He said it could be one of several different things. I didn't write any of them down and they were in Doctory speak Will ask Laura when I see her next. First things first I'm on a sinus decongestant to see if it's a blockage of the Sinus. Then Anti-biotics if that doesn't work (and it hasn't so far) and lastly Steroids.

 

I just want it to stop, the pressure on my ear may not have seemed bad to begin with but it is driving me nuts now. Add in to that this gad damn high pitched whistle out of both ears and I am going to go insane soon if I don't shift it.

 

Are you on antibiotics now?  Were you on antibiotics before your hearing went bad?

 

Some of the popular antibiotics can cause permanent hearing loss.  Look up "ototoxicity"...  Talk with your doctor about any drugs and antibiotics you have taken, which could cause hearing loss.

 

Still sounds like you have congestion and distortion caused by the congestion, but don't take something that can make it a permanent hearing loss.

[Guest Mutley00]

You would think a doctor would be aware of eustacian tubes and perhaps checked their function too, or suggested it if he thought it may be the issue.

 

Come on Bibs when did you last go & see a GP & come away satisfied - I'm surprised Kimbers wasn't prescribed a course of leaches or the 21st century equivalent anti-inflamatories!

 

Sounds like a build up of pressure Kimbers, have you tried the usual tricks like yawning & sustained swallowing. I know it's probably a stupid suggestion to someone living in Norfolk' but are there any big hills nearby - my ears often 'pop' when I go over some big hills in the Peak District. Failing that what about trying swimming underwater and try gradually increasing your depth? 

 

Good luck - I've really suffered with my lugs in the past & sympathise, regards, Andrew

[Roger 912]

if it is inner ear infection the best medicine is Sudafed. Very safe and should clear it up quickly.

[Kimbers]

On my way to Doctors now. My daughters a doctor, but doesn't know a lot about ears, but there's a worry there that if it is an inner ear infection and I leave it, it can cause some damage.

 

Issue is, I can't do either of my jobs like this. Have struggled through with the day job but have to drive later in the week and not got a sense of balance at present!

 

I have tried boiled sweets, swallowing, yawning constantly etc.

 

Gonna go mad I think (or madder).

[Bibs]

Ask them to look at that rash too... 

[Kimbers]

Apparantly that rash on my thighs is from your beard!

 

May take 2-5 weeks to clear up! Arghhhhhh (the hearing not the rash!).

[softlips]

if it is inner ear infection the best medicine is Sudafed. Very safe and should clear it up quickly.

Surfaced is just a decongestant. If it's a real infection antibiotics would be a better bet.

Sticking ones head under a hot bath often helps, is your balance OK?

Edited June 27, 2014 by softlips

[Kimbers]

My balance has equalised Martin. Originally I was a bit wonky but my brain has had a week now and, though I am still deaf in my right ear, my balance is good and I am driving again.

[LotuStuart]

I get something similar to this very often. It comes and goes in one ear at a time and takes literally 20 seconds to start, happen and finish.

Yours sounds identical, except for taking longer to clear up. Of course, many things have similar symptoms.

I'd be interested in the diagnosis.

[USAndretti42]

Sounds a bit like Meniere's disease which I have.  It's a build-up of fluid in the ear canal which gives rise to pressure in the ear and, possibly vertigo and tinnitus as well as deafness.

 

When I first had it I had pressure in my ear like when coming into land on an airplane accompanied by some deafness.  A fairly comprehensive hearing test and some tests led to the diagnosis.  I was prescribed a diuretic and, after a few months of taking them, a retest showed the symptoms were much reduced.  I still take the diuretic but not everyday as before and I haven't had many instances of the symptoms returning which is lucky as it can be quite debilitating leading to extreme dizzinesss which can last for hours.  If you've not had bad dizzy spells, I doubt this will happen to you.

 

Good luck!