Menopause Matters Forum

Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: jgr on February 13, 2012, 05:14:26 PM

Title: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: jgr on February 13, 2012, 05:14:26 PM
Hi ladies, has anyone ever experienced a feeling like your ears are blocked and your hearing being a little effected (like when you are flying).
I woke up this morning with it and even blowing my nose doesn't clear it.
Is this yet another trip to the Dr's or is it another meno pest.
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: Joyce on February 13, 2012, 05:20:54 PM
Have you had a cold or something similar.  Unless it's causing pain, I'm sure it will pass.  I presume when you say blowing your nose doesn't clear it, that you've held your nostrils really tightly and tried blowing hard to see if that clears any blockage.
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on February 13, 2012, 06:14:20 PM
Yep!  All the while.  Plus the whistling, buzzing ...........  ::) if I put my little finger into the affected ear and wriggle it helps to 'un-block' it!
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: KatieLiz on February 13, 2012, 06:38:30 PM
I've had this on and off for a few years now.  A couple of visits to my GP have suggested I take antihistamine tablets (I don't suffer from hayfever).  I have tried this for a while and then forget to take them. 

I also suffer with my sinuses (no cold with it though).  I do wonder if it is all meno related.
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on February 13, 2012, 07:06:24 PM
I believe that the Eustacian [sp] tube narrows as we age, Himself has problems too  ::) as does a friend locally who has had her ears synringed and 'sucked' out on a regular basis for a couple of years to ease the bunged up feelings.  When I notice the buzzing I've no idea how long it's been happening  ::)
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: jgr on February 13, 2012, 07:19:39 PM
Thanks for your replies.
I have not had a recent cold cubagirl and have held my nostrils tightly whilst blowing, all to no avail. There is no pain so hopefully will pass.

CLKD, tried the little finger in ear as you suggested, still there.

KatieLiz, my sinuses do bother me from time to time and i take a beconase nasel inhaler on a morning to keep on top of it. I do however suffer with a runny nose especially in winter.
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on February 13, 2012, 07:21:32 PM
"CLKD, tried the little finger in ear as you suggested, still there.  ... "

is it the finger still in the ear then     ..............  ;)  ::)

Then there's the itching deep down that I can't get to ...........  >:(

Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: jgr on February 13, 2012, 07:34:37 PM
Haha CLKD, that's what i get for not reading it back before posting, i meant that the blocked feeling was still there. ;D
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: countrybumpkin on February 13, 2012, 09:09:14 PM
My husband gets one ear blocked with very reduced hearing due to "gunk" as he has trouble with his sinuses all the time and the Dr gave him a steroid nasal spray and he uses it for a month and it always clears the tube. He gets this about twice a year but the spray works every time.
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: Suzi Q on February 14, 2012, 03:25:09 AM
Get your ears checked
Dont hold and blow again it can damage your sinus can
I had something sim I had my ears shrynged afetr that fabo
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: san on February 14, 2012, 10:20:58 PM

Then there's the itching deep down that I can't get to ...........  >:(
I've had that in my right ear for a few weeks but on and off. No wax has come out when I've cleaned it. Wondered if it's where I dive with the window down a bit sometimes. Maybe caused a cold in the ear  :-\
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on February 15, 2012, 01:16:03 PM
I think the ears are pretty much protected from the cold, if it was *that* cold you would wind up the window when you d[r]ive  ;) - my ears aren't too bad today but were really itchy last night  >:(
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: warwick01 on February 15, 2012, 02:02:44 PM

I get this all the time. The feeling is the same as when your flying.

Some times my balance is also affected. I was told years ago it would go away on it's own........ several years later still av the problem.

W
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: silverlady on April 26, 2012, 09:21:04 AM
Suffering with this at the moment in my right ear, its driving me potty >:( done all the things suggested here and last night I woke up and felt it pop and my hearing was clear as a bell. I went back to sleep feeling very happy only to wake up again this morning with it back!

I have been putting drops in to try to soften any wax just in case when I do manage to get an appointment with Doc, they say it needs to be syringed, but it seems to make it worse and I have more muffled hearing and it makes me more anxious that I am going deaf ::)

I have been told I have very narrow Eustachian tubes so it could be this that is causing the problem, I also seem to have postnasal drip down the back of my throat so wonder if this is contributing to it.

I have had this before but it always seemed to resolve itself in a few days, this time its been over a week and am wondering if its something to do with weather (very humid here) and the start of the allergy season with tree pollen. Just clutching at straws really, but blocked ears are very disconcerting and I hate the feeling :(

silverlady x

Forgot to add this  http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Eustachian-Tube-Dysfunction.htm  think this is my problem.
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: silverlady on April 26, 2012, 03:57:58 PM
Mrs P I used Sodium Bicarbonate Drops.

At the moment it has eased a little, I washed my hair and used  softwax ear plugs to keep the water out of my ears and while I was doing it I felt the pop again, and it felt much better though not completely gone as I can  still feel pressure.

I am making an appointment tomorrow.

This might interest you that I came across this afternoon   http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/archive/index.php/t-11646.html

I also read that blocked ears was the most common thing that patients see their doctors about.

silverlady x
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: silverlady on April 27, 2012, 03:05:55 PM
My blocked ear is no longer :) I woke up this morning and it felt normal, hurray :D

silverlady x
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: Bette on April 27, 2012, 04:47:07 PM
Sodium Bicarbonate Drops That's interesting, silverlady, - can you give me any more info on them please? It's for my mum. She claims that using olive oil to prepare her ears for syringing gives her diaorrhea (sp?!); I have asked about it on here before but no-one could help me. An alternative would be great, if only as a placebo! She has to be careful as she's on Warfarin; some OTC ear-drops are contra-indicated.
Bette x
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: Pauline on April 30, 2012, 05:32:57 PM
Might be worth trying microsuction rather than syringing. Speedy painless and very effective at clearing out all that gunk.
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: silverlady on April 30, 2012, 05:44:02 PM
Have you any details Pauline?

silverlady x
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on April 30, 2012, 09:22:14 PM
Well yesterday morning I woke early with a very bunged up right ear which was whistling a tune to itself and that lasted until the early hours of this morning what ever I did although I didn't try oil in it.  That was for today should it have continued ......... now it's slightly bunged up again  >:( it did stop a bit when I bent forwards though  :o but I can't stay bent over for ever  ::)
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: Pauline on May 01, 2012, 06:51:41 AM
Microsuction of the ears is something carried out at the hospital - a brief treatment but lasts a good long time.
Basically the ears are vacuumed with a very small hoover!!!
I was amazed and disgusted by the detritus that this produced. No wonder I was having ear problems.
Syringing is quite a violent procedure and, in my case, just added to the difficulties by filling the ear with water.
Try for microsuction if your problems persist. There is quite a bit about it on the net.
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on May 01, 2012, 08:06:46 AM
Thanks.  Mine blocked ear feels heavy this morning
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: silverlady on May 07, 2012, 09:38:43 AM
The saga of my blocked ear continues ::) I have been putting the SB in my ear as I did finally get an appointment last week, the doctor said "Wax in the ear" so I have been dutifully putting the drops in in preparation for my ears to be syringed tomorrow afternoon.

On Friday I put the drops in and miraculously my ear cleared and my hearing was perfect. On Saturday I thought I better continue putting the drops in to keep softening the wax, all the better for a good clear out on Tuesday. So I put a few drops in and it promply clogged up again and its been like it since whatever I tried to do.

Should have stopped on Friday when the going was good!

Will let you know how tomorrow goes.

silverlady x




 

silverlady x
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on May 07, 2012, 01:21:38 PM
Mine feel muggy  ::)
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: susie56 on May 07, 2012, 02:33:28 PM
Caught a viral thing on a plane and when flying back my ears blocked up.  The right one is still blocked and the viral stuff doesn't seem to quite have gone.  I think it's a blocked Eustachian as Silverlady's link showed.
(Incidentally, Silverlady, thanks for your useful links I always read them even of I don't comment very useful!!).  I don't really like putting stuff in my ears so hoping it will go on its own.  :-\
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: silverlady on May 07, 2012, 03:38:00 PM
Mrs P my ears don't hurt, and you have said yours do, so maybe you might have an infection, think you should see your doctor, you may need some antibiotic ear drops.

silverlady x
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on May 07, 2012, 04:29:00 PM
 :hug:
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: silverlady on May 09, 2012, 08:23:27 AM
Had my ears syringed yesterday it was success :) immediately afterwards they felt clear and hearing was cystal clear.

Nurse said that putting drops in beforehand did tend to muffle ears and make them crackle and it was perfectly normal, she also said that some people like me had small ears and maybe needed to have ears syringed more often.

So today feel really well and clear headed, it was well worth having them syringed.

silverlady x
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on May 09, 2012, 10:19:19 AM
I shook my head at 4.30 a.m. and the right blocked ear cleared  :o but I can feel it filling up again .........
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: changesbabe on May 09, 2012, 10:41:26 AM
I look forward to the day where I can hear again and I don't feel like I am living in a bubble! Antibiotics finished today but am afraid no difference - oh there is no pus coming out my ear so thats an improvement.  Still got pain and can't hear a thing.  Back at docs on Fri.  Now if I could cut my head off.... xxx
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on May 09, 2012, 11:55:50 AM
Will you be able to administer the spray Mrs P or will you need someone to do it ............. hopefully the pain will settle!
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on May 09, 2012, 02:37:55 PM
Well Done!
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on August 01, 2013, 10:33:06 AM
My right ear suddenly blocked last night.  It feels 'full'  >:(  ......... if it doesn't improve I will get DH to put some olive oil in it this evening; but I asked him not to follow that with vinegar - don't want to smell like a chippy  ;D
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on August 04, 2013, 09:52:51 AM
The oil hasn't helped.  I spent Friday night awake to see if it shifted the blocked feelings  ::) and this morning, although I can hear a little better, there is a bubbling inside ......... off to shake my head!
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: honeybun on August 04, 2013, 06:48:20 PM
You sound like a dog CLKD.

Have you tried holding your nose and blowing really hard. I get gunk building up and then I go deaf and the tinnitus starts. I also get outer ear infections which have improved after my GP gave me some tips. Don't get water in your ears but if you do dry it with a hairdryer and also if you start to feel the pressure building take an anti histamine or use a nasal spray. I have felt much better recently since doing this.

Honeyb
X
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on August 04, 2013, 07:45:01 PM
I already take anti-histamine tablets 2/3 times a week and use a nasal spray regularly.  I shook my head.  Then noticed about 2 hours later that the ear feels less bunged up and I can hear again  ::)
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: nigela on August 13, 2013, 10:08:42 AM
I have had this blocked ear plus awful stinging pain that wakes me up very early in a morn since Jan! Cannot lie on affected ear.Finally given antibiotics in July. this took the pain off for 10 days then it came back. been told the eardrum has fluid behind it. I can hear the gurgling sound when I yawn! They only gave me otomize ear spray at the beginning-this made my hearing go muffled. then I was given nasonex spray for nose. This made me even deafer. Finally been to consultant after had very bad dizziness and tingling down face too,he says its ok to leave! So cannot have more antibiotics even tho they helped! Now today it has begun in my other ear. Cannot lie on either side now! It is not as bad during the day tho still get dizzy spells but the tiredness of only getting about 5 hours sleep is not good. Its as tho pressure builds up after laying down. Using more pillows too-this has helped the dizziness when waking at the mo. The only thing he said was it may be a nerve pain related to my hip problem! However that would not cause my ear drum to be red and the fluid!
Nigela
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on August 13, 2013, 09:26:48 PM
Nerve pain related to hip problem - now that's a referral of pain too far  ::)

My r ear still feels fuzzy and I am deafer that side - I know that because when it does clear I can hear bilaterally  ::)
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: honeybun on August 13, 2013, 09:28:40 PM
I didn't know you had a fuzzy rear CLKD....I think you can get cream for that.


 ;D


Honeyb
X
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on August 13, 2013, 09:29:37 PM
 ;D  ... oh you're on form tonight  :clapping:
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: honeybun on August 13, 2013, 09:32:53 PM


 :thankyou:


Honeyb
X

 ;)
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on August 13, 2013, 09:33:57 PM
It's good to giggle  ;)
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: honeybun on August 13, 2013, 09:37:01 PM
Hubby asked what I was laughing at.

It was just the thought of the fuzzy rear. Typo but funny non the less.


Honeyb
X
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on August 14, 2013, 11:00:00 AM
r ear = Right ear  ;)

Fuzzy without even trying - that's me  ;D
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on May 09, 2014, 04:31:13 PM
…. and now my right ear is throbbing gently in the background from inside, like quiet tinnitus  >:( …….. both ears itch deeply too <sigh>
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: honeybun on May 09, 2014, 06:18:40 PM
Surprised you found this topic. I still had a giggle about the fuzzy rear  ;D.

Sorry about your ear, hopefully it will clear soon.


Honeyb
x
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on May 09, 2014, 07:13:38 PM
Still itches but the buzzing has stopped for a while  ::)
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: babypink2807 on May 14, 2014, 08:41:04 PM
It helps me but.........

I read up about my ear issues with them being persistently blocked and the tinnitus and loss of balance, anyway to cut the story short I read that if you open your mouth as wide as you can as if you were about the scream or a big yawn.  You can sort of hear pulsating in your ears, keep your mouth open and it eases then sort of pops.  Works for me, don't last long but it gives some relief
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: Linsey44 on May 15, 2014, 07:36:05 AM
Had blocked ear before, tried hopi ear candling, most beauty salons do it as a treatment.

Very relaxing if nothing else, but it did work for me
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on February 22, 2015, 02:14:50 PM
My ears keep nipping, sharply ….. enough to make me go 'ouch'  :-\
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: Joyce on February 22, 2015, 04:26:12 PM
Inside or outside CLKD?
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on February 22, 2015, 04:28:50 PM
Deep inside - sorry wasn't very clear was I  ::) …….. a sudden nip!
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: Joyce on February 22, 2015, 11:01:21 PM
Have you been poking around with something smaller than your elbow?  ;) If it gets really nippy, you should get it checked out. Alternatively get some Audiclean, which might help. Google it.
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on February 23, 2015, 10:32:13 AM
 :thankyou:  nothing larger than a pencil  ;) ……. it's a result of the Eustacian tubes being smaller ……..
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: Joyce on February 23, 2015, 10:49:19 AM
My daughter has terrible problems with her ears. She used to get lots of ear infections as a child & has continued throughout her adult life. Now is slightly deaf. Like me she suffers with eczema in her ears, so there is always that urge to scratch. We now use sudocreme when we get that itch.
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on February 23, 2015, 11:01:48 AM
I call that 'spaniel ear' ……. deep itching - my dog would turn in circles trying to reach it  :bang: a  :poke2: wasn't enough!
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on July 18, 2015, 02:18:57 PM
For a few months my R ear seemed blocked, it would need a very good wriggle to set it free - for 3 weeks it's been no problem at all until Tuesday morning when I woke, blocked again.  This afternoon it's bubbling away and I can feel my heart beating  :o so going to give it another VGW!  Occaionslly I get sharp sudden pains deep in the ears too! Bugga …….
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: Bettyboo on July 19, 2015, 08:46:34 AM
This forum is amazing - I reckon I have found virtually every 'symptom' that has been worrying me for the last three years. Browsing today and I saw this thread about blocked ears...

I've had this problem for months now, it comes and it goes. It may have started with a virus over the winter which culminated in Bells Palsy affecting the right hand side of my face. Fortunately that cleared up in a month but it didn't help my health anxiety (HA) one little bit. Since then have been left with weird blocked sensation in right ear. Dr says ears are fine. I do have sinus problems and post nasal drip so that may be a factor. I have anti-histamine prescribed but like many of you don't always want/ remember to take them continually. Very bad in spring and early summer when the pollens were about.

Ear has been OK for a few weeks but blocked/ deaf feeling back again in the last few days. HA has been really bad so I am blaming stress. I get that stabbing sensation deep in the ear too, CLKD. 
Title: Re: Blocked feeling in ears
Post by: CLKD on July 19, 2015, 12:42:10 PM
HORMONES  >:(  ::) ……. at least it releases when I give it a VGW - for a couple of years it was kind of muggy on that side and nothing would move the wax enough  ::)