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[jgr]

Evening Ladies, I had a bad head cold at Easter and my right ear felt like it was blocked and couldn't hear properly. Could only get a phone consultation at my GP's and was told it would probably resolve itself. It felt like it was getting better as my hearing was returning but the blocked feeling remained. A couple of weeks after the first phone call i managed to get an appointment to see the nurse, she looked in my ear and could't see anything and again i was told it would probably resolve itself, she told me to try steam inhalation, this did not work.  Another couple of weeks and i get another phone consultation with a nurse practitioner who tells me to come in. She has a look in my ear and there is a little bit of red so gives me antibiotics and makes me an appointment for the following week. Antibiotics did nothing so on seeing her again she has referred me to ENT at the hospital. Some days are better than others, it is a feeling of being blocked with a reverb sound of whistling when someone is talking. I have no pain but my head feels full and when i am walking, any breeze in my face sounds louder and i feel detached. Any ideas please.

[Annie0710]

Both my ear drums burst jan 2017 and I stilll have your symptoms ! I'm continually holding my nose to unblock them then they block up again within minutes

ENT tried everything bar grommets and I wonder whether that would cure it.  X

[jgr]

Thanks Annie, grommets were mentioned by the nurse but that will depend on the consultants decision. I can sympathise with you, it really drags you down, did yours happen after a cold ?xx

[Cassie]

I have had this often, you dont need grommets a short 4 day course of Prednisone cortisone tablets will sort the blockage out, always surprised that GPs dont prescribe this with the antibiotics, I usually leave the antibiotics and just take the cortisone and it opens the tubes very rapidly.

[jgr]

Thanks Cassie, i will phone GP's tomorrow and see if i can give this a try. xx

[Annie0710]

Yes JGR

I felt unwell Xmas 2016and went to dr.  They said viral, it got worse so ended up with chest, sinus and ear infection which then caused the ear drums to burst x

[Jemp]

I have had this for long spells over the past few years. In my case it seems to be some kind of allergy made MUCH worse early in the year by tree pollen. It is also worse after a viral infection. I have had a couple of bouts of labyrinthitis- very sick and dizzy usually when the blockage is beginning to 'move'.  I have found it useful to take an antihistamine daily and to use a steroid nasal spray ( prescription) when it is particularly bad. I think this is quite common among post menopausal ladies.

[Cazikins]

Were the antibiotics you were given tablets??
I was given ear drops when I had an infection in my ear & they were better then the tabs I was previously given.
It maybe that your Eustachian tube is blocked jgr. It is good that you have a referral to E.N.T. they will hopefully sort it out for you.

I was referred to E,N,T. about 4 years again because of pulsating tinnitus. It was there that I was diagnosed with Eustachian tube disfunction & an upper attic retraction. I had an op earlier this year (mastoidectomy) where they also removed a small cholesteatoma. I will now have regular check ups for the rest of my life.

I hope it gets sorted soon for you as I know how painful & annoying it can all be. Keep us posted.

Cazikins.

[CLKD]

As oestrogen levels drop off so muscles may become lax, the Eustachian tube also narrows leaving a feeling of being blocked. I am aware of my ears all the while 

[jgr]

Hi Cassie, just to let you know Dr won't give me the steroid tablets , said i will have to wait until hospital gets in touch with appointment.

Hi Jemp, i take a steroid nasal inhaler throughout the summer to help with hat fever, i will try the daily antihistamines.

Hi Cazikins, the antibiotics were tablet form but they also gave me ear drops and neither worked.

Thanks to everyone who commented, i will keep you posted. xx

[CLKD]

I slept heavily and well one night last week.  Woke to find my R ear blocked which made hearing difficult on that side and it didn't pop until mid-afternoon.  Again yesterday morning.  Both feel blocked today .........

[jgr]

Just to keep you all updated, i have had my appointment with the hospital ENT Consultant and she said it was down to a virus which had damage the nerve in my ear hence the hearing loss and unfortunately it will not get better. She is sending me for an MRI scan to see inner ear and i have that appointment next week. Although she said it was nothing sinister how can she say that if she needs further investigation with scan. I now have massive health anxiety again and fearing the worst.

[CLKD]

I do wish these medics would explain what they are looking for  .  I expect that it's to see if the eustachian tunes have narrowed and to maybe check bone density as well as making sure that the working parts are within normal limits.

I would ring the surgery and ask.  Get the receptionist to read the referral letter to you or drop by and see what you have been referred for.  experts 


My ears are 'full' all the while, I am aware of them all day long.  Then there's the tinnitus of course 

[sheila99]

I have recently been to an ENT for loss of hearing. At the third time of asking he explained why he thinks it's nerve damage. They tested my hearing using headphones over my ears. They then tested hearing through the bone behind the ear. As the results were almost the same he concluded it's nerve damage. Had the hearing been better through the bone it would have shown a problem/blockage between the inner ear & the outside world. He has asked or an MRI scan that I haven't had yet. Mine started 30 years ago following a virus. My ear felt full & I had tinnitus but the worst symptom was that I had a wobble on my eyes that caused me to vomit continuously, similar to travel sickness but far worse. I had loss of balance too so semi-circular canals also damaged. I can't remember exactly how long it took for the blocked feeling to go but it was between several months and 2 years.

[CLKD]

Nystagmus?  Awful!

You might like to ring the appropriate Dept. to see what the waiting list might be, also , could you put yourself forwards for a cancellation appt.?