Getting a pressure fullness feeling in left ear periodically

Hearing Loss
#1

Hi,

Male, Aged 31, 5 foot 10, 75kg, hard of hearing in both ears. Non smoker.

I am having issues with my left ear that seems to appear at random. I have an ENT appointment pending, but it has been cancelled due to the covid19 situation. So I do not know when I will receive another appointment, so I am left to deal with this issue on my own.

The issue with my left ear is that I keep getting a pressure fullness feeling that appears for a few hours and goes at random. But when it appears, I can barely hear, all sound is reduced 80% a lot of frequencies are reduced and my hearing is muffled. If I hold my nose and blow, it relieves for a second or two, until I swallow and it is back again. And when it does go away after a few hours, my hearing comes back and the pressure goes away like nothing happened and my hearing comes back in full.

But now I have developed a new boomy hearing symptom that is related that appears and stays and can take a week or two to go away. My hearing is boomy, a bit distorted and my own voice sounds loud and deep, everything has low frequency boosted, like if someone has turned up the bass on full on a stereo.

Everyday sounds are really accentuated deeply like when you put a tube to your mouth and speak through it. My hearing is really boomy like closing a drawer, shutting a door, moving dustbins, cars, banging, speech they all sound way too bassy/boomy now. Even when I am listening to someone talk to me, it is muffled a bit, but some bits of their speech is boomy. It is really noticeable and beyond normal for what I am used to. It is not right. The worst is how my own voice sounds to me, I sound so loud, deep and boomy when speaking.

This can last for ages and goes away in its own time and my hearing is normal again.

It is like it is inflammation or a build up of pressure? Feels like there is something wrong with my eustachian tubes or fluid in the inner ear or temporary narrowed ear canal.

It is 100% not my hearing aids as I have tried all the ones I have and the issue remains without them in my left ear (I don’t wear one in my right ear, haven’t done since aged 13) and I have tested with in ear headphones, still the same issue. It is something to with the actual ear.

I am not sure what to do as the pressure and temporary hearing loss really affects my day to day life and now the recent new symptom of boomy/bassy hearing is getting to me. The pressure and random hearing loss has been on going for a year or two as it comes at random, but the boomy hearing is new since April and can last for 2 weeks before my hearing is back to normal.

I though I would also mention that I get a blocked right nose at night when laying on my right side, I have to sleep on my left side to have clear unobstructed breathing.

I would appreciate any feedback as to what it could be?

Thank you.

Images of my left ear from camera otoscope that I got from Amazon.

#2

I have a suggestion.

It would seem to me that you have a swelling that is blocking your eustachian tube to your ear.

I will have similar swelling most pronounced in my feet hands but felt throughout my body. For me this is absolutely due to lack of exercise. If I start walking on my treadmill every day, which is easy as it is also in the TV room, the swelling and problems it causes goes away.

So my suggestion would be to try exercise.

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#3

You might try taking an over the counter decongestant, orally or aerosol up the nose (but beware if you have high blood pressure). Also/alternatively an anti-inflammatory medication. I’d go #1 over #2 first though.

Do you have allergies? Allergy meds might also be an option if you do. Maybe even just some hot tea or plain old hot water, breathe in the hot vapors?

Sorry; stream of consciousness here.

#4

The nasal decongestants can be bad for you. Terrible habit to get into, I know.
The jalapeno spray up your nose will clear you out.
A spoon of good horseradish will also clear you out.
A mixture of water, salt and baking soda squirted up each nostril will also open.you up and heal sinus issues.
As TraderGary said, get up and break a sweat. Drink plenty of water, not beer.
When I am stopped up getting outside in the heat always clears my head.

#5

True, if used long term the tissues can develop a physiological addiction and will always be inflamed without them. But used sparingly, no issues.

@A_Unhappy_Deaf_Bloke you went to Reddit with this? Don’t trust us? Lol. :slight_smile: I do hope you get this straightened out. I know unknowns can be frustrating and/or scary.

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#6

I suffer from Hayfever. But even during winter I wake up with a stuffy nose and sometimes a headache. I use saline nasal spray but that doesn’t really do much apart from clean my nose.

#7

I drink a lot of water everyday. It is my only drink I have, apart from a cup of tea like chamomile. I use a saline nasal spray but it doesn’t do much for my issues. I am active like bike riding etc… And my work I am walking around all day.

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#8

I went to reddit first, to get different opinions but I understand that I cannot be diagnosed via the internet. It is annoying as I cannot see an ENT for a while because of COVID19.

#9

Another suggested cause could be diet.

Some foods can cause adverse reactions even though we love to eat them.

#10

I had the same issue, first with my left and later with my right. I tried Zyrtec D and it cleared it up (took a few weeks). ENT suggested it was a allergy issue.

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#11

I had this symptom in my left ear only. The pressure was extreme and caused a lot of pain. I was given a nose spray for a week and it solved the issue. My GP said this happens sometimes after a virus. I had slight inflammation in the tube that connect your nose to your ear.

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#12

Hi, I don’t know if this helps. \i went for a followup appt for my opn1’s and the first thing they found was I had a dome stuck in my left ear. They tried to suck it out with s vacuum of some sort, and failed. Luckily, I had a hospital appointment the next day so afterwards I dropped into A&E and they removed it with a long handled pair of needle nosed pliers on which only the delicate top part of the nose opened. I think I’ll buy a pair as google is full of people asking how to remove hearing aid domes lost in their ears. Good Luck

#13

I found at an audioligists appt I had a dome lost down in my left ear. google it or see my earlier post

#14

I am having the same type of issue with my right ear. My ENT has been following me for this for a couple of years. When mine occurs, my hearing loss is significant, like yours about 80% and everything is very muffled. I can hear the sound but I cannot make out what the voices are saying. This comes on very acutely but along with mine is ringing in my ear. And the pressure. Also, loud sounds are almost painful as they sound like a loud broken speaker. My ENT usually prescribes strong taper of steroids which alleviates this pretty quickly. But he still does not know what it is. He is thinking it is a type of Ménière’s or Bell’s. He had sent me to a Neurootolarengologist (?), actually not sure of the specialty but the appointment occurred during the C19 lock down an appointment was canceled. Interestingly, on the day of my appointment I had an episode. A real shame she couldn’t see this in action. I have had about four episodes of this now. The first occurring about two years ago and did not have another until this year and now they are coming more frequently. My ENT basically gives me a script of prednisone to keep on hand to begin when this starts. Another option is to get Steroid injections into the Tempanic membrane and that does not sound like something I could tolerate. I’ve not heard of this before you. Thank you for sharing that! Oh! And lately the ringing has become pulsitile with my heartrate.

#15

Ibmail your describing exactly what I go through. Even same ear, my left has been bad for years now. Just had the steroid shots a couple of weeks ago. My ENT said there is a five week window from the time hearing loss occurs for the shots to work. 10 years ago I had them in my left ear that worked for about five years. Then again 5 years later that never helped. 8 years ago had them in my right and right ear has been good until last month. Go back to the ENT in three weeks, hopefully with better hearing.

He also said 10 years ago they called it a form of meniere’s but now they don’t and they don’t have a name for what it is.

#16

Hi

I have Menieres disease, and that is essentially what you have just described

#17

Do you also have vertigo?

#18

I have had in the past ,yes

I no longer suffer from the vertigo attacks, but still have many other symptoms of meniere’s such as ear fullness, sound distortion, fluctuating hearing loss, hyperacusis etc etc etc

#19

I might have the “answer” for you. Many years back I woke up with a full ear and could not clear it. Now I did not have a cold nor a fever and basically felt fine. But after several days and no change I visited a ENT who recommened “Otovent”. It’s a cheap but effective way to clear your ear tube, but you have to keep at it for a day or two or three. It’s sold on amazon and might just be the answer to your problem. Good luck.

https://www.amazon.com/Otovent-Glue-Ear-Treatment/dp/B01N7HMVXY

#20

The reason my ENT hesitates to call it Menieres is because I never had vertigo. He says it could be “Cochlear Menieres” but says it is very rare to have that type. Another interesting aspect is when I have the significant hearing loss, my audiogram is identical to previous hearing loss episodes. Then after steroid the audiogram shows hearing returns exactly to baseline. BTW, I have bilateral hearing loss and have had ringing in my ears since I was a kid. I thought it’s what everyone heard. But the frequency of the ring changes and is much louder when this happens. Possibly coincidentally, with my last episode I had some facial paralysis on same side. I noticed it when I smiled. It mostly resolved except for lower right side of lip. :woman_shrugging:t2: