Hearing Issue... is there a doctor in the house?

derridiandrift · #1 07-23-2010, 11:29 AM

On Monday morning I woke up feeling pressure in both ears, like when you're landing in an airplane. My nose wasn't congested, but it was the same kind of feeling that I get when I have a cold. I tried yawning and stretching and such to pop my eardrums.

By Tuesday morning the right ear cleared up back to normal.

Wednesday morning I went to the doctor. He said there's no blockage (ie wax/dirt buildup) in my ear, there's no fluid behind my eardrum. He prescribed a nasal spray to clear out sinus congestion that's applying pressure to my eustachian tube. My nose isn't stuffed, but he said that's not relevant.

It's Friday and the symptoms in my left ear haven't changed. The worst part of this is that everything I hear in that ear sounds like it has an off-frequency ring to it. It's not tinnitus. It's only when there's a relatively high spl sound and it sounds a bit like a flanger effect. This makes everything sound wacky and I can't recognize pitch properly in that ear.

I have four shows this weekend, starting tonight.

Has anyone else had this kind of plugged-up pressure combined with weird hearing? Any suggestions on how to cope with this during my gigs? Maybe a folk remedy involving boiled bat's toes and lizard lungs dried and smoked through a water pipe?

Help me out!

foq1978 · #2 07-23-2010, 11:33 AM

I am having a similar feeling on my right ear. Sometimes, I feel it blocking. I keep changing my headphones so I can test if I am hearing less with it, but I am not sure. Very annoying.

Maybe it's temporary? I've been delaying a visit to the doctor since it's started, more or less a month ago.

Good luck with your shows!

singlemalt · #3 07-23-2010, 11:40 AM

Allergies maybe?

I call it "squishy ear", and I went and had the doc look too. Like you, no liquid behind the ear drum, no blockages, both ears will equalize pressure. A sometimes high pitch ringing, in one or the other ear, like a feedback squeal. Painful pressure descending from the mountain, 6500' to 400'.

I tried the Rx he gave me but the drugs were worse than the problem.

Mine started with a head cold but its been months, and it gets worse when the hayfever pollen counts are high. I figure allergies.

But all that said, nothing seems to help. Loud volumes make it worse, so I'm careful with my head phones and use ear plugs at practice or gigs if its at all loud.

You could do worse than a couple flushes with a nittypot and some mild salt water solution, luke warm water.

derridiandrift · #4 07-23-2010, 11:44 AM

I'm thinking that I might just wear an ear plug in my left ear (the bad one) to take it out completely and see if that makes makes the crazy harmonic ring less noticeable. It's certainly going to make singing difficult. I have to sing backups all night and lead on about a dozen songs.

singlemalt · #5 07-23-2010, 12:12 PM

Oh, and the nitty pot goes in your nose, not your ear!

MD · #6 07-23-2010, 12:19 PM

I had similar issues. Was told my eustachian tube wasn't draining as it should. I was given a combo pill of Clorpheniramine + Pseudoephedrine - prescription. You can get the former off the shelf, not the later if it's still on the market.
I also got some "Robitussin" expectorant/decongestant. Active ingredient being Guaifenesin.
This stuff helped me.
I'm not a doctor.
I don't play one on TV.
Speak with you physician or pharmacist.

T-Bird · #7 07-23-2010, 01:57 PM

Hi.

Best of luck to You, I didn't have any back in the day

.

About 10 years ago my right ear "locked". No pain, just a slight loss of balance control. Tried to flush it, but the nauseating feeling made it impossible (never before).

Since there was no pain I waited a month before going to see a doc. BAD, BAD MISTAKE. No reason was ever found, and the ear is still deaf.

It's a PITA, I can't do any sound engineering stuff anymore etc. but that's life I guess.

Like I said in the beginning: good luck.

Regards
Sam

derridiandrift · #8 07-23-2010, 04:07 PM

T-bird, that's a crappy situation. Sorry about that.

KTFunkAlive · #9 07-23-2010, 04:15 PM

Yeah man that's rough. All I can say to all the young guys out there is WEAR YOUR EARPLUGS! Tinnitus sucks and it's for life.

shaboda · #10 07-23-2010, 04:26 PM

Sorry to read that TBird. Wow. Doesnt make me feel too comfy about my Situation but I will share.... In Late January I woke up one morning feeling like my ear was clogged with Wax. I had the wax removed... but then I was told my Eardrum was Bulging (like it was Under pressure from the otherside)... but I still felt a LITTLE better.... however, 2 days later... my Eardrum Broke. I had SO much pressure in my head on the left side, it felt like someone was puttin' a size 12 boot on my ear for months. It felt like the worst CLOG you could ever have. It was a bitch to talk right and to hear anything. Turns out I have an Infection behind the EarDrum that Is Being treated Still... ... and Madtoiditis. I had 2 CAT SCANS, 2 hearing tests, and blood tests....I saw a specialist this week (Eardrum is still broke right now, and I will need surgery to fix)... Bottom line is: Dont mess around, go to a SPECIALIST. I have been to 2 local doctors for months and months.... and got NOWHERE.. I should have gone sooner. My Hearing Loss is Conductive (because of the Hole) and Not Nerve Damage, so hopefully I will be back to Normal when they patch it. I do have hissing/white noise in that ear right now, because there is more Hole then EarDrum left right now.... My Opinion: GET a 2nd, and a 3RD opinion. Dont mess around.