Could Ear Cleaning Cause Meniere's Disease?

I don’t know how to explain this.

My hearing was fine until I decided to get my left ear irrigated due to impacted earwax. Prior to the cleaning I already had mild tinnitus. My doctor said it would be safe. The procedure itself was very painful and there was a spike in my tinnitus during the procedure (figured). However, after the procedure I was able to hear just fine! Fast forward an hour and suddenly I felt fullness in my left ear. What the fuck is happening?! A few days later I started to notice balance problems... while I can walk I have to make sure I don’t stumble... I also experienced vertigo for the first time. I want to note that NONE OF THIS HAPPENED prior to getting my cleaning. Does anyone here have Meniere’s? I’m only 20. I got rushed to the ER after feeling dizzy and was told I had vertigo. I just don’t seem to understand how the cleaning could have caused damage in my inner ear. I’m depressed.

 

HI @Mila9828

Before having wax removed by microsuction, ear irrigation or manually by curette. Ear-oil should be applied to each ear 3x a day for 10 days before having ear wax removed. If this is not done problems can sometimes result. If the dizziness and vertigo continues I advise that you go back to ENT for tests.

All the best
Michael

 

It is unlikely that the cleaning triggered Meniere's disease, but trauma to the inner ear is possible, and the inner ear is responsible for balance too (in addition to hearing), so there could be a link here.

How long ago was this?

 

Hi, thank you so much for replying. It’s been 5 days. I had an audiogram done and my inner ear responded well to sounds, however since my cleaning my left ear has had a decrease in volume that’s when the balance problems and occasional vertigo started. Not sure if this is Meniere’s, especially since the pressure in my ear is constant and I don’t get these “violent attacks” associated with it. I’m hoping to get some testing done to see if there was any inner ear damage. Pretty sure an MRI would show it. Talked to my parents and if it is fluid build up in my inner ear due to changes in pressure from the water (which I was told wouldn’t make sense because usually the eardrum would be the first target in damage) then I would have to get a surgery to drain out the fluid in the inner ear. I’m kind of at a loss here.

 

I suggest caution and a few different doctor opinions before jumping to surgery. This is not trivial surgery (if they are suggesting endolymphatic sac decompression).

 

@Mila9828

The Ear is too delicate an organ to mess around with. If your symptoms persist you need to be seen at ENT and promptly, do not delay.

Michael

 

Can you explain how the surgery would affect my ear?

 

I went to an ENT, they said my hearing was fine but I still have lower volume in my left ear. It’s all very weird.

 

I would leave things for about 1 week to allow your ears to settle down. If things haven't improved after this then go back to ENT and explain what you are experiencing.

 

I mean is dizziness and feeling off balance sometimes associated with tinnitus? I’ll take that over meniere’s Any day

 

Dizziness and balance problems are not associated with "straight forward tinnitus". You cannot diagnose yourself and this is why you need to be properly examined by an ENT Dr as this is what they are specialised in.
If I were you I would leave it for 7 days and if your symptoms don't improve go back to ENT.

Michael

 

This page can explain better than me: https://www.mercy.com/health-care-s...nt/treatments/endolymphatic-sac-decompression

 

My audiogram came back as normal so the next thing they believe is just inflammation in the ear. I was given prednisone and it helped. Thank you x

 

@Mila9828,

Sorry to hear you're having problems with your ears.

Meniere's can take a couple of years to be diagnosed and it would not be caused by ear cleaning.

Dizziness could be to a few things like blood pressure but vertigo is an inner ear problem.

It would be good keep a diary so you can monitor your vertigo but always have your doctor on board and see ENT if the vertigo keeps happening.

Don't suffer as there are medications to help vertigo.

If you drive you might need to tell the licensing agency in case you're not fit to drive for a while.

love glynis

 

@Mila9828 We treated hundreds over the years with labyrinthine concussion which is a condition which occurs following trauma to the head and/or inner ear. It can also be present without a well-defined radiological injury and is characterized by inner ear symptoms such as tinnitus, dizziness, and high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss.
Has your doctor mentioned this to you. I think that he would have. This is why I suggested for you to focus on your concussion, research the do's and don't and stay in touch with your doctor. If you develop headaches and/or severe dizziness, give your doctor a ring. If you avoid heading your head again or shaking it, then your concussion will heal and with that, most likely good-bye tinnitus.

 

I’m super worried... they said it might be labrynthitis since I had a cold when the symptoms first began. I just want it to go away...

 

Hey Everyone,

Thought I'd post an update on everything that's been happening as well as an overall recap to see if you guys can help me understand what's going on here.

3 weeks ago I hit my head on the corner of a windowsill. I hit the top left corner of my head near maybe an inch or two above my left ear. Went to the ER and was told I had a mild concussion. 3 days later I woke up to tinnitus in my right ear and started to have pain in both ears. Fast forward to a week later, I visited my GP and she recommends I get an ear irrigation done for my left ear since I had impacted earwax (I listened because she's my GP and told me it was a safe procedure considering I already had tinnitus in this ear, the only thing that could happen is a spike in my tinnitus which I didn't care about tbh). She sprayed some water in my ear through a tube and it HURT like hell; however, I was told that this was normal due to the water pressure, had there been any damage it would have shown in my eardrum. Felt fullness in my ear due to excess water and once the water came out I WAS ABLE TO HEAR GREAT! If anything I noticed my right ear had muffled hearing... two hours later my left ear starts to hurt. a lot. sharp pains that felt like the pain I was having during the irrigation, etc. I panicked because my hearing was muffled in my left ear and although I can hear, it almost felt like the volume in my left ear reduced? Later that night I woke up and felt the dizziest I had ever felt in my life. I was talking super weird and loudly as well. My boyfriend said I looked like I was on drugs, but I remember everything felt weird. I tried getting up to use the restroom and I couldn't walk on my own. Slept it off and felt fine but distorted the next day... my left ear has not stopped hurting since and the fullness has yet to go away. I thought I had SSHL and made an urgent visit to the ENT, however my hearing tests came back normal, in fact, my left ear had a better hearing response than my right ear?!

Now, I want to mention that I almost fell the other day, I was feeling dizzy, but I don't know how this is similar to vertigo? Apparently vertigo feels like the room is spinning but I have not once seen the room spin as I'm sitting still, all I feel is dizzy? My main concern is that I started to develop BALANCE PROBLEMS... I stumbled slightly when I walked and for some reason my left leg just doesn't feel as strong as it used to. I've been looking at the forum and everything I've experienced has led me to believe I have Meniere's at age 20. I don't understand how because Meniere's is supposed to be sudden attacks of vertigo with fluctuating hearing loss but I don't have that? If anything I'm just pissed because my left ear always feels full this all happened after I got my ear cleaned (the vertigo/dizziness, the balance problems, the fullness in the ear and reduction in volume), but my audiograms prove otherwise? My ENT says she doesn't think it's Meniere's because the majority of people notice a significant drop in their hearing the first time and the attacks come and go with periods of remission, I don't have that? What I hate the most is when I swallow and I can't feel my ears pop even though they do. I'm just super lost and confused and concerned. What are your thoughts on this?

PS I was told that Meniere's is usually brought on by autoimmunity issues etc. For it to have happened RIGHT AFTER the cleaning makes my ENT more convinced that it's something like Vestibular Neuritis/Labrynthitis rather than MD.

 

hearing test are scientifically inaccurate. ENT's don't care about science
https://hyperacusisfocus.org/innerear/#hiddenloss

 

This is so messed up. Irrigation/syringing should be forbidden as their are safer ways to remove ear wax.

 

So sorry to hear this. Almost the same thing happened to me except mine came on straight after microsuction to remove wax. I even have the same feeling in my ears when I swallow. My audiogram up to 8khz was normal, but up to 16khz was another story! I believe I suffered sshl from the wax removal procedure. Wish I'd known then what I know now :-(