Could These Problems Come from Congestion, Persistent/Chronic ETD?

Hey all,

I've had tinnitus since early this year. Little background: I was going through some very taxing months before onset - lots of plans and busy times at my physically demanding job. I made two bad falls in December, one of which resulted in neck trauma for which I'm currently seeing a physical therapist. Tinnitus onset 2.5 weeks after this accident. At the time I also had an ear completely blocked by ear wax, the other ear was really full too. The resulting hearing loss caused MAJOR anxiety - I'm talking a 2 day long panic attack, and many more days full of anxiety and stress.

I have used headphones in the past and I've been to gigs with protection. Headphone use was mostly limited to travel (usually around 20 minutes only) and late night (an hour at most, not every night). Volume low enough to always hear my surroundings (mid volume at the highest, often softer). I have never experienced temporary tinnitus or even fleeting tinnitus. Weeks before onset I had two ''scares'' aka I heard a noise and thought it was tinnitus, plugged my hears and heard only ABSOLUTE SILENCE even while listening for a noise.

Anyway, here's my current issues.

- crackling in ears when swallowing, yawning etc
- unable to properly pop ears
- discharge from ears, infrequent
- itchy ears
- sometimes I get a pop in my ears which feels like an air bubble popping against my eardrum
- I've had nasal congestion issues for years now, usually it comes and goes but now has been present since September 2019 with no relief
- slight sinus pressure
- when I dry my outer ear parts after a shower, I often notice white bits on my towel
- tinnitus, of course. Bilateral tinnitus but very different in both ears. No high pitched noise, several tones and some come and go. Volume and intensity vary greatly, no known triggers.

Showering often reduces most of my tones but at times a very loud one creeps up. This one comes and goes without a clear idea why/how, I'm thinking it's muscle related. It's definitely not noise.

I know that noise may play a factor but I had no noise trauma or excessive use of headphones around my onset, and in general my real noise exposure has been incredibly limited.

Does anyone else have symptoms like mine? The only conclusion I can draw personally is that it's all related to persistent/chronic ETD but I'm not sure. My doctor did think this was the cause when I saw him last in March, however I've made absolutely no progress with any of my symptoms since so I don't know anymore. Would like some input from people who may know more. Thanks.

 

Yep, same symptoms except I have no discharge of any kind.

I had a coughing fit and pushed mucus into my eusatchian tubes which immediatly caused my problems.

Along with itchy ears mine would randomly burn internally as if acid was poured on them for the first two monthes.

"sometimes I get a pop in my ears which feels like an air bubble popping against my eardrum"

I only get this in my left ear. My left ear is also the one that won't open when I yawn, just crackles like it's trying to open but can't quite do it.

 

Yeah, I have a lot of these. The crackling and trouble popping my ears has gotten better, but really only after I started taking lots of Omega-3 and Curcumin supplements. So I think mine is related to inflammation. If I blow my nose though my Eustachian tubes can hurt if I blow with any amount of force. I have allergies so it’s made clearing congestion a real pain.

I don’t have any discharge persay, but I can feel my ear push out chunks of wax now. Like I’ll feel a tickle or something and then reach in my ear and there will be a new little chunk of wax there. My ears itch also periodically.

I have had the a bubble sensation and sometimes it causes mild pain. That’s improved with Omega-3 and Curcumin also.

 

I'm new here, not new to tinnitus. I have had pulsatile tinnitus in my left ear since 2016 and have learned to live with it. It started after I had a chiropractic neck adjustment. I also have ringing in both ears.

But this post is about my 17-year-old daughter who recently started suffering from all kinds of ear issues. She had a suspected ear infection in September 2020 and was treated with antibiotics, Augmentin to be precise. After that she says her ears have NEVER been the same. She has severe allergy issues. She is allergic to all tree pollens in texas, grass pollen, ragweed, pet dander you name it. She's on Allegra, Flonase 2 sprays a day, Singulair 10 mg and sometimes Patanase as needed. She also started her Allergy Shots in October 2020. She started on something called Cluster Immunotherapy, where the shot concentration was built up pretty quickly and now she is on a maintenance dose. She has had all kinds of issues related to allergies since she way young, like enlarged adenoids, feeling full sensation in her ears, popping, muffled hearing, ear infections, etc... but this time after the ear infection things have gotten progressively worse.

At first she said the ears felt "full" and hearing was muffled. Then she started saying there was "popping and crackling" which resembles bubble wrap rolled on kind of noise. The popping comes in bursts. Happens throughout the day. Then there is some ringing in both ears. What's bothering her the most is the popping and crackling in her right ear and the sensitivity to any kind of noise. The popping and crackling's only present in her right her, although the feeling of fullness and tinnitus fluctuates between both ears.

We have seen two ENT doctors so far. Two hearing tests have come back normal. Now this ENT suspects myoclonus. But I disagree because the "popping and crackling" is set off by some kind of noise like other human voices, fork hitting the plate, sounds made by snack bags, etc. And by movements like walking and talking also can set off the popping.

Now the new ENT doctor that we visited just yesterday wants an MRI with CONTRAST done, to rule out something "rare". I'm worried about the noise levels in a MRI machine and the contrast used.

If anyone can please shed some light on what might be going on here, or share any similar experiences. I would immensely appreciate. You would be helping a mother trying to figure out a way to help her daughter who is in distress. Thank you!