Ear Fullness / Ear Muffled

My left ear feels full/muffled for two days now, can someone tell me what this is about? I never had this before.

 

Aural Fullness is experienced by many, if it is caused by acoustic trauma, my ENT said that it is how the body senses cochlear damage as there are not the same pain receptors there (that is a rough paraphrase, and he didn't expand on it much at all, its hard to ask him questions). Not sure how that works with hyperacusis pain though... I'd love to see some formal writing about aural fullness after acoustic trauma.

I know what it's like, I have it with both ears, but the one had it so much worse after my acoustic trauma, it has taken so long to get any where close to used to the unbalanced feeling.

EDIT: I've read on this forum that the middle ear muscles may be involved with this symptom as well.

 

So I got another acoustic trauma?
I wonder if it was caused by the hair dryer at the salon, or the car starting up when i was waling into the store. I don't know why i am getting worse every week.

 

I'm not sure, it could be what is called a "temporary threshold shift". Don't panic. The things you describe do not sound as extreme as the acoustic trauma induced aural fullness I was referring to. I was referring to things more along the lines of military levels of acoustic trauma. I can't diagnose you.

Any sudden changes in hearing should be reported to a doctor in my opinion. (that is my procedure at least). If you have hearing loss as well you could have sudden sensorineural hearing loss or meniers onset I guess.

 

I came to the conclusion that it is easy for us to damage our hearing more. We are screwed.

 

The only thing I can think of

-Caloric Test on Jan 15
-Getting a haircut, lady using the blow dryer (I told her not to do it), I didn't wear earplugs
-Parking lot, walking next to a car starting up, muffler noise damaging my hearing.

Jesus Christ! Is this what life is from now on? I didn't attend like any loud concert or club, but still moderate to moderately loud sounds can damage me.

 

I had a very similar thing when I first got tinnitus many years ago. It may settle down by itself but leave it a week or two as long as you aren't feeling pain in your ears. If they still feel full and muffled have a word with your doctor. It is probably a result of having your ears irrigated. If you're very concerned see your doctor sooner.

Hope you start to feel better soon.
Michael

 

Do you think the water irrigation has caused damage?

 

I don't think your ears are damaged. The ears are quite resilient and for this reason I suggest leaving things as they are for a while, providing you are not feeling pain in your ears. Hopefully the fullness muffled feeling will settle down. I do know how uncomfortable and concerned you feel. If it helps I'll mention the following.

When I first got tinnitus 22 years ago I had quite a severe noise trauma. My whole head including my ears felt completely numb for around 5 months. It was quite a frightening experience. Although I could hear, everything sounded as if I was listening under water. I thought my hearing had been damaged for ever but gradually things improved. I suggest that you give magnesium tablets a try and you can get them from a herbalist shop. Magnesium helps repair nerves and the auditory system is entirely made up of nerves. I'm not suggesting that you have damaged nerves there. It's possible the magnesium will help with your tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Michael

 

My tinnitus of 3 months is still the same with a high 12,000 Hz ish sound, but now I got increased muffling... anyone have the same general onset of this?

 

Your ENT is smarter than most!

 

Did your hearing return to normal?

 

Yes...

 

Hey there Micheal. I stumbled upon this post and it got me to try out magnesium. After a couple of days I almost want to say that it is doing wonders for me, but just in case I just want to ask when it starts taking effect. Is it immediately or a week later or something? When do you notice that the nervous system is starting to replenish?

 

Each person is different so I can't say how long it takes to notice any effect. I took magnesium for about 2 years on the advice of a herbalist that knew about noise induced tinnitus.

 

Thanks for the reply. My issue with my ear is that certain sounds/frequencies can like make my ear react and then dial itself. I wouldn't say adept because it still doesn't hear accurately. It's like a muscle reacting to certain sounds. This sounds like a physical issue ie maybe nerves or something in the ear. Does it sound familiar?

My ear can feel hollow hearing from the fan noise, but other sounds make the ear hear bass worse. It's like there's a defect in the ear.

I just wonder if magnesium could help..

 

@Dja

If your tinnitus was noise induced then what you describe is probably a result of that. Although each person with noise induced tinnitus, will be unique to them people do share similar symptoms. I suspect you have hyperacusis too. I note that you have had tinnitus since March 2017? This is a quite a while for you still to be having these kind of symptoms. If you haven't had any treatment with a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist trained in tinnitus and hyperacusis, this is mostly likely the reason you are still experiencing these symptoms. I advise you to get some tests done at ENT just to make sure your auditory system is functionally properly, hearing etc. Then see a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist trained in Tinnitus and hyperacusis management. I suggest this because you have had tinnitus for quite a while.

Please click on the links below and read my posts.

All the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

 

Michael I honestly can't afford going through all that. I think maybe this'll make sense of it all.

I was working quite the loud job until just January. Drilling with ear protection yes, but I'd feel very sore at the end of the day. Did the job for 1.5 years with tinnitus.

I also did go to ENT and his advice was to calm down and avoid loud noise. To just stay relaxed etc. That was during when I was still working loud job.

I gotta say though things have improved a lot since January, but I hadn't been careful enough with having tv on with regular volumes (not low). It could irritate me sometimes but I was losing patience and wanted to live a normal life. I don't think it was damaging though.

Does this make sense to why the symptoms are still there? Maybe in a couple of months it should be gone then. I will keep using the magnesium tablets though.

 

Can't edit my post anymore, but are you saying that time is the cure for this?

I bought 2 magnesium variants. One that says citrus and one that has b12 but without really having a subtitle like citrus or whatnot. Don't know what citrus stands for.

 

@Dja

Since you are asking for my advice I will tell you what I think. Even if you are wearing the best hearing protection, if external sound is loud enough it can pass through your head and be transferred to your inner ear by bone conduction, and this can increase the tinnitus and hyperacusis if it is present. Therefore, I agree with your ENT doctor to avoid loud sounds.

It is your choice what you decided to do. If things are improving that's a good thing. However, if they are not and you do not seek professional help then they could get worse.

All the best
Michael

 

I appreciate what you're doing Michael thanks a lot. If there's a god may he reward you in a way.

I think the magnesium hopefully adds to the recovery like you recommended. Hopefully I'll notice something sooner rather than later.

 

Thank you for your kind words @Dja and I hope you start to make improvements soon.

Take care
Michael

 

Did you have a hearing test when you had the muffled feeling? If so, what were the results?

 

I didn't have a hearing test at the time but knew the hearing wasn't what it be. By the time I was seen at ENT and had a hearing test, the muffleness had gone, and I was told by the doctor my hearing was above normal.,..