Ear Help — Something in My Ear Is Collapsing / Not Opening / Not Working

Hello everyone, my names Miah I am 20, and I have had tinnitus for just over two years now.

It initially started during an ear infection and worsened over time then spread to both ears.

For a long time I didn’t know why I had it, but recently I’ve been experiencing something happening in my ear that I can’t find much info about that I think could be a cause. I got an ear infection about a week ago again, and that’s when this became a more prominent issue.

Basically, it feels like something in my ear is collapsing/ not opening/ not working. It typically happens for some reason when I sleep (lay down), but it sounds like something is collapsing in my ear. A very loud whooshing sound that I can make by engaging the right muscles.

When it happens I have slight muffled hearing and it feels as though my eustachian tube or something is collapsed or full. It’s hard to explain, but my ears not only feel full but I can’t pop them, and when I try to that’s when the whooshing sound comes along. It almost feels like a muscle that’s trying to pick up my eustachian tube is falling.

I can’t “pop” them by blowing and plugging my nose, it just straight up feels collapsed. I don’t know what to do or how to treat it, I am very scared it’s going to get worse along with my tinnitus.

Whenever I have it my tinnitus definitely gets louder and I hate it.

If anyone knows even slightly what I’m talking about please let me know. I am afraid.

 

Hi Miah,

Im sorry you are experiencing these issues which are making you feel that way. I have never read anything like the way you described it here on the forums. The only thing that i have read that could be what you are experiencing is "ear fullness." You might want to search the forum for "ear fullness" and see if you come across anything that sounds similar to what you are experiencing.

 

Hi Miah
If you have an ear infection then it could well be that you have mucous(fluid) in your ears. This can happen after a cold too. In my case it leads to ear fullness, muffled hearing (I’m hard of hearing anyway) and a sense of movement in the ear drums. Very scary and unpleasant. T can also become louder this way. Give it a bit of time and as the infection heals your ears should return to baseline.
Eve
@Miah

 

Good morning Miah, I would suggest a trip to the doctor or ENT if you haven't already.