Ear Pain After Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hello, All!

I wanted to see if anyone could help me diagnose exactly what's going on with my right ear. About 6 weeks ago, I had a co-worker sneeze very loudly within about a meter of my right ear (he sits directly beside me). This was after an acoustic trauma to my left ear 2 weeks prior. At this point, I had already been doing a lot of reading on T and H and had definitely made myself paranoid. The sneeze shouldn't have been enough to actually damage my "good" right ear, but I immediately felt a fullness sensation. That night, I went to urgent care and got put on a 9-day course of Prednisone just in case.

The following morning, I noticed that running the water in the sink would make my right eardrum flutter. A few days later, ringing started in my right ear. To this day, all of these symptoms persist (ear drum flutter, ear fullness, and tinnitus, as well as some mild Hyperacusis). Two weeks ago, I flew to a hyperbaric clinic to have 6 sessions of treatment, as this was all I had time for at the time. With the first 5 sessions, almost all of my symptoms in my right ear seemed to disappear. Then, I had one last sessions, which oddly brought all of the symptoms back. After getting back in town, I was able to find another clinic nearby that also does HBOT. I went to have an additional session today, but the experience was a bit different than the other clinic.

The chamber seemed to pressurize much faster. So quickly, that my right ear was actually hurting. I was able to equalize my left ear with no problem, but my right ear would not equalize until it was actually hurting. I got them to slow it down, which made everything much easier. When they brought the pressure back down at the end of the session, both ears equalized with no problem at all. The problem is, that after this session, I am continuing to have ear pain and an almost increased sense of "fullness".

It is worth noting that yesterday, I went to an audiologist to have some custom earplugs made. She pushed some tiny pieces of cotton way back in my ear canal to protect my eardrum. The left ear felt fine when she pushed it in, but the right ear got these stabbing pains as she pushed it in. I am sure she didn't push it any farther than the left.

tl;dr: Having eardrum spasms to certain sounds, believing it's TTTS. HBOT caused earpain in my right ear today that is still lingering. Custom earplug molding appointment at the audiologist yesterday caused a lot of the same pain.

So, I guess I have a few things that I would like some help figuring out:

1) Does it sound like I got a barotrauma from the last session of HBOT? I went to an urgent care clinic afterward and they said my eardrum appeared fine and that there was no fluid behind it.

2) I feel like the sneeze that I received gave me an acoustic shock with Tensor Tympani Syndrome. Could the TTTS be responsible for the pain that I was feeling at both the audiologist and during HBOT? What is strange is that the first 6 sessions at the other clinic did not cause any pain at all.

3) If anyone has similar symptoms, what is the best way that you would suggest treating this or helping with recovery?

Thank you all and God bless!

 

Hey,
Has it gotten any better after your HBOT treatment?
I am doing HBOT at the moment and find it slightly decreases my T in my left ear (which is the ear I have the problem with) but now my right ear has T as well. This started after the 6th session out of 10. Im now at 7, I hope this is temporary. Perhaps its the pressurisation loudness, at least in my chamber its quite loud and... earprotection was not allowed because they could in theory insulate against presure-_-. Anyway.
Regards,
John

 

HBOT is quite loud really? Are you allowed to use earmufs?

 

Did your Dr check your ear for fluid or wax? The fluttering sounds like TTTS, but it could also be wax pressed up against your eardrum. To me, the fullness sounds like a Eustachian tube problem; especially if HBOT affects it because that’s a pressurised environment.

You mention stabbing pains in your right ear as she pushed the foam into your ear canal? Again, this points towards earwax being pushed up against your eardrum. Have none of these people looked into your ear? I’m surprised you were given prednisone for that. Are you in the UK?

I’d say there’s probably a fluid build up behind your ear drum, and sounds like there’s wax as well. A Dr or ENT should be able to tell you this by looking in your ear and checking the translucency of your eardrum; if it’s visible. I think you’ll be ok though, so try not to worry. I had fullness for over two months with my last bought of ETD. If this is the problem you will be given a steroid nasal spray which you can milk into your Eustachian tubes. In the meantime try steam inhalation with some menthol mixed in. Also, try swallowing a lot in the shower.

This tinnitus game can be hugely stressful.

 

Well its allowed after presurisation where I went. Pressurisation is the loudest part of the procedure. I sat on the far end of the room, to get some distance from the pressurisation device. The reason behind this they told me is that the ear muffs could make a vacuum around the ears. A sudden change in pressure could in theory rupture the eardrums.
I was allowed to cup my ears with my hands thow, so that would be my advice. First session I didn't do any protection so thats a loud experience. I think its around 80 decibels.

Sadly I now also have a worsening (I have some light T there now) in my right ear. While my left ear was the reason I started sessions.
Could it be that by chance, you where also sitting with your right ear toward the pressurisation device??
I found it quite loud, but none of the personel could tell me the exact decibel levels. I bet if you sit really close to that thing for one session it could, hurt your ear if your sensitive to it.
Anyway, I did 10 sessions, the doctor is afraid my right ear will deteriorate further if I do more sessions so he does not want to subscribe me for more sessions then the 10 I was referred for.

 

As weird as it sounds the fact it came back on your last session was probably more phycological than anything. What i mean is your mind figured this was the last hope/chance to put a wrong right. The negativity of feeling helpless beyond your last session may be what brought it back. Fight or Flight kicked back in and brought the Tinnitus back. I can't say I'm right I'm just putting theories out there. Im coming round to T being a mind over matter issue and a brain malfunction. Your brain thinks your life is in danger when its not, so creates a ring as a warning. The key is in telling your brain that everything is fine, your not worried and your not scared. The mind is very powerful thing but its also easily manipulated and tricked. Work on relaxation and positive thoughts. You will get better.

 

You might have a point here, I also found the last session the most stressfull. I bet if one can accept T as OK as is and also OK if it gets less then there would be no stress. It would be fine. Positive feelings about the entire thing certainly helps inside and outside the hyperbaric chamber!

 

I'm looking forward to do HBOT. Is it safe?

I got some hearing loss in 4khz and mild tinnitus. I think its from loud noise. It started 3 weeks ago. Some advice for HBOT?

 

Pick good movies ;-)

In Belgium we were allowed to choose a movie per session

We were told HBOT could have effect uo until 6 weeks after the last session. I had the feeling my T improved every week.