Just Got Tinnitus from ETD — Feeling Hopeless (Please Help)

Hi all,

About 5 weeks ago I got ETD from taking a flight while I had a cold. My cold resolved but I have had ETD for the past five weeks. Symptoms have varied but the one constant has been involuntary crackling /popping of the ear and difficulty equalizing pressure when I go through elevators. I have been prescribed the following meds over the past month:

• Predizone (early on, not taking anymore)
• Antihistamines (early on, not taking anymore)
• Amoxycillin
• Neomyocin ear drops (stopped after two days because of oxotoxicity fears, last took a week ago)
• Flonase steroid sprays (still taking)

I went to my ENT on Friday for a hearing test and pressure tests, and both checked out fine. He did not believe this was an ear problem based on my tests, so he recommended a cat scan of the sinuses. I am not sure if this is what I should do next.

My popping has generally reduced as has my ETD (less pressure difficulty) but to my dismay yesterday I woke up with ringing in my left ear. I only notice it when I am in a quiet room with no other noise stimulus, and the ringing only occurs in my left ear. However, when I sleep on my pillow with my left ear I hear the rining quite noticeably. I noticed it this morning as well, and have also noticed that I am a bit more sensitive to normal noises (open a soda can, getting ice from fridge, friend laughs loudly). I also notice more everyday noises than I had previously. One thing to note - the ETD induced popping also occurs solely in the left ear as well.

It appears as if as my ETD has improved I have just begun to show symptoms of tinnitus. How can this be after a hearing and pressure test came out completely normal two days prior? Is there anything I can do in the short term to alleviate the ringing and reduce the abnormal sensitivity to noises? Will the ringing go away once my ETD eventually leaves as well? Is the ringing permanent? I am going to my ENT this week to get his thoughts, but based on the lack of etd treatment success so far and his insistence on the sinus cat scan (since he believes this is not ear related based on the tests) I am not very optimistic. I've also been very anxious about what this could mean for my future if it does not get resolved soon; I know anxiety can sometimes exacerbate symptoms. Really appreciate your help.

 

Dude you've had my exact same symptoms. It started for me late February/early March. The only difference being the ETD, at least that's what I think it was/is, was giving me headaches solely on the right side of my head. That's also the ear that had trouble popping. In addition I would get weird brain fogs. My GP told me to take ibuprofen for ten days (3x/day with 400mg doses). I woke up with T in my ear after the tenth day. Like you I also had sensitivity to certain noises like plates hitting the sink, etc.

The headaches didn't really start going away for me until after I had used flonase for three weeks and dymista for 3 weeks after that. However I didn't start using nasal sprays until the first week of June. After 6 weeks of nasal sprays I took a 6 day course of prednisolone. After that the headaches went away, but the T remained. The popping has gone down tremendously but not completely. I'm still hoping that the T will go away once the popping finally gets back to normal. What I will say is that my T has significantly decreased. To be honest sometimes I think it's gone, yet when I wake up in the morning I know that something isn't right because I can still hear it. So maybe I'm left with really mild T or it will go away soon (I hope!).

Now to answer your questions, I would tell you to continue with your nasal steroids and ask your doctor for something stronger like Dymista. Also talk to your doctor about starting up the prednisone again. If it really is inflammation causing your ETD, then you want to get rid of that as quickly as possible. Also, if you have a headache, stay away from NSAIDs like ibuprofen because taking high doses of them can damage inner ear hair cells. Try tylenol instead. As to the "normal" hearing and pressure tests, they just indicate that you are within accepted ranges in the population. They are not tuned for you as an individual. Only you know what normal function feels like. My ENT told me that ETD is like pressure in a tire. Just looking at it can only tell you if it's really deflated. Other than that you need to accurately measure the pressure of the tire to know that the tire is actually low on air. The same is true with your ears. Most ENTs will look for retracted eardrums as a sign of ETD, but that's for extreme cases where the Eustachian tube is completely shut and cannot open. If it is only slightly dysfunctioning, meaning you can still pop your ear if you swallow or Valsalva, then it won't show up on a tympanogram. Instead it'll show up as "normal." If ETD is the only reason you have T, then I wouldn't worry. If however, some damage was done to your inner ear from the ear drops or any other medicine you may have taken (e.g. ibuprofen or aspirin) then the damage may be permanent. I honestly don't know the answer to that question.

 

thank you! Doctor prescribed predisone but didn't prescribe anything else. He says its doubtful the eardrops are a cause because my eardrums were intact and I only took a couple of doses early on. Since all of my tests came out fine, he insisted on a CT scan of both the ears and sinuses to determine whats going on. He seems unsure what to do next unless he looks at the scans, but I am not sure if this is the best way to proceed. He mentioned he is very concerned given my age (young 20's) and the fact that Ive taken all sorts of medication and this has not been resolved for over a month. However, I do know that many people eventually overcome their ETD induced tinnitus. Should I take the scan? What is he potentially looking to find? Has anyone else had success with tinnitus treatment using predisone?

 

bump

 

Please Help, I'm not sure whether my post WILL help, but I have ETD, and am one of the unfortunate few in which it is likely to be permanent. Please note I say ONE OF THE UNFORTUNATE FEW, the vast majority of cases eventually will resolve, and you really don't want to belong to this select little club that I'm a part of (unfortunately it seems someone has paid for my lifetime membership!).

So, ETD commonly develops with a cold or similar URTI, and usually we aren't even particularly aware of it, and it goes away in a shorter or longer period of time and usually with no treatment. If we have the misfortune to take a flight whilst suffering with ETD, then the pain can be excruciating (I perforated an eardrum some years back this way).

ETD causes popping and crackling or total inability to 'pop' the ears often due to swelling of the Eustachian tube(s). Symptoms are worse on pressure changes....planes. lifts, or, for me, driving to or from town to home as the height difference is substantial.

The sinuses open near the Eustachian tubes and sinusitis can cause tinnitus and ETD, so your ENT wants to see if there is fluid/mucus/blockage of your sinuses with a CT scan. Your tinnitus may be due to sinusitis....common after colds. Even when sinusitis resolves, tinnitus lag way behind in clearing up.

PH, chances are that things will all eventually resolve with or without intervention. It may take time, and worrying about it will DEFINITELY make it seem worse and slower to resolve. You may need temporary anxiolytics.

So, what if things don't sort themselves out and you end up like me? Well, that's pretty unlikely....and I am not able to take steroids even as a spray (severe glaucoma). I had enough antibiotics to sink a ship....and they didn't work at all. As my Eustachian tubes won't work I have T-tubes in my ears to allow the middle ear to be ventilated (T-tubes are essentially long-term grommets)....no crackling/popping/pressure symptoms or infections. I have severe and 24/7 tinnitus...developed at the outset and has worsened with time....but I have habituated well after a pretty shaky start, and I have hearing aids with tinnitus maskers (the original infection caused some hearing loss). Tinnitus now doesn't really interfere with my life and I can take flights with no pressure problems at all.

So...in a nutshell....most likely to resolve without any specific treatment, bUT may take time. Even if it doesn't, you will find it intrudes less and less into your life.

Hang on in and good luck,

Fungus.

 

Thank you! The hard part is I wake up every morning and notice a poppin/crackling in my left ear only. I really hope it is relieved soon, as it has been almost two months. Any idea on a potential timetable? I've done steaming as a home remedy, are there any others you'd recommend?

 

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Do you know what caused your tinnitus? What is outset?

 

tinnitus was caused by ETD, because it is only noticeable in the ear with which I have ETD issues. I have had ETD for over a month and only tinnitus within the past week. I am hopeful that when my ETD is resolved my tinnitus will be resolved as well, let me know any thoughts. I've tried all sorts of medication for ETD so i guess the only thing I can do is wait it out. I have trouble with pressurization in elevators; after I've gone through a fast moving elevator i always need to perform the valsulva maneuver. As a result, I am concerned with flying and will not do so until this resolves.

 

PH, I wouldn't fly right now. You have reason to remain optimistic, though, the vast majority of folk with ETD eventually get better. As to when it will happen is less clear. When the ETD eventually does resolve, the tinnitus may well lag behind and carry on for a month or two beyond. You might want to be seen by an ENT doc if things don't remove , but not all ENT docs. are interested in ETD and tinnitus.

Nonna, my ETD followed a VERY mild virus infection. I wouldn't really have noticed it but for the fact my daughter had had it the week before and was very 'bunged up' I felt congested and got blocked tear ducts , then blocked Eustachian tubes.

Fungus.

 

thank you! I have noticed that my popping / crackling soud in my left ear (the one with the ETD) generally subsides during the day, but is significant as soon as I wake up or after sleeping for at least 6 hours. Is this mucus build-up? How does it generate and block my tube every single time I wake up? The CT scan came away normal, I am most concerned with pressure buildup in elevators as I must perform the valsuva after I move through a fast paced elevator at a high floor level

 

bump. To update - I feel fine for the most part except whenever I swallow my left ear crackles. I have noticed this has caused a crackling in my jaw too - is this TMJ? I just want the crackling in the ear to go away, it is quite irritating and it has already been over two months.

 

Hi all, I found this thread while searching for 'Tinnitus after a cold'. My story is that I seem to have developed T about a week after I had a cold (the cold only lasted about 2-3 days). I have it in both ears, sometimes worse in one than the other. Sounds like crickets and/or a high pitched electric sound. I went to an ENT that had me take sudafed and flonase for 2 weeks, (I have to take Sudafed PE because regular stuff interacts with Synthroid, which I take for my thyroid). I ended up getting a 2nd cold a few days before I went back to the ENT, so he said more sudafed PE and flonase for 2 more weeks, come back. I went back, he checked my hearing, said everything looked fine. I complained that the T hasn't subsided and I still had a bit of post nasal drip, and crackling/popping in my ears when I swallow. He basically shrugged his shoulders and said it's just tinnitus and do the sudafed/flonase for 2 more weeks. My ears feel full when I go in the elevator, and as I mentioned they also crack/pop most times when I swallow. Not sure if this is related, but when I roll my head back, behind my shoulders I hear this sandy/gritty sound. I have an appointment with another ENT in 2 weeks just for a 2nd opinion, but I'm not feeling hopeful. Just posting to see if anyone can relate/have any suggestions. Thanks everyone. This T is giving me crazy anxiety, even though I know it's not harming me. I'm just very sensitive to noise and have a hard time blocking it out.

 

Can I have an update on your problems? Quite similar to my symptoms and I’m going out of my mind a tiny bit

 

Sure - I still have the T and I don't think it will go at all. It's been 1.5 years and I've accepted it. I still wish I didn't have it and I am not fully habituated , but am on the right path due to helpful meditation and CBT sessions. It has not gotten worse and can be easily masked.

Please remember that T preys on two things : silence and boredom. Whenever it's quiet or I am bored T is more noticeable. Habituation is a long process, but with time you will care less and less about it and it will be as meaningless as a fridge / fan noise. Please do not obsess over it (checking in quiet rooms, tinnitus websites, etc.) as from personal experience this only delays habituation.

As for the other symptoms, I realized I have TMJ which causes ETD, ear pressure, and sinus issues. It is an underlying muscle spasm issue. I have undergone TMJ treatment with a 24/7 splint and this has done wonders for my other symptoms. My dentist says with time my tinnitus will go as well as my jaw muscles relax and return to normal function, but I am not banking on it since it has been almost two years and I don't see how the noise can magically go away.

Do I wish it was gone tomorrow? Yes. Do I have days where I still focus on it too much? Yes. Am I any less happy in life? No, because I've been focused on work, grad school apps, spending time with my gf, etc. And that is the key here - live as normal a life as you can and just have this as an annoying nuisance that won't stop you from succeeding in any career or personal endeavors unless you obsess over it. Even if it doesn't go, you will habituated with time and I am on that path and 100% confident I will be fully there with time.

Please see a TMJ specialist if you have some of my symptoms because that can provide you with relief, but if the T doesn't go you can still live a happy and productive life. 1.5 years ago I was panicking but I've come a long way in a positive direction even though my T is still here.