Looking for a Cause??

I’m a 16 year old female. My tinnitus started 4-5 months ago after a sinus infection, followed by a brief middle ear infection. That being said, I’ve had those symptoms persist way after they were treated!

My symptoms:

• Tinnitus (high pitched and a low pitch hum. I only hear the latter in quiet rooms. I can mask it pretty easily. I know that for some people it goes away when they talk but this isn’t the case with me. Regardless of the position I’m in or if I talk or not, I will hear it. If I actively don’t pay attention to it it goes away though.)

• Crackling noise whenever I open my mouth, yawn, swallow etc. And don’t tell me this is normal. I’m hearing an excessive amount of cracking. I took sudafed for a few days and it got better (so did the T). It didn’t go away though. I went on a road trip, forgot it at home and now it got worse again.

• I clench my teeth but I don’t have TMJ, no pain. Just a slightly misaligned jaw.

• Went to my GP, she gave me a nasal spray, didn’t work. Went again two more times. Dismissed it as TMJ (because apparently jaw problems start at the same time as sinus ones do) and told me to deal it with.

• Went to a second GP, she completely dismissed a TMJ problem. Said it was sinusitis and gave me antibiotics. They helped a bit but not entirely. Symptoms came back again after I finished them.

• I went to an ENT two months ago. He looked at my Eustachian Tube through my nose with a camera and said there was some fluid and a mild infection that was nearly cleared up. Again, this was 2 months after the infection started. 2 months later, still no relief. He gave me a nasal spray (didn’t work) and don’t me to do the Valsalva Manouever (Also didn’t work).

• Facial pressure that comes and goes.

• A mild sense of overall dizziness. I wouldn’t call it vertigo.

• Ear pain in both ears

• Phlegm (comes and goes)

• ENT performed a quick hearing test (tuning forks). Hearing was seemingly fine.

• I tried three different nasal sprays, none of them worked. ENT refused to perscribe me antibiotics.

• Dizziness when I’m lying down in bed. Seems to go away when I sit up, or at the very least improves.

I’m worried it’s hydrops because of the low pitched tinnitus but my symptoms don’t really seem to fit with most people with a Menieres diagnosis.

I was supposed to go back to the ENT but my parents cancelled the audio gram and second appointment “because it was triggering my OCD” or whatever. This is so frustrating. I know there’s something wrong. A normal doctor would have probably suspected allergies by this point but my GP and ENT dismissed it. I suggested Menieres but they dismissed that too because I don’t have vertigo attacks and I’m still really young.

Could it be ETD? Help!

 

Bump

 

I’m sorry your going through this. It sounds like you may have ETD. If so, it can take a long time to clear up. Especially, if you have or are currently experiencing seasonal allergies. I have some similar symptoms and used sudafed and steam inhalation that helped a bit per @glynis suggestion. Some of your symptoms sounds like it could be stemming from anxiety. Again, very normal for someone with T and experiencing other symptoms. When I got my anxiety under control the pressure/headaches/ear pain subsided. I use nasal sprays because of allergies and it does help a bit. I wouldn’t worry about Menieres. Your symptoms don’t really match esp if your not experiencing vertigo. Keep positive and be patient it should get better over time. My gp dismissed allergies, but the ent said otherwise. I took Claritin as well. Do your best not to worry about the T and other symptoms as it will just make it worst. Try doing your best to distract yourself and live your life. Stay strong