Nose and Ears Blocked, Sometimes on the Right Side, Sometimes on the Left Side

Every morning I wake up, my tinnitus is loud.

I have noticed for months that sometimes my right nose (can't breathe) is blocked and so is my right ear.

Sometimes my left nose (can't breathe) is blocked and so is my left ear.

Any idea what this could be?
Any suggestions?

I had an x-ray and the doctor said there is blockage going on in my right nose, where my ear is always blocked.

For a little more over the year, doctors have seen fluid behind my eardrum.

I have to do a CT scan to see what the blockage is. Could a CT scan make tinnitus worse?

 

I had a CT recently. I wore ear plugs, but it didn’t seem loud to me and it was quick.

Completely guessing here but maybe retention cysts of the maxillary sinus could be contributing to congestion. @Greg Sacramento would probably know more.

 

The dr seeing fluid in your ears doesn't explain the total blockage of both your ear and nose. Is it an ENT?

Do you get the blockages on both sides sometimes or does it alternate? Do you have a history of sinus infections? Do you get a runny nose when you notice the blockages? When you blow your nose, does anything come out?

Have you asked the dr if the CT scan might make your tinnitus worse?

 

Many ENT, primary doctor and urgent care doctors see fluid.

I am unsure why the fluid? Allergies maybe?

About 4 months ago I had a sinus infection and had to take amoxicillin.
It alternates, sometimes both at the same time (not so much though), mostly happens on the right side, this morning was the left, then alternated to the right.
I don't blow my nose as that can result in spike or worsening of tinnitus.

 

Thank you for your suggestion and is it low enough to not use earplugs??
Earplugs don't fit in the right ear since it's always closed, except on the rare occasion it opens.

 

Yeah could be allergies.

Ok very interesting that it alternates. I've had clogged ears switch from one side to another. It certainly seems like, whatever the cause, it is moving. So I take back my other comment. It very well could be fluid. That actually sounds like a good thing. There's something there. And if there's something there, that's not damage.

Well, I mean, you've blown your nose at least once in the past few weeks, right? Or sneezed? While your nose was blocked. Did anything come out? Or is your blocked nose completely and utterly blocked?

Wait, what?

 

The machine I was in was very low. I can’t speak to all CT scans of course. I’m not that knowledgeable of the tech and this is the first one I had.

 

Hi @Striveon, I have exactly the same thing. Blocked nose, sometimes left side, sometimes right side. When I have a cold my tinnitus spikes a lot. Recently I had a strange unexplained spike after a few months of very low tinnitus. After a few weeks now I tried again a nasal spray and it reduced back to nearly nothing. I have no idea why, but each time I use nasal spray or steam inhalation my tinnitus reduces a lot.

Did your doctor tell you what you can do about the blockage? The CT scans I had were all very silent.

 

Well, the ENT said I have nose dental deviation so I'd need surgery for that.
I will have a ct-scan to see what the blockage is. Depending on what it is, surgery will be needed, perhaps a polyp?
What nasal spray do you use?

 

Damn, my ENT also said I could do a CT but I never followed up because my tinnitus got a lot better and I was really fed up with this whole story. Now I don‘t know if I should maybe go back for another opinion. But I am really not excited about a surgery in any case...

This time I use a cortisone nasal spray, but also other nasal sprays had similar effects.

 

I would highly recommend a CT scan, you can get an x-ray to see if there is a blockage, if so, CT scan will identify what it is. You can go to your primary doctor for that.

Did you notice any effect with the cortisone nasal spray? Visual snow, floaters, tinnitus spikes????

 

I will probably talk to my GP about it again, still, nasal surgery sounds scary if it could affect the ears.

No, not really any difference, my tinnitus normally is a lot lower after I use a nasal spray for a few days. My floaters are always the same, they came immediately after my car accident last year and don‘t change. Same with the mild visual snow, happened around the same time last year.