Slowly Given Up with Doctors

Flew back from Australia last week and of course ears have got worse again, popping when swallowing and so on. Doctors in Oz said fluid is behind ear drum in my right. Anyway last Monday when to the doctors here and he looks in my ear and says there is fluid. I said to him can I be seen ASAP by an ENT. A hospital emergency ENT I spoke to said I can be seen the next day. He pretty much said my ear wasn't a problem, I was like it's been three months now. He won't refer for next day only for me to wait months to see an ENT on the list. So anyway had some little bit of fluid discharge come out and went back again and now my cold has made things worse.

I am mad I don't want this end up turning into an inner ear disease. I've even phoned hospitals and they don't drain ears. What should I do? Doctor is refusing to refer me for next day.

 

I was thinking that. He reckons the ENT wouldn't do anything right away even if I got seen.

 

You seem to write quite a lot here on the forum - "fluid" being the topic each time.

If I recall correctly from briefly reviewing your introduction at some point, you had tinnitus since a year and before any of your "fluid in the ear" issues began. So logically speaking, the fluid isn't the cause of your tinnitus; you had tinnitus already (correct me if I am wrong).

Anyway, here is what I would do in your situation: see an ENT in the private sector if you feel the fluid is an issue - an ENT in the private sector should be able to take you in more or less immediately. Additionally, you could locate a professor of the ENT field if you want to be 100% sure of a competent and thorough examination. See him/her, explain your concern, ask for possible evaluations eg. tympanometry test, hearing test, CAT scan of the airways, visual inspection of the euchastian tube, etc. if you want to be 100% sure of ruling out any problems as well as getting the correct remedies.

This isn't complicated.

That's probably because there isn't anything immediately wrong with you. But see answer above.

You can also contact Dr. Nagler on this board.

Take care.


EDIT: As I was typing this, Markku had already suggested the same approach.

 

Yeah the fluid isant why I have tinnitus. I've had that just over a year now. Just a bit down and getting so nervous that the fluid could cause complications just panicking which isant helping I guess.

 

Why is this a problem? Mine pop every time I swallow. Always have.

 

It's the fluid Thats bothering me more. Everyone reacts differently. My ears have never popped.

 

As far as I know your ears are supposed to pop when you swallow. Have you tried lots of water? Your tubes are probably just a bit gummy. Water helps if my ears click or pop a lot when I swallow.

 

I am wary of what I am about to write seeming like a dumb kneejerk reaction, but anyway...

If you are worried about complications it may be best not to push too hard for a medical intervention. It is far from unknown for doctors to cause or worsen tinnitus. Depending on the individual doctor concerned, she or he may be more likely to propose an intervention that is not strictly warranted if that seems the only way to pacify your anxiety.

P.S. In support of above, 6 people have so far posted on this thread. 50 percent (Markku, Karen and myself) seem to have had this experience of medical interventions causing or worsening T..

 

Same. Ciprodex ear drops mixed with a few other things handed to me to make me feel better. If I hadn't seen a doctor about my T it would still be very minor.

 

Wow. Not exactly a rigourous study, but that is 66 percent at least.

 

Thanks for the replies. I just panic sometimes my ears feel full and other days it don't. Keep panicking I will get MD I suffer with anxiety so I tend to worry a lot. Doctors say I don't have MD but fluid being ears for long can cause problems can't it?

 

Probably. So go see an ENT in the private sector and... perhaps someone who can help with anxiety (psychotherapist, hypnotherapist).

My suggestion.

 

Yeah sounds like you just worry about things that are maybe non issues. If your ears feel full try yawning or chewing gum.

 

@Lisa Robinson
So sorry for your heartache; I'd say don't panic but I find that I do the same thing at times. Don't panic (I'm a hypocrite ). Doctors can be like cars, they're great when everything is running smoothly, it's horrible when you have to get out and push (gotta love em'). It's just that we depend on them so much.

Have you been diagnosed with Eustachian tube disorder? It's more common in women (smaller/narrower e-tube -- gets clogged up easy and causes a fullness in the ears). Sorry if that is a useless observation/question, but it might be an avenue to pursue.

Mark

 

Glad to see you back home Lisa ,I've had ear fullness going on 9 years ,some days better than others ,how it goes with having T ,now the balance going also . I know it's not helping anxiety ,what it does ,I agree with Telis try drinking more water ,I do ,roughly 4/5 bottles of 50 mls every day ,start on water soon as I wake ,right up till I go to bed .Karen was right to it's the Eustachian tubes ,it's finding that Magic answer to getting them unblocked ,and staying that way .Hope now at home ,your see things getting better .I was told allergies are prime culprit for it .
Mark may well be onto females having this more than males ,might be good poll to put up ,only work if we all take part ,purely out of interest ,how many males on site have balance issues to ,against the females on TT ,that's another big problem having T .Good Luck at your ENT Lisa

 

Well doctors are the third leading cause of death in the US (I'm sure the rest of the world is similar) so nothing surprises me when it comes to doctors and medications causing a ton of harm.

 

Ear infections often clear up on their own. A little fluid should be nothing to worry about unless you have pain and serious inflammation. As for myself, I get plenty of rest, take hot showers, eat hot soups and drink warm teas and take in extra vitamin C in pill form and from fruits and vegetables.

When none of that works the doctors will often prescribe medication if in pain. You need to be careful because some antibiotics and even non-steroidal medications can be Ototoxic, so talk to your doctor about these concerns. Perhaps all you need is a decongestant nasal spray or Antihistamine tablets for now, but even these carry some mild temporary Ototoxic risks. I'm not sure I want to say what brand of meds you should take because I'd hate for your Tinnitus to get worse and blame me for it.

In short, taking a Antihistamine can dry up that mucus and maybe fix the fluid buildup. The bigger picture here though is what is causing your inflammation to rise? Perhaps a food journal could help narrow down suspect foods in your diet. You could start by eliminating milk and dairy products, eggs, wheat, corn, peanut butter, dried fruit, sugar, honey, and concentrated fruit juice. Consuming too much sodium can offset your inner ear fluid levels as well.

I'm not sure how accurate this information is but I'm quoting part of it.
Reduce inflammation and stop tinnitus
http://www.naturalnews.com/031021_tinnitus_inflammation.html

"These pro-inflammatory mediators cause an increase in vasoconstriction and platelet aggregation. This decreases blood flow into the smaller capillaries of the body such as the inner ear. This inflammatory process also increases the lymphatic fluid in the inner ear. This combination increases pressure in the inner ear which stimulates the auditory nerve enough to create a series of action potentials that the brain interprets as sound."

"Begin eating an anti-inflammatory diet that consists of phytonutrient dense fruits & vegetables, healthy fat sources, and grass-fed/free-range animal products. Keep sugar & grains to a minimum. Use coconut, olive oil, grass-fed meat, free range eggs, avocados, nuts/seeds, and non-starchy vegetables as primary fuels throughout the day. Load up on anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric, ginger, dandelion, oregano, garlic, & green tea. The primary fruits that should be used are low-sugar, anti-oxidant rich sources such as berries, lemons/ limes, & grapefruits."
​

I've always suspected that some healthy foods might be making my tinnitus worse. Seems like the more I try to consume high antioxidant and nutrient dense foods the more problems I run into with Tinnitus. I just figured out last year that I'm allergic to sesame ezekiel bread. I was trying to avoid gluten and ended up in a scary situation of not being able to swallow solid food for days. Just another reason to keep a food journal because it could take a few days to notice problems and leave you scratching your head in confusion.

 

I just thought there is something called 'Otovent' that you could look into @Lisa Robinson. I cannot vouch for its safety or effectiveness, but it might be worth looking into a little bit.

 

I have some very good friends who are Consultants and GPs who are very good at their job. Sadly some GPs have no time for us as they have very little knowledge on Tinnitus, All they know is there is not a cure yet ( I am working on a real one today, flipping amazing day I have had) So they just tell you to go away, and to find people like me or groups like this and others to find help.

 

Good Point! It is, after all, a medical practice -- YIKES!!

So far they have done ok for me; however I choose a lifestyle that allows me to avoid them as much as possible (even though I find them to be amazing people).

It's the business (for profit) component mixed with medicine that gives me pause...

- fresh veggies, fresh fruit, fresh meat prepared well, some dairy products and nuts, exercise, hard work and a life lived in truth; the rest is up to Him

 

Karen
Good idea!!

I think it would be an interesting poll, combined with some of the remedies people have found effective.

Pretty sure that if I did have fullness in my ears I wouldn't know -- cause I have so much extra/wasted space between my ears

Mark

 

I have tried cutting a lot of salt out of my diet and taking my vitamins. I drink plenty of water too. My tinnitus has been ok since being home, in Australia omg it was awful I was in tears so it's gone down. The popping ears, on and off fullness happened and fluid since the flights. 24 hours is long time on a flight.

 

@Lisa Robinson

Hi, I think you need to work on trying to open and clear the Eustachian tube if at all possible, this should help drain the fluid that has been trapped behind your eardrum. Try inhaling steam orally a few times a day, also if you think you have any allergies you could try a corticosteroid spray like Beclometasone Dipropionate to help clear the nasal passage.
One more thing that might help is going running, the repeated impacts of hitting the ground can sometimes dislodge trapped fluid in the ear.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

 

Try one of those facial steam machines. Good for clearing blocked ears. Do it three times daily. Should clear them quickly.

 

My doctor told me that if I get a head cold it's possible for fluid buildup and because I have T, I should pop Benadryls and use my Flonase nose spray to decrease the ear drum "Bulge" she sees when people have fluid.

 

Why do ears burn though? Is that a worrying sign?