PRESSURE FROM FLUID IN INNER EAR, HELP!!!

5 weeks ago I had an all day coughing fit and with each cough felt more pressure building up in my right ear. Blowing my nose every 2 minutes of the day, pressure started in the left ear. One week went by, I finally went to the Dr. Diagnosed with a Sinus Infection, he gave me a round of antibiotics, 2 different RX nasal sprays, and hydrocodone cough syrup. While my sinus and chest congestion has subsided, the pressure in my ears have not. Baseball in right ear, golf ball in left, my voice echoes loudly in my head, ear ringing, vertigo and the worse part is hearing loss. Went back to the Dr. he gave me a Medro dose pack 4mg. On the first day of taking this, I felt my ears begin to pop. The next day, same pressure and I'm on my third day of Medro Pack, still not working. My stress and anxiety level is at an all time high and while the Dr. told me the anxiety could worsen my symptoms, how am I suppose to keep it from stressing me out? Will this eventually go away?  If I let it go on much longer, am I going to have permanent hearing loss?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
What you are having is Eustachian tube blockage. Try valsalva maneuver (take a deep breath and blow while pinching your nostrils shut and closing your mouth). This will help clear the secretions in the tube. Also gargle with saltwater to clear the eustachian tubes, suck on candy, chew gum or take a nasal decongestant. These measures will help in opening the Eustachian tube. For prescription of nasal decongestants, consult your doctor as they should be taken under prescription.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[caw1213]

OK, just returned from ENT. Hearing loss in right ear is severe, hearing loss in left ear is moderate. Abnormal vibration from right ear drum. Sinus' are dry causing bleeding, and as far as she could see the Eustachian tube is not blocked, however she did explain that she could only see the bottom of the tube, that the blockage could be well up inside of the tube wear she couldn't see. She suggested, I keep using the Flonase 2 sprays nightly and lean it in the direction of each ear. Keep exercising the jaw as in a yawning motion and hold nose closed with mouth closed also, then blow. The exercise of blowing with mouth and nose closed, only makes it worse. I'm suppose to go back in two weeks, but I feel like it's just a waste of money. I do have my PCP appointment 2/25. Maybe he can offer a different solution. IDK, anymore?