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Tinnitus and fullness in ears

Since August I have had fullness in my ears and a constant ringging in both ears. I thought it might be due to seasonal allergies so I began taking Claritin. I haven't noticed any change. I can live wiht the symptoms (they are somewhat mild) but I'm concerned that the tinnitus is a sign of hearing loss. Do you think I need to see a doctor about this.... or am I worrying too much.
Elizabeth
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Avatar universal
Try sleeping with an ambient noise, like a fan.  My tinnitus feels like someone is tightening a vice on my head, in total silence. The fan helps, and drowns out the neighbors dogs, too.
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Avatar universal
Since it's bilateral w/ ear-fullness off/on?, it's most likely
inflammation of the eustachian tubes & drainage. May be allergy
if you know you have. If ear-fullness is constant, you should
go to ENT soon. The windows of middle ear can stiffen over time
& make popping pressure much harder to release. Ear ringing can
be from pressure or meds. As you know, anti-histamines don't
(one type fits all), work. Gd-luck.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
On a side note... I have had tinnitus since I was a child.  I had numerous horrible ear infections. I don't know if that was a cause. The tinnitus only bothers me when I am trying to sleep. Because of the silence... the noise seems to get quite loud. It can drive me crazy, hearing loud noises inside my head. It sounds like locker doors slamming shut. I have to take xanax to go to sleep, or else the I would never get sleep bc of the tinnitus. Of course, this is not a long term solution... but like the previous poster said... it's something you usually just end up having to live with.
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Avatar universal
Tinnitus is rarely a sign of hearing loss.  Tinnitus "ringing" is actually the rush of blood through the veins in the ear that you are now hearing.  It can be caused by a number of things;  too much or too high dosages of NSAIDS, high blood pressure, and anxiety to name a few. See an ENT and have the inner checked, and get a good hearing test in a sound booth to check out your hearing, too.  Unfortuneately once Tinnitus occurs, it is often "there" for life because once you notice that it reduced or isn't there you will "look" for it and "call it back".   good luck
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