Possible Tinnitus

[ChilinMichael]

I've had chronic sinus infections pretty much for years.  I got a new doctor lately, who is a lot faster at seeing me, etc.  Anyway, long story short lately I hear at times a thumping noise in my right ear mainly, it's only happened in the left a handful of times.  When it happens in the right, it usually goes on for 24 hours at a time, obviously annoying enough to cause me some loss of sleep, aggravation, etc.  Doctor says fluid behind ear after checking me out and looking into my ears, so I'm on flonase and Allegra-D.  Today I'm sitting here, still on the stuff, and it's happening again in the right ear.  Last few times I noticed it, it was when I had alcohol I thought, but doctor said probably coincidence.  Now I'm sitting here thinking it was because of caffeine, because when I had an intestinal virus and couldn't drink any coffee, it didn't seem to happen at all.  Maybe again just timing, but, what does everyone think? What should I check next? I'm planning to go back to him, but I want to know what questions to ask.  Thanks.  Hope everyone has a good new year!

[ChilinMichael]

Fresh back from a visit to the ENT.  He stuck a camera up my nose and did some auditory testing.  Says I score near perfect on everything and he can't see anything wrong which is odd for someone with ringing, so I have to visit an auditory center now.  As far as the muscle spasm sound in my ear, he says that's the Eustachian tubes because he thinks the skin around them is too puffed up.  I've been told to continue with the Neti-pot.  I now have flonase in the morning and Astepro in the evening.  

[ChilinMichael]

I saw my doctor yesterday, almost immediately he said it's time for the ENT specialist.  He took a look and said I don't even have an infection.  He suggested I start regularly using my Neti Pot.  I'm keeping it up with the Flonase and Allegra-D.  My appointment with the local ENT is on Friday, where he will see if there are any blockages and what is going on.  Thanks for the help!

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Understand your predicament. They are all interrelated. Inflammation in the nose, throat and sinuses can cause inflammation around the Eustachian tube, which is the tube that runs from the back of the nose to the middle ear and is responsible for draining the middle ear of fluid. If there is Eustachian tube dysfunction from nose or sinus inflammation, fluid can remain in the middle ear which can lead to fullness in the ears and consequent tinnitus. So, don't worry and discuss these options with your doctor.

The blocked ears can be opened up by the valsalva maneuver, where air is gently blown into the cheeks against a closed nostrils, this sometimes helps to open up the tubes. Steam inhalations and warm salt water gargles can help clear the tube. You could try these along with your medications.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[ChilinMichael]

That didn't last.  Last night had two beers, and the thumping in my ear started up again.  Sitting here now with it still going, I have a slightly sore throat and feel I have an infection of some sort again.  Decent wax buildup in both ears, moreso the right where the thumping noise is happening.  I'll be going back to the doctor on Monday hopefully and get a referral to an ENT.  I'm also going to ask for him to culture cause I keep getting recurring sinus infections, I feel the antibiotics I get never truly get rid of the issue, just mask it for a while.  Ugh...

[ChilinMichael]

I can say that the ongoing FloNase and Allegra-D has helped, I don't have any 24-hour last episodes of hearing thumping in my ear at an alarming volume.  Sometimes in the AM when I yawn or such I'll get a single thump or maybe two and that's that.  I'm continuing on with the Flonase as the doctor suggested hoping it completely goes away.  There have been days I've heard it not once now, so that is an improvement.  He says it was fluid behind the eardrum, and I've read online that can be very hard to get rid of...

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Any abnormal sounds you hear in the ears is tinnitus. Your on going problem of tinnitus could have been aggravated by the recent ear infection. Once the infection subsides its likely to improve, though it may not resolve completely. Persistent tinnitus usually indicates the presence of sensory hearing loss. So, if it persists then, an ENT examination, auditory brainstem response (ABR), a computerized test of the hearing nerves and brain pathways and CT/MRI brain may be needed to diagnose the cause for tinnitus. Treatment lies in treating the underlying cause.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[ChilinMichael]

I should also add, I do have constant low-level ringing in my ears, obviously attributed to tinnitus from years ago when a sinus infection went on too long and caused some damage.  The thumping though, has started in the past month or maybe a few days longer than that.