Is my ear becoming unclogged? ETD issues?
When I was younger, I had pretty bad ear infections in my left ear. This caused some hearing loss, but I believe it to not be permanent. I stopped having infections around the age of 12, but the hearing loss was still present. I also have a fluid discharge from my ear that smells like wax. This occurs throughout the day, especially when I wake up in the morning. I can improve my hearing by popping my ears, but if I yawn, talk, chew or swallow, it feels as if my tube clogs up again. Some research led me to Eustachian Tube Dysfunction and how to cure it: the Neti Pot. I’ve used it a few times (3x), but I’m having a hard time figuring out if it’s really working. I RARELY have runny noses, but now it seems like I’m consistently blowing green mucus out of my left nostril mainly (remember, my left ear was the affected ear and I AM NOT SICK) and my ear seems like its pushing more fluid out. Is this a good sign?
Here’s some other info: No pain from ear, dizziness is very rare and only when I stand up too fast, balance is great, no problems with flying. It essentially just feels like there is fluid sitting in my middle ear and it is very annoying. I would see an ENT, but I cannot afford that. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.
Kevin
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Hi, Kevin, and welcome to Fluther.
I think you’ve provided an excellent history… and you need to tell it to a doctor. We actually have some physicians on Fluther, and I’ll forward your question on to at least one of them. But I expect that he’ll agree (even though he might also have some generic treatment advice) that nothing is going to beat a personal diagnosis from an experienced and competent professional – which is based on an in-person exam.
Have you tried talking to people at teaching hospitals, universities and med schools, as well as county health department people? Interns need people to learn their trade, after all.
Just watch out for the brain-eating amoeba! O_O
Seriously, use sterile water or risk having your BRAIN EATEN by carnivorous amoeba. Once infected there’s no cure. All they can do is give you painkillers and watch your brain get devoured from the inside out.
I use distilled water, yes. I could go check out OHSU here in Portland. I just moved here a year ago, so I forgot about them. I just need to know if what’s happening is a good sign or if I should stop using the Neti Pot.
I have a chronic sinus infection that if it gets bad wreaks havoc with my left ear. I use a sinus wash but not the netti pot as it doesn’t do as good a job as bottle found here. I have to keep it up every night to keep the infection at bay. I use my own salt/baking powder mix which makes the cost slight.
Go to the ENT. I have been having problems with me ears ever since I was a little kid. They always seemed to clog up with wax that seemed like a muffled sound. After waiting a few weeks to finally see the doc they cleared both of them and I have to go 1–2 times a year and have it done again. Just go and have them check it out. That is what they are there for!!
I can’t afford to see an ENT, so that’s out of the question for now.
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