Anyone have an ear infection cause never ending ringing? Digitized sounds?

[lokiju]

Apparently I have an ear infection. My right ear feels clogged and there's been a never ending ringing since last Saturday that just doesn't stop.

I went to a walk in clinic last Saturday since an attempt to clear out my clogged ear with a ear wax removal system brought me to my knees with the feeling of being stabbed with a hot ice pick in my ear.

He said it was red and swollen, which was causing the clogged feeling.

Gave me antibiotic and anti-inflammatory ear drops and oral antibiotics.

I've been taking them since then but it's not improved even a little bit as far as the clogged feeling and ringing goes.

I think I'm on the edge of insanity 🙁

What I started noticing yesterday evening is that sounds are starting to almost sound like they're a bad VoIP connection to a slight extent or almost digitized sounding on top of it feeling the same amount clogged and the same level of ringing.

Has anyone else here experienced something like that? What helped the most to make it stop? How long did it take before it lessened or went away?

It's very distracting and even disorientating at times. Sometimes I don't notice it as much when I'm in a place that has enough noise to drown out the ringing sound but it's torture when I'm trying to go to bed. The doctor thankfully prescribed me some lortabs to knock me out and help with the ear pain I was having when I saw him otherwise I'd of not slept all week.

 

[x-alki]

Haven't had the ringing. I'll get ear infections and sinus infection that fuck up my balance, which isn't good to begin with. I'd never pass a field sobriety test.

If you can, see a an ENT. I waited to long and ended up with some permanent hearing damage. He prescribed some industrial strength antibiotics that took care of the infections. Had a 2 week follow up, my ears were still plugged and my balance still sucked. He tubed my ears and I was back to normal in 15 minutes. The ENT told me if your plugged ears don't clear up within 2 weeks of taking medication they never will.

Good luck, I know how miserable the feeling is.

 

[Saint Nick]

Sounds like a clever ploy to get Lortabs. You should keep it up. Just keep visiting random walk-in clinics...JACK POT. All the Lortabs you can eat!

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=&q=...vwUoAQ&q=tinnitus&spell=1&fp=9bef8cda26d1a6ec

 

[Kaervak]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=&q=...vwUoAQ&q=tinnitus&spell=1&fp=9bef8cda26d1a6ec

Yep, welcome to the wonderful world of tinnitus. No cure, no way to get rid of it and it's goddamn annoying.

 

[IronWing]

It isn't your ears. All modern music sounds that way. Ke$ha and Katy rule!

 

[ahenkel]

you're evolving robot ears so you can enjoy techno. Nature says you're welcome.

 

[ChaoZ]

Yes, but I'm not sure if I had the ringing though. If it's just an ear infection, I don't think it would be permanent. It sucked ass as when one of your ears is clogged and have lower hearing. I think what finally made it went away was cold medicine. I was using ear drops also, but that just stopped the pain.

 

[Fritzo]

Yep, welcome to the wonderful world of tinnitus. No cure, no way to get rid of it and it's goddamn annoying.

I have it due to Marshall stacks in the 80's and 90's 🙁 Sounds like a constant "hheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

 

[911paramedic]

Had my first ear infection ever about two months ago. It was, quite simply, really gross. I got the same stuff you did but it took about five days on antibiotics before the drops would even penetrate into the canal my ear was so edematous. I had to keep a tissue in my hand because my ear was draining like a runny nose.

I don't think my hearing came back for two weeks, and it was gradual after that.

Fucking gross.

 

[lokiju]

Haven't had the ringing. I'll get ear infections and sinus infection that fuck up my balance, which isn't good to begin with. I'd never pass a field sobriety test.

If you can, see a an ENT. I waited to long and ended up with some permanent hearing damage. He prescribed some industrial strength antibiotics that took care of the infections. Had a 2 week follow up, my ears were still plugged and my balance still sucked. He tubed my ears and I was back to normal in 15 minutes. The ENT told me if your plugged ears don't clear up within 2 weeks of taking medication they never will.

Good luck, I know how miserable the feeling is.

I booked a appointment with my ENT for next Monday. The thought of hearing loss scared me enough to book one.

 

[chusteczka]

On a lighter side, there are times when a person cleans their ear with a q-tip and pushes in too far. This can jam the wax up into the ear causing many of the symptoms you describe. This can take a couple days to clear.

However, I have no experience with ear infections or pain that can drop a person to their knees. That sounds bad.

 

[Saint Nick]

I had a doc use a water pik on my ear with warm water. It felt great (seriously). They squirted this low pressure water into my ear, and it made a hell of a mess, but i could hear EVERYTHING after that. WOW, it was really amazing. Felt so good to have my hearing back.

 

[Exterous]

If you can, see a an ENT.

So much this! There has been a world of difference in my ear infections treatment/recovery time when treated by an EMT vs a regular doctor

I booked a appointment with my ENT for next Monday. The thought of hearing loss scared me enough to book one.

Good. Is your ear actually swollen shut? I've had this happen and when they forced it open to clean it out it was, by far, the worst pain I have ever had in my life. Also, anytime my ear would swell shut I would get a periodic ringing noise. It did go away for me so I hope it does for you too.

I found a cold compress worked to reduce the pain. I like to think it helped the swelling but I cannot be sure of that

Something that I do, is if I think I might be getting an ear infection, is to dip a Q-tip in (shit - I can't remember now. It's in a brown bottle and costs like $0.79 at a drug store. It's used for cleaning cuts) Anyway - that helps keep the infection down

 

[BoomerD]

I have a perforated eardrum from too much loud noise...damned noisy wars anyway...😛

That ear is extremely susceptible to "swimmers ear," which can cause many of the OP's symptoms...and more.

Once the ear opening swells shut, drops won't do any good...and you'll have to have a "wick" installed by the doctor. Another wonderful experience...and level of pain for an already painful ear.

 

[Wyndru]

Sounds like a clever ploy to get Lortabs. You should keep it up. Just keep visiting random walk-in clinics...JACK POT. All the Lortabs you can eat!

Hehe, I just got lortab's from my doctor yesterday for my sore throat. It's weird being on these at work. Doctors love to prescribe these.

 

[Exterous]

I had a doc use a water pik on my ear with warm water. It felt great (seriously). They squirted this low pressure water into my ear, and it made a hell of a mess, but i could hear EVERYTHING after that. WOW, it was really amazing. Felt so good to have my hearing back.

You can get small syringes that will do the same thing (they have a short, rubber tube on the end). Fill it with a mixture of warm (very important - cold water will really mess with your balance) water and white vinegar (don't know why vinegar, my EMT told me this). About a 50:50 mix. Stick the end in your ear and push the plunger down fairly quickly to flush the...stuff out of your ear. Repeat as needed

(I would not recommend this if your ear is swollen shut as the liquid can't push the stuff out easily and could end up just sitting in your ear)

 

[lokiju]

I have a perforated eardrum from too much loud noise...damned noisy wars anyway...😛

That ear is extremely susceptible to "swimmers ear," which can cause many of the OP's symptoms...and more.

Once the ear opening swells shut, drops won't do any good...and you'll have to have a "wick" installed by the doctor. Another wonderful experience...and level of pain for an already painful ear.

Damn...

🙁

My hearing has actually gotten worse today. It truly has that feeling of being under water now.

 

[BoomerD]

Damn...

🙁

My hearing has actually gotten worse today. It truly has that feeling of being under water now.

Is the side of your head sore/tender around the ear?

"Swimmer's Ear" can be horribly painful if not treated properly...

https://health.google.com/health/ref/Swimmer's+ear

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/swimmers-ear/DS00473/DSECTION=symptoms


Obviously, your doctor should be able to identify this on the first visit. If he/she didn't diagnose it as such, then it's probably something else...but...

 

[Iron Woode]

Had my first ear infection ever about two months ago. It was, quite simply, really gross. I got the same stuff you did but it took about five days on antibiotics before the drops would even penetrate into the canal my ear was so edematous. I had to keep a tissue in my hand because my ear was draining like a runny nose.

I don't think my hearing came back for two weeks, and it was gradual after that.

Fucking gross.

I have Eustachian tube dysfunction and get infections and nasty blockages on a regular basis.

I only get antibiotics when necessary. Most often it will clear up in a week or so.

Blockages are really nasty and painful.

 

[x-alki]

I booked a appointment with my ENT for next Monday. The thought of hearing loss scared me enough to book one.

Good luck and let us know how it went. I've had one ENT have me gargle water while he blew warm air into my ear. That was one of the wierdest feelings I ever had.

 

[AlienCraft]

Yep, welcome to the wonderful world of tinnitus. No cure, no way to get rid of it and it's goddamn annoying.

FTMFTruth. I've got polytonal tinnitus. I can get two distinct frequencies in my left ear.
Only when I'm really rested does it ever stop. Usually some noise random noise will set it off soon after.

 

[AlienCraft]

I had a doc use a water pik on my ear with warm water. It felt great (seriously). They squirted this low pressure water into my ear, and it made a hell of a mess, but i could hear EVERYTHING after that. WOW, it was really amazing. Felt so good to have my hearing back.

That warm, pulsing feeling is quite sensual huh? The downer from that is seeing the gunk that comes out of the ear as a result.

 

[Saint Nick]

FTMFTruth. I've got polytonal tinnitus. I can get two distinct frequencies in my left ear.
Only when I'm really rested does it ever stop. Usually some noise random noise will set it off soon after.

Thats what happens when you spend the 80s hanging around huge Marshall stacks!

 

[Squisher]

I find keeping a small ball of cotton or an ear plug in an infected ear helps because it raises the temp in your ear which seems to help kill the infection.