Tinnitus in one Ear along wih ear/head pains. Acoustic Neuroma? Chronic Infection?

[MobileChicane]

Hi,

I made a thread recently regarding my tinnitus and blocked ears fearing the worst. In the past week my tinnitus has gone from a loud hiss to something I only (but always) hear in quieter rooms.

I was given antibiotics for a supposed ear infection when I had extremely blocked left ear and it helped like 50%, the week after my hearing started to slowly get better. From what I can tell my hearing is better but I wouldn't say it's 100% the same as my right ear.

For the past week I have had ear pain and pain around the left side of my head on and off, and today the pain was rather bad. I've convinced myself that this is an Acoustic Neuroma. What are the chances?

[MobileChicane]

The ear pain seems to be coming and going. Am I overthinking it? Does anyone have experience with acoustic neuromas?

When I try the blowing nose method to unblock ears only my right side pops, the painful side I worry has the tumour doesn't
:(

Is it normal to be unable to pop a specific ear?

[Twisted-Melody]

Hi. I am also having ear trouble. My right ear got clogged with water and then became infected 2 weeks later. Like yours, it wouldn't pop. I got it checked by an ENT and he said it's a perforated ear drum which requires surgery. He also gave me antibiotics, which helped (although noise sensitivity was awful during the course!) and by the end, it seemed to have cleared up. However, 2 days off, my ear feels full again and is even numb. I'm worried the antibiotics didn't work... but that's a different story :unsure:

I think the likelihood of an Acoustic Neuroma is minimal, though I don't know your age or background and I'm not a doctor! Have you been to see a specialist? How long have you been off the antibiotics now? It seemed like they helped you, so perhaps it is just an ear infection after all. I read that some last weeks to months, but best to follow up with your doctor to see what's going on. You may need to take some more.

All I will say is: "stop forcing yourself to pop your ears". If it's a perforated ear drum, like mine, that could make it worse. Also don't put anything in your ears your doctor hasn't prescribed.

I hope you get to the bottom of it and let me know how it goes :) (Also, I like your shiba picture!)

[MobileChicane]

I am 23 and male. My GP first diagnosed me with Otis Externia an inflamation of the ear canal. The antibiotic spray didn't really help so I was given oral antibiotics and finished the course on the first of this year.

I've been referred to an ENT but will be waiting a while for that on the NHS. I went to a private ENT for an initial consoltation who said my eardrums were fine and that there may be "blockage" behind the ear whatever that could be.

I didn't have any further private tests because I don't have the money. He wanted me to have a hearing test and pressure test and maybe an MRI though. What surgery do you need?

I am just worried that the "blockage" could be a tumour. :(

[Twisted-Melody]

I see. If it is a blockage, this could be caused by anything (stones, debris etc), not just tumours. You are very young for a tumour. Do you get your head/ ears wet a lot? Maybe something got in through the water?

I have my next appointment in 2 weeks (when I found out the surgery type, date, cause etc), but it's looking like it will be Tympanoplasty. I had a CT-scan last week too. This is to check the bones in the ear. I was in a car accident years ago and there's a chance the bones were damaged or shifted. There's also a chance it's something else, but the ENT said I've had this for years so I'm optimistic it won't show anything too scary.

But without running all the tests, it'll be difficult for you and your doctors to know what's going on. Just try and be patient waiting for the NHS, get your mind off it, and see your GP if anything gets worse again. Remember: It might just be a little stone that's got stuck.

Anyway, I hope you aren't waiting too long and can do something to get your mind off it. I think I will be going to my GP tomorrow to figure out what this numbness is about.

[MobileChicane]

I do have problems with water in my ear, but the canal and drum are apparently fine. This would have been in baths/showers though so it wont be stones/debris plus its something behind my ears.

[jray23]

I believe ENTs can easily rule out acoustic neuroma. Way back when my dizziness started a year ago the ENT told me quite matter of factly and unprompted after a couple simple tests (which included audiology/hearing) that he could rule out acoustic neuroma (not that i knew what it was) and some other things like Meniere's.

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