Fullness of left ear and tinnitus

[Franky127]

Morning folks. My fullness of the left ear started December 2021 and came on at the flip of the coin. I also have tinnitus, had it for years. Like most of you had a waiting list of nine months to se and ENT specialist. Went Private to see and ENT surgeon who said I needs hearing aids. Got hearing aids and still have the fullness in the left ear. Eventualy managed to get an appointment with the NHS ENT people wheo pescribed Betahistine tablers 8mg three times a day. No effect, went to see my GP who doubled the dose to 16 mg three times a day on a repeat perscription. That was two weeks ago. Still no effect but giving it time. What I do find odd is that when I settle down to go to sleep at night the fullness goes away. I awake in the morning and just lay still for half an hour and feel great. No soon as I get up and creep to the bathroom no soon as I open the bathroom door with a little bit of noise, 'Hey Presto' the fullness in my left ear comes on with vengenance. I do not have dizzy spells, get a few headaches mind. When I listen to music or watch telly I have distorted hearing in my left ear. Music sounds like a cat wailing. I have difficulty in understanding speech in my left ear even with hearing aids fitted. The ENT surgeon said that the inner ear nerves and the brain nerves are miscommunicating but it should get better with time once the ear and brain get used to the hearing aids. I don't know what or who to believe at the moment. Any help would be most appreciated folks. All the best. Franky Gosport, Hampshire. UK

[Fridays_Child_62]

When I first got tinnitus over 25 years ago, I was prescribed Betahistine and it did absolutely nothing. I believe it is prescribed more for Meniere's disease where there is dizziness involved (maybe as well as T).

Three years ago I had some brief episodes of ear fullness/pressure along with partial hearing loss in one ear. My GPs put it down to Labyrinthitis, but I think this was a label they were attaching to something they didn't understand. For months following this, I also had regular tension in my ears, which would ease off on lying down. My GP said it was Eustachian Tube Dysfunction and wouldn't refer me to an NHS specialist for that. So, I went to see a private specialist but the only thing I came away with was a recommendation to have a hearing test and possibly hearing aids, but I think that was more for the T. I eventually did get hearing aids and surprisingly I found that the daily ear tension more or less went away - but if I go for a few days without wearing the HAs at all, it comes back.

While I am not a medic, I have developed my own interpretation for what's going on. Around the time that all this started, I was experiencing a faint vibration in my right ear, probably muscular. That disappeared but I have since experienced spontaneous muscle spasms in my ears (both) as well as more regular spasms that are reactive to sound, especially in my right ear - I believe this is connected with a condition known as Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome (TTTS), something which the private ENT consultant didn't contradict (the NHS consultant that I saw after my hearing test wasn't very interested). The ear spasms can also have a fullness associated with them and even pain. It is possible that you have something similar.

In addition to lying down, I found that simply holding the sides of my face with my hands eased the ear tension. You might want to try this. I am wondering whether this feeling is actually the tensing of an ear muscle and pressing the sides of the face relaxes it - I believe the tensor tympani muscle in the middle ear is connected to nerves in the face, so this could be the mechanism, but who knows.

I'm sorry to go on about my issues but I thought if you can identify with them, it might help you in going further down the ENT road. You may want to at least get the ENT doctors to consider and possibly rule out a TTTS type diagnosis.

[Franky127 in reply to Fridays_Child_62]

Brilliant Fridays Child gonnah print it off if you dont mind and take it with me if I ever get another appointment. Thank you for responding sop quick, much appreciated . 😀

[Fridays_Child_62 in reply to Franky127]

No, I don't mind you printing it off and taking it with you. This is just my experience, which seems to have some overlap with yours. It is worth asking about TTTS, especially considering you're getting distortion on hearing sounds. For me, the muscle is triggered by particular frequencies of sound. I'm not sure if this is classed as a form of hyperacusis. But it could be something else - I imagine Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD) has already been mentioned to you.

[Franky127 in reply to Fridays_Child_62]

Thank you Friday's Child moocho appreciated. Will keep you posted over the next few months. 😏

[Popsic in reply to Fridays_Child_62]

hi there,

I have fullness in my left ear too, I don’t have an intact eardrum covering, I am awaiting an operation to hopefully correct this, but the pain at times is unbearable. I seem to have a constant infection with goo coming out constantly, also headaches, just been prescribed amitriptyline 30mg see if that works.

I do hope you get it sorted soon nothing worse than ear problems.

June

[Franky127 in reply to Popsic]

Good luck to you June hope things will work out for you. Lots of us around eh 😏

[Happyrosie]

just a quick add. Betahistine is NO LONGER recommended for tinnitus. Your doc may have thought there was something else and that’s why it was prescribed but it’s not found to be helpful for T.

[Franky127]

Hi Happy Rosie. The ENT surgeon prescribed the Betahistine to increase the blood pressure in the inner ear to alleviate blockage sensation which came on at the flip of s coin. Tinnitus I have had for thirty odd years now due to Naval gunfire all those years ago I know that’s not going to go away. All the best Franky 😉

[Tia4]

Hi Franky, I live in Gosport!! My tinnitus came on suddenly September 2021 & luckily I only waited 3 months to see NHS Consultant!! I don't have hearing loss so don't need HA's but regularly get fullness & pressure of my ears, which comes and goes, I also seem to suffer with more headaches since getting T. Consultant told me mine was caused by stress. I do find when I am relaxed & don't think about T it does seem quieter but as the day goes on, by the time I go to bed it can be quite loud which is disturbing. I follow all the advice on this forum, try to relax, get out in fresh air etc, attend a support group in Southampton and get comfort from knowing I am not alone!! There are some very supportive people on this site and I have found over time it has appeared to improve, either that or I have got used to it and accepted it - as some say, habituated. Maybe it will improve for you over time too. I have never been prescribed Beta histamine. Stay positive

[ETHEL103 in reply to Tia4]

HI you sound exactly the same as me.I was suspecting meds I take but now leaning towards stress as I get very stressful dreams at night also very disrupted sleep.

[Tia4 in reply to ETHEL103]

I also have night terrors & disturbed sleep but I try to have a good night time routine. Staying calm & relaxed definitely helps. Also not worrying, easier said than done!! Stress definitely plays a part.

[Franky127 in reply to ETHEL103]

I think you are right there Ethel regarding stress. Hope all goes well with you x

[Franky127 in reply to Tia4]

Thankyou Tia indeed stress related mefinx. It’s a Gosport thing no doubt. 😉

[Tia4 in reply to Franky127]

😂🤣👍👍

[Franky127 in reply to Tia4]

😁

[Tanney]

do you have any symptoms of nasal allergies: stuffy or running nose, post nasal drip, eyes tearing, etc. If so, what are you doing to manage the allergies. Ear fullness is often an allergy symptom.

[Franky127]

Hi Tanney

No nothing you have mentioned. Crazy times eh. Let’s hope things ease up. All the best Franky 😉

[PABLR]

I have some similar issues to you but with a different underlying condition as you seem to have ruled out Meniere's while that's the diagnosis I've been given, although I'm not 100% on board with that.

The thing that I take issue with is that the distorted hearing will get used to hearing aids and seem better. This of course depends on the level of distortion and sound discrimination you have. Mine was poor and I have poor hearing in that ear as well. I was categorically told that with that much distortion all a hearing aid would do would amplify distorted sounds and that I shouldn't have one. Now for the good news - after a number of years the clarity suddenly came back to that ear to a large degree and a hearing aid was recommended and does help.

[Franky127 in reply to PABLR]

Excellent PABLR. The ENT surgeon told me that the inner ear nerves and the brain nerves are miscommunicating for some reason or another. Fingers crossed eh All the best Frank

[ETHEL103]

I have the same Franky.Im thinking it's the eustacian tube that's blocked.Have just posted on here myself.

[Franky127 in reply to ETHEL103]

I wish it was Ethel but I have been told it’s in the inner ear. Scoffing Betahistine tablets for my sins. Thank you anyway x