Hi. Im Missy

[Missy1951]

Hi. I have just signed up to this site feeling a little lost and confused. A week last Monday I went to bed fine. Woke up Tuesday morning with total hearing loss in one ear and about 20% hearing in the other. Certain it would right itself I muddled through having bought some drops to clear a'blockage of wax'. This did very little but I did regain about 20% hearing in my right ear. Eventually I got to see my GP. He thought I MAY have an infection in my inner ear and gave me antibiotic drops and steroid drops. I have been using these for the past six days but no improvement in my hearing. I do not see him again for another two weeks and I am terrified that by then this loss may be permanent. Can anyone advise please.

[Hidden]

You can call your GP and ask to be referred to the ENT HOT clinic at the hospital.

[Missy1951 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. When I saw my GP and asked for a referral he told me to just keep using the drops and go back to him on Oct 10th. I told him I couldn't wait that long as I need to know if it could be permanent! (No improvement with the drops after one week so not optimistic.) Should I go back and insist?

[Hidden in reply to Missy1951]

I would; one week is plenty of time to see an improvement from antibiotic treatment. If it's inner ear infection then drops alone wouldn't reach them anyway - baffled why your GP hasn't given you tablets. You could try your luck going to out of hours saying it's no better they may prescribe oral antibiotics in the meantime

[Missy1951 in reply to Hidden]

Someone else wondered that too but he gave me steroid drops which I have to put up my nose as this apparently will reach my inner ear. Will try out of hours walk-in centre. Thanks .

[Missy1951 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you The_Bear. Did get antibiotics and the infection has cleared up. Hearing loss not as bad as I was fretting about. (Moderate loss in both ears.) I'm glad I took your advice as I'm sure it would have been greater had I left it.

Missy

[GRboyRiches]

No drops in world will effect a Middle ear infection, because you have a Ear drum that will stop the drops getting to the infection... you should gone Direct without stopping to A&E with sudden hearing loss, as treatments are available within the first 36hrs.. after that, it may or may not improve.... BE A WARNING>> Sudden hearing Loss.. A&E

[Missy1951 in reply to GRboyRiches]

Thanks. The drops he gave me for my middle ear had to go via my nose. I don't think they did a lot of good though as I saw an ENT doctor last Friday who thinks my eustacian tubes have been damaged by the infection and the loss is probably permanent! (Moderate in one and moderate to severe in the other.) Now waiting to go to audiology at my local hospital.

Regards

Missy

[Missy1951 in reply to GRboyRiches]

Hi GRBoyRiches.

How right you were. I never realised the severity of sudden hearing loss. It's three weeks now since it happened and now the hearing loss I have is permanent. (I consider myself lucky though - moderate in one ear and moderate to severe in the other.) Still trying to come to terms with how you can be ok one day then partially deaf the next! Awaiting an appointment at my local hospital. Thanks to everyone on this site for their input.

Missy

[Ninatz in reply to Missy1951]

Wow - that just sounds awful. I am so sorry. Lucky you found out before all hearing was lost... But darn, life sucks sometimes!

Big hugs!

[GRboyRiches]

I've heard every thing now, my mind sometimes boggles... but good luck, really mean it, hope everything works out Geoff

[Missy1951 in reply to GRboyRiches]

Thanks Geoff. When you're a complete rookie to all this you just go with whatever you're told hoping for a good outcome.

Missy

[Bowtruckle]

If it is a problem with your eustachian tube, then they are likely to put a grommit in your eardrum. I had a problem with mine as it wasn’t opening properly as it had swollen. This caused the eardrum to be pulled in so it was concave and therefore not moving with sound.

During and for two years or so after the grommit my hearing was perfectly fine.

If it is a problem with your tube, maybe taking antihistamines will help slightly if it is just swollen, as it could be a reaction to a sensitivity. Just otc citrizine or loratadine May help, but you’d need to take one when you get up and one before bed for a couple of weeks. They are made for 12 hour’s of protection.

I really hope the ent can help you and it is a fairly simple fix. With hearing problems throughout my life I know how annoying/frustrating it can be.

[Missy1951 in reply to Bowtruckle]

Thank you Bowtruckle.

[Veteran250]

Missy…..if you’re getting no joy from your doctor, I would suggest you go to A&E(Accident and emergency) at your local hospital….you may get seen by hearing specialist.

Doctors referral may take time to come through.