feels like water in my ear after showering

[chanel2]

I have been on prednisone 40mg for one week. Will be having a tab on Tuesday. Just took a shower and can't get water out of my ear. Is this something that can happen with GCA or not. Sorry if this seems like a strange question.

I am new here, only my second post but find the information so valuable here.

[SnazzyD]

I’d say that if it feels like water after the shower it probably is. It’ll come out eventually but don’t be tempted to stick anything down there to speed it up. If it persists for more than a couple of days or becomes painful get someone to have a quick look.

[chanel2 in reply to SnazzyD]

So most likely unrelated to GCA! thanks for responding.

[SnazzyD in reply to chanel2]

Well, the timing with the shower is a bit suspicious and GCA doesn’t affect your ear this way. Another question to ask yourself is, if you didn’t have GCA, would you have been worried? People have reported tinnitus and hearing impairment with GCA.

[SheffieldJane]

I think there is definitely ear involvement, even with PMR. I have had exactly the same experience, plus a blocked and achy sensation and intermittent tinnitus. Nothing major but definitely part of the picture. I have occasionally had otomise eardrops for fungal infections if it becomes real pain. This symptom was worse in the early days.

[chanel2 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Perhaps this symptom happened at the same time of my shower and I related it with water in my ear. Hopefully if it is water it will make its way out. Or possibly could be tinnitus. My biopsy is Tuesday and an appointment with rheumatologist on Thursday. If my head/ears still feel the same I will see what the doctor thinks.

Thank you for responding and for sharing your information. Greatly appreciated. I just don't know what to expect. IT ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE PAPER CRINKLING IN MY EAR NOW.

[SnazzyD in reply to chanel2]

That sounds like fluid,, especially if you can reproduce by moving your head or tugging at your ear lobe. Another thing that can happen with water is that any wax can be softened and/or moved or water gets stuck behind it. Get them to have a peep.

[SheffieldJane in reply to chanel2]

I suppose with compromised immune systems we do get other stuff that drags on. On Pred some of my niggles went away, like a patch of dry skin on my lip that had been there for years. Yay!

[nickm001]

the easiest way to get the water out of your ear is... to on purpose put the water in the same ear until it is completely full and then lean your head on the same side...It should come out easily.

How do I know the trick? I swim laps regularly and water in the ear is very common occurrence.

[AllyRobson]

Hello Chanel2

I have been taking pred since Dec17 and In March one of my ears became blocked after having a shower. It was the same feeling you get when you're flying and you need to suck on a sweet. It did unblock itself, but then I went swimming a week later and both ears became completely blocked. I followed all the google (and family's) advice to try and clear them but nothing worked. Ear drops, hand stands, forward rolls, warm hairdryer in ears etc. After about 3 months (of annoying myself and my nearest and dearest with my temporary deafness) I went to the GP and was told that both ears were completely compacted with wax. I've since had them syringed - (ahhh the relief - for the first hour it felt as though everyone was shouting) and am back to normal now. I have never had a problem with my ears before, so don't know if it is the medication or a coincidence. I would get them checked out though 😁

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to AllyRobson]

I had a lot of wax in my ears in the early days of the symptoms (no pred for 5 years). I also notice it gets worse now when I am having a flare. Don't know why - but I think it is associated with the PMR/GCA.

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

says that it is more common in a couple of autoimmune disorders - one of which is Sjogrens syndrome. Quite a lot of people with PMR/GCA have symptoms of dryness in all sorts of places - which is what happens in Sjogrens or the similar sicca syndrome, the dryness is the same but doesn't form an antibody as Sjogrens does.

[Rimmy in reply to PMRpro]

That's interesting Pmrpro - I have had to have my ears syringed twice in the last year - and I've never before had this problem - oh dear the horrible little nuances of PMR/GCA. Just hoping it isn't a melting brain !

(LOL) !!

[chanel2]

Just a quick update about my blocked ears from last night. When I woke this morning my head felt a little congested but my ears were much better. Not sure what caused this but am grateful it didn't last long. I will be careful when showering not to get water in my ears. Thank you all for responding, it is so nice to know people care and share this scary journey. I don't know what is ahead for me but I am glad to have found this site.

[karools16]

I often have it. I don't think it's Pred or any tablet. I put earplugs in. Also, sometimes, when I remember, I put them in at the hair salon too. With me, the water goes and I don;t even know.