Glue ear causing tinnitus

[Sprockersprollie]

Hi, I am a new member.

I developed glue ear about 12 years ago and am currently on my third grommet which was inserted in May 2021. It stopped being effective (either blocked or no longer in situ) this April 2023 and I saw the GP and have been referred back up to ENT...waiting nearly 6 months now and still don't have an appointment (NHS waits being what they are, there's not a lot I can do).

About May/June I noticed a static noise in my bad ear. It was only sporadic to begin with, but now it is constant, loud and stopping me sleeping. It's also making my hearing worse as I am struggling to hear over the top of the static noise. I am almost completely deaf on my left ear due to the glue ear/grommet failure, so with the tinnitus I am finding communication with my husband, children, and just generally day-to-day is getting harder and harder.

I have been back to the GP but there's nothing 'wrong' so they've just said wait until you see the consultant, but this has been ongoing for nearly 5 months now and it is getting worse.

Does anyone have any suggestions to alleviate symptoms until I can get in to see ENT? Thing that makes it worse is when I do get in with ENT I will still have 3 more appointments before I will possibly have another grommet...which will only last about 2 years, and then I'll be back here again, at the start of the journey 😢 feeling completely deflated and overwhelmed with it all so happy to take any and all advice and suggestions.

Thanks

[Philip6]

Have you tried the Otovent device for glue ear? It’s supposed to be very good, you can get it from the doctor or buy one from Amazon. It might help.

[Happyhammy]

Hi there I suffer with eustachian tube problems and my Dr recommended Otovent nasal balloon. I can honestly say I've been doing it a couple of weeks and it's helped hugely, my husband even says my snoring isn't waking him up any more and I'm sleeping better. Also massaging down behind the ear towards the neck to help drainage and I never realised I suffered with TMJ until I started massaging my jaw and have found the tinnitus level has definitely reduced since I've been doing all of this, plus reducing sugar and eliminating caffeine 😊