steroid nasal sprays

[Lakeshiker]

hi everyone, I’ve been using a steroid nasal spray for ETD and I think it’s making my ears sore and my T louder 🤔 Just wondering if anyone has had similar experiences. My ears get sore and all down the side of my face near my jaw line from my ear to my neck. My right ear registered negative pressure, completely flat and my T in this ear goes crazy. My left ear wasn’t great but was working a bit. I’ve got a saline nasal spray I use as well.

I also get a burning sensation in my head, very werid. I naturally have very low blood pressure, which the doctor said was causing the burning sensation 🤷🏻‍♀️

Sometimes my ears feel wide open, to wide and then blocked again. Feel really dry as well if that makes sense

Thanks in advance

[kalgoorlie]

I would advise asking your GP if there could be something else causing your ear and jaw and head pain. Please ask for a blood test to check for inflammation and ask them whether this could possibly be a condition called GCA. ASAP. Just as a precaution, to hopefully discount it. If they definitely think this is ETD then so be it. But the reason I say this is that I went to my GP a few weeks ago with earache and jaw pain radiating around my face, down to my neck and slightly up to head. I also had tinnitus. The GP was sure it was ETD. I was given steroid spray and advised to use an otovent to clear my ears. I went back within 2 weeks as I was still in pain. It didn't feel right, I'd never had this kind of pain before and never had ETD before. Had blood tests which showed high inflammation levels. Immediately put on a high dose of prednisolone for a condition called GCA which is an autoimmune disease. I had a positive diagnosis subsequently.

Just saying, don't want to alarm you of course, but any pain like this is worth further investigation.

[Lakeshiker in reply to kalgoorlie]

Funny you should say that as I was wondering if I had something like that as any tablets I take make my head burn and I’m having blurry vision and breathlessness. Loss loads of weigh. Insomnia. My doctors are rubbish though. I’m there Friday so I’ll ask. Wonder if there’s a natural remedy for it 🤔

[kalgoorlie in reply to Lakeshiker]

Please phone gp and get an urgent appointment today. Tell them you are concerned you may have GCA. Or go straight to A&E. It is a medical emergency. Visual problems are associated and it can make you go blind....didn't want to frighten you in last post. Visual problems, jaw pain on eating, head/ear pain, weight loss are all symptoms. There is no natural remedy. High dose of prednisolone ( corticosteroids) controls the inflammation and is the only answer. It prevents blindness. I do hope it is not this but best to be safe than sorry.

[Lakeshiker in reply to kalgoorlie]

Thank you. I phoned 111 earlier and waiting for a call back

[kalgoorlie in reply to Lakeshiker]

Very sensible. Describe all your symptoms. Important that you mention your jaw pain, side of face pain, wierd burning head pain, ear pain, fullness in ear, blurry vision, weight loss. Do mention that you are wondering if it could be GCA. Giant Cell Arteritis. It is inflammation of the temporal artery. Look it up.

[Lakeshiker in reply to kalgoorlie]

Ok will do. No one has rang me yet 😡

[Lakeshiker in reply to Lakeshiker]

They just rang me now. The doctor I spoke to said he thinks it’s Greater occipital neuralgia 🤷🏻‍♀️ I have to go see my doctor. Not looked it up yet.

[RONf]

Hi Lakeshiker

Likewise I had earache and jaw pain radiating down face, I was initially diagnosed with ETD and prescribed a steroid nasal spray . The problem persisted so the ENT doctor, after further examination, said it could well be temporomandibular disorder (TMD) caused by wear and tear of the joint plus current inflammation to the joint. At his suggestion, two weeks on shop-bought ibuprufen has certainly eased the problem - but not sorted it completely. Fortunately, on this occasion, my tinnitus has been unaffected by the medication and problem. However, I am now unwilling to take more ibuprofen in case it causes a tinnitus spike -so I await my next steps. Hope you get sorted very soon!

Kindest regards

Ron

[Lakeshiker in reply to RONf]

Does TMD cause ear fullness?

[RONf in reply to Lakeshiker]

After an examination, the ENT doctor said that my discomfort and increasingly frequent pain may be simply (and hopefully) caused by inflammation of my temporomandibular joints (TMJ). The impact of this, he said, could cause the fullness which I feel particularly in my right ear. The ENT doctor also ensured my ears were free from wax by carefully removing the wax with his surgical instruments and then checking that I could 'pop' my eardrums by telling me to take a breath in, and then to breath out gently with my mouth closed whilst pinching my nose (The Valsalva Manoeuvre). He said he thought my Eustachian Tubes were now okay. He then checked my temporomandibular joints by pressing his fingers along the side of my face/jaw/head, locating the areas which caused the discomfort.

He said that if inflammation was the case the fortnight of taking ibuprufen (two 200mg tablets three times a day with food) should clear it up. He also prescribed amitriptyline tablets for me (one 10mg tablet to be taken one hour before bed time) for three weeks. The deep discomfort and occasional pain has certainly eased - but it's not completely sorted. I am still aware of a slight fullness. I have another appointment in early April so I'll be able to find if there are any next steps.

The doctor was well aware of my tinnitus (to which I have fortunately mainly habituated) and said that the duration of the medication should not worsen my T. On this occasion he was correct. But I still worry about taking tablets and medicine which could cause a spike or worse!

Good luck on your journey to getting better.

Best wishes

Ron