Sick of feeling ill. Can anyone help with congested ears?

[kuckingfunt]

I've got a few health problems going on at the moment and am waiting on the results of an MRI and also some other tests.

However, I had a really bad cold and chest infection about 5 weeks ago. I had anti bi's and it cleared. Since then I have been having bad headaches and also going dizzy. I don't know results of tests yet, but last week at the doctors they checked my ears. Said my eardrum was very dull and flat which suggests that it is blocked/congested and that may even be causing the headaches and dizziness as its in the inner ear. I have been told to take decongestive tablets every 4 hours and was prescribed a nasal spray.

It doesnt seem to be helping and don't know what else I can do to get rid of it. I am not snotty at all its just all in my head and I wake with sinus headaches every morning. Is there anything else I can do to help it? I have read on here that the decongestants do more harm than good if you have been taking them a while, yet my gp told me to take them. I know its all still blocked because when I hold my nose and breath to try and pop my ears iykwim, they dont pop easily at all and just sound all blocked up.

I also have an enlarged thyroid gland so am waiting for blood results on that as the gp said if I have a thyroid problem it may also be causing my dizzy spells. I dont have any other symptoms of thyroid problems though so I am not convinced about this, but unsure why the glands are puffy.

I feel like I have been ill for weeks. I have really and am sick of it.

just been out to do some food shopping, going dizzy everytime I do anything. Grabbed essentials and had to abandon the rest of it. Hate feeling like this.

Recurrent sinus problems are one of the symptoms of a thyroid disorder. Have you tried acetyl cysteine? It's a mucolytic, so it thins the gunge in the sinuses which enables it to drain. It is available on prescription, or from H&B in bottles of capsules for about £10. Many of the pseudo-ephedrine types of decongestant can cause rebound congestion if they're used for too long.

I ended up having a sinus ventilation operation, but later found I had an underactive thyroid gland, and I'd never had sinusitis until I was about 34.

It was taken off the list for a while, but has been brought back. Many younger, under 50 gps, won't have heard of it. The circular bringing it back was the one that said they didn't have to do out of hours working, so as it was at the end, it may have been missed.

I have had this but had also had this problem as have dodgey wiring to my sinuses.

I am using sudafed non-drowsy decongestant (which is a pseudo-ephedrine decon), steam inhalation. This combination has cleared my ear problem and the secondary infection caused by it. But i am still suffering from the virus that caused the conjestion iyswim. There are some really nasty viruses going about and it will just take time. ALthough if it doesnt clear by the weekend I will have had enough and will be going to the doc. 3 weeks is enough.

Prior to using the pseudo-ephedrine i lost my hearing for hours on end due to the conjestion and my ears hurt so much i wanted to scratch my ear drums out. It has made a difference and the sudafed is over the counter meds

Thanks tb, I haven't heard of acetyl cysteine, will look out for that. Interesting too what you say about sinue problems being a symptom of thyroid disorder. I should find out early this week about results of thyroid test.

I am using sudafed at the moment Dancing, and it is making me feel less headachey but I am still dizzy. All my neck/jaw seems to tighten with it too but I am sure that's just a symptom of being so blocked up.

I just really dont know what to do about the dizziness, it is awful and stopping me doing anything. I can't even drive to work while I am dizzy as I darent get in the car.

This has been going on for about 6 weeks now and I need rid of it!

just to update, got results back today on thyroid, it was normal so I dont have a thyroid problem at all.

Still getting dizzy though