Tinnitus/Deafness/Dizziness - advice?

[Roomba]

Yesterday, mid morning, I suddenly became aware of a ringing in my right ear. It got louder and louder as the day went on, and I got deafer and deafer. By yesterday evening, I was totally deaf in that ear, the loud ringing continues, loud noises make my head 'buzz' and the ringing worse - and I am slightly off balance all the time.

It was awful walking DS to school this morning! The traffic noise rendered me totally deaf, I couldn't hear anything DS2 was saying to me at all and I couldn't hear myself speak either over the noise/traffic/ringing. Something about the pitch of DS1's voice makes it sound all distorted and robotic when he speaks too. And I really had to concentrate on my balance as I walked as I felt like the floor was moving. It's better when I'm in my quiet home but the ringing/Deafness is still there.

I've booked a doctor's appointment but they can't see me until the 26th. Has anyone else had this and is it likely to go away on its own before then? It doesn't hurt unless a noise is really loud.

May be just ear wax, but best to get it looked at asap. Try drops of olive oil etc (google it) between now and GP appt. I have tinnitus, but it didn't come on quite as suddenly as this.

I have a genetic condition which can result in deafness and tinnitus is quite common. Luckily I have generally avoided having it (apart from when I had hydrocephalus) but it will occasionally come back. I was on the tube the other day and that triggered it, ir would improvewhembi was in a quiet room but I have found if I do get it I Can’t get rid off it till I’ve been to sleep

Labrythinitis.

I haven’t spelt that correctly or vestibular neuroneuritis

But sounds like either of them

Thanks, I've looked up labyrinthitis and it does sound like this. It's a real pain, the dizziness is the worst bit. Well, it's not quite dizziness, I'm not at all lightheaded, just a weird problem balancing!

I'll try olive oil and see if that helps. Have to keep shushing my kids as I go even deafer when they speak loudly.

For the dizziness ask your GP to do the Epley Manoeuvre- it honestly works instantly for vertigo/ labyrinthitis. They will know what you mean ( and worth a google in advance)

The Epley manoeuvre will only work if the cause is BPPV, in which case the dizziness would be very directional- e.g. whenever you roll to the left in bed.

I think you’d be justified in having an emergency GP apppintment-there are meds that can be prescribed for labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis. Occasionally, sudden onset of the symptoms you describe can need further investigation via ENT referral. Either way you should see a GP sooner or go to a walk-in.

Blimey, I'll see if out of hours will see me in the morning then. I can't go now as DS is asleep in bed and it's not really an emergency. I don't think the dizziness is positional. I've put some olive oil in to see if that will help and I put DS's USB microscope as far into my ear as I could (couldn't see any wax blocking anything, but I'm sure a doctor looking with the proper too thingy will be able to tell a lot more!). My kids thought I'd gone insane, but no change there

The deafness/ringing can also be a sign of high blood pressure.

Haha! I have a sore ear and could be found earlier with a proper ear looker-inner (otoscope) in my ear taking pics down it with my iPhone. Shockingly this did not work!!
Tomorrow will be fine, hopefully they can give you something for some relief. I think if it was directional it would be quite obvious.