Ears v muffled - won't pop - driving me mad

[dahliaaa]

I've had a series of colds straight of the back of covid.
About 10 days ago both ears became blocked and haven't cleared since. Hearing muffled and head feels full / odd.

(Only time I've had anything like it with both ears was many years ago when pregnant - I'm menopausal now - did wonder if could be related to hormone changes(?))

Anyway this is what I've tried. None have worked and it's driving me to distraction.

Olive oil ear drops in case wax (probably not as both ears at same time (?))

Steroid nasal spray (Beconase) then when that did nothing after a few days pharmacist suggested Otrivine Extra Dual Relief nose spray. That just seems to have dried everything up but ears still same.

Pinching nostrils / closing mouth and blowing. This would normally always pop my ears but nothing happening.

Driving me to distraction any suggestions welcome !

Thanks @GibbonsGoatsGibbons
Very weird.

If you’re trying inhalation, I always use the menthol crystals. Most chemists have them
and they’re stronger than Olbas Oil.

Thank you @SecretVictoria
Felt really unwell today and really struggled at work.
Ear still very blocked. Really struggling to hear. Also quite a lot of pressure behind nose (still can't smell anything.)
Boring myself now !

Really sorry to read that @dahliaaa
it sounds like sinus involvement to me (my sinuses were the bane of my life & if I skip even a single day of doing a nasal rinse I head back there quickly)

are you applying heat to your face? It can really help sinus stuff - hot shower straight on your face is a good short cut!

Hope things improve soon

You can’t live like this OP. NHS are useless with ent ear issues.

Get yourself to a private proper ENT (not high street) - many will do same day. It will cost around £100 for a consultation and they will likely prescribe some amoxicillin and that will be problem solved.

Do a hot water bottle, as hot as you can , wrap it in something like a pillowcase so its comfortable and then rest your head on it like a pillow, lie your ear downwards on it so switching ears every so often. This always helps me when my ears are bunged up.

It's a bit out there but I used a nose irrigation thing from boots recently and my ear totally popped when I did it. Didn't realise I Couldn't hear until I suddenly could

Thank you so much for the messages. I'm actually really anxious this morning so it's helped seeing the messages (I think just because I felt so unwell at work yesterday. I have a very high workload and I'm worried about being able to do it.) I've made a phone appointment with the gp and I've got a check up with the place I had ears checked for wax as it's a week ago.

@LemonSwan how do you know that it's a proper ENT clinic rather than just a high street one ? Sorry basic question

If you search private ENT they will have all their ENT qualifications shown, rather than just someone at the local spec savers who’s trained in hearing aids / ear wax.

You need an actual qualified doctor who can give private prescriptions.

@LemonSwan thank you.

So update from today (I was going to pretend it was for the benefit of others who might see the thread but actually just been very selfish because really appreciate all the advice.)

GP lovely - it was an early call and she asked me to pop in before work. She was very sympathetic and said to come back with view to referral if no improvement in week. She gave me an external ear canal spray but the audiologist I saw later said not to use it as just more liquid.

Had my follow up appointment with him from a week ago this evening. Did an hearing test. Hearing loss in that ear severe (I know !!!) The thick fluid in middle ear hasn't improved at all and if anything is worse. Because I'd been doing all the things he'd advised he said it should have at least started to improve.
Has said to keep going for another few days and then contact him. Might need grommets (?! I thought they were only for children.) Also would likely be a very long wait on nhs if needed ...
anyway if anyone had experience of that ....
or a miracle way to clear the fluid.

Conflicting opinions are not what you need!

If the external ear spray is an antibiotic I would try it personally.

That's interesting @LemonSwan
It's called Otomize
(The conflicting info is prob my fault for seeing two people.)

Just catching up on how your doingdahliaaa
Think GP referral to ENT is the correct and only way to resolve all this for you. Otomise is antibiotic and steroid spray for external ear infections so unlikely to help much but often they have to try these meds first just in case it works.

I remember reading about surgical options for my problem which as you know resolved by time saw ENT consultant, but it’s a simple procedure and hopefully the fact your hearing is now really poor that will speed up the process.

Thank you @embolass
I think even with the severe hearing loss the waiting list on nhs is likely to be very long so I may need to work out if there's anyway I can pay. I'd be ok with consultation fee but worried that cost of grommets etc would be out of reach

Don’t panic OP!

Your only ten days in and haven’t even tried antibiotics yet.

Otomize worked for me for a middle ear. I would also try this is combination with alternative nostril breathing and sleeping on the side of the good ear to aid drainage.

Give it some time to work and try to relax.

Thanks @LemonSwan
(It's about 3 weeks now.)
I'll try the alternative nostril breathing too. And try and stay calm :-)
Did you have fluid in middle ear too (sorry I've got slightly confused) - if so that's really positive about the otimize.

@eurochick was there anything in particular you did to help drain the fluid. Thanks

Amoxicillin may not resolve the OP's issue.

I've got exactly the same as the OP, plus the joys of tinnitus (three different sounds at once currently). Like you OP, I went suddenly deaf, but just in one ear. We weren't in the UK at the time, and the GP gave me amoxicillin and a hefty dose of prednisolone. There was a tiny improvement in my hearing, but 7 weeks on, everything is still really muffled. I've been told to expect it to last for 2 - 3 months.

I'm using steroid nasal spray, and also a saline spray, plus doing the video linked to above. The guy is so cheerful that it's fun to do, no idea if it works though!

Fingers crossed that all of us suffering with the bloody condition get some relief soon.

This is what happened to me and I got hearing aids - worked like magic! I didn't realise I wasn't hearing well it felt like my ears were full of something and I had tinnitus.

That was all on the NHS last year by the way and the hearing aids were free on the NHS.

I would agree with this.
I had 2 years of this and tried everything.
New GP said it was chronic rhinitis causing sinus and ETD -Ears, nose, throat all linked.
I was started on Fexofenadine and it was miraculous 😳
After 2 years of misery , 2 days of this I could breathe and my ears cleared completely.

@Tagliatellme I'm really sorry you are struggling too. Found it really difficult at work again today.
Thank you for all the extra advice everyone.

Thank you. It's grim isn't it. Everything crossed for you.

Have you tried lying in a hot bath and letting the water flow into your ears ?
this has helped me before