sleuth
Livin' Like Thanksgivin'
Two Fridays ago, I went to bed with what I thought was a plugged ear, caused by my plane flight the evening before. I didn't anticipate any infection because I had been to the doctor a week before and he said my ears were all clear.
By 2 am, I had a full-blown ear-ache, which finally popped and began draining around 5-6 in the morning. On that Saturday morning, I went to an urgent care facility (I haven't had a chance to get a personal doctor yet) and the doctor there told me I had an inner ear infection, but that the eardrum and everything looked undamaged. He put me on 10 days worth of Bactrum antibiotic. I ran out this morning. I'm supposed to follow up with an Ear/Nose/Throat specialist tomorrow.
Since then, for the last 10 days, I've lost almost all my hearing in that ear. It still feels slightly plugged. If I put a phone up to it, I can barely hear the speaker. I'd say I may have 80-90% hearing loss in that ear.
When I talk or hum or sing or whatever, my own voice sounds muffled. Almost like I can feel the reverberation of my voice on that side of my face. I've also been having some headaches recently that I think may be caused by that.
I've really had a hard time adjusting. I actually have to turn my good ear toward people to hear them speak. I've been missing half of what people say to me.
I'm starting to get worried. I've had ear infections my whole life. I've had my fair share of earaches that popped and drained too. But I've NEVER had this hearing loss that seems to have accompanied it. I don't know what the ENT specialist is going to say tomorrow, but I'm just wondering if anyone else who is in the medical community or who has had experience in this area can share their knowledge.
Is my hearing going to return? Have I permanently damaged my hearing by 80% with one simple earache? Especially one that came on so rapidly and for which I got medical care within 12 hours?
By 2 am, I had a full-blown ear-ache, which finally popped and began draining around 5-6 in the morning. On that Saturday morning, I went to an urgent care facility (I haven't had a chance to get a personal doctor yet) and the doctor there told me I had an inner ear infection, but that the eardrum and everything looked undamaged. He put me on 10 days worth of Bactrum antibiotic. I ran out this morning. I'm supposed to follow up with an Ear/Nose/Throat specialist tomorrow.
Since then, for the last 10 days, I've lost almost all my hearing in that ear. It still feels slightly plugged. If I put a phone up to it, I can barely hear the speaker. I'd say I may have 80-90% hearing loss in that ear.
When I talk or hum or sing or whatever, my own voice sounds muffled. Almost like I can feel the reverberation of my voice on that side of my face. I've also been having some headaches recently that I think may be caused by that.
I've really had a hard time adjusting. I actually have to turn my good ear toward people to hear them speak. I've been missing half of what people say to me.
I'm starting to get worried. I've had ear infections my whole life. I've had my fair share of earaches that popped and drained too. But I've NEVER had this hearing loss that seems to have accompanied it. I don't know what the ENT specialist is going to say tomorrow, but I'm just wondering if anyone else who is in the medical community or who has had experience in this area can share their knowledge.
Is my hearing going to return? Have I permanently damaged my hearing by 80% with one simple earache? Especially one that came on so rapidly and for which I got medical care within 12 hours?
