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dulsura posted:
Hi im a 47 yrs old woman. a few yrs ago maybe 8 I wad disagnosed with hearing loss. I cannot hear in in crowds, certain words, vowels, in noisy areas, or high pitch very well. I have been using hearing aids since 5 years ago that help very much. However a few months ago i started having a sharp pain in my left ear (which is the ear with the most hearing loss) very sharp pain and a clogging feeling or pressure feeling. i went to my ENT but the pressure was fine however there was mayor swelling so bad that he was unable to see my eardrum. he gave me antibiotics and drops and told me to come back in a week. when i went back he looked at my ear and asked me if i had the same problem in the right and i said no. so he place the tube in my ear. it hurt like heck!!! he apologized and told me for the next he would put me to sleep. well it hurt for days but after the 4rth day it stopped hurting and the swelling was down. however i could not clean my ear etc because it would hurt. its been a few months and i felt better and the pressure was not bothering me nor pain. Now my right ear is hurting, and also the left ear where the tube was placed is staring to feel clogged again. I am wondering why could this happen? i went to my hearing test last week and they told me the tube was still there. But i im feeling a clogging noise again and my right ear is bothering me too. im scared to go back worried about them placing tubes again in both ears this time. I have not been able to use my hearing aids because of this either and it so difficult to hear as it is with the hearing aids and now with the tubes and the clogging and the pain again. I don't understand why im getting this cloggin in my ear and why after so little months of having one placed in. It did help, but im afraid i would have to do this every so often. I had been told by my ENT that he has patients that have new tubes placed every 6 months why would this be? i have an appt next week but am worried. Can you pls explain why this can happen? ty so much.
Moe
8 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:ear tubesHi im a 47 yrs old woman. a few yrs ago maybe 8 I wad disagnosed with hearing loss. I cannot hear in in crowds, certain words, vowels, in noisy areas, or high pitch very well. I have been using hearing aids since 5 years ago that help very much. However a few months ago i started having a sharp pain in my left ear (which is the ear with the most hearing loss) very sharp pain and a clogging feeling or pressure feeling. i went to my ENT but the pressure was fine however there was mayor swelling so bad that he was unable to see my eardrum. he gave me antibiotics and drops and told me to come back in a week. when i went back he looked at my ear and asked me if i had the same problem in the right and i said no. so he place the tube in my ear. it hurt like heck!!! he apologized and told me for the next he would put me to sleep. well it hurt for days but after the 4rth day it stopped hurting and the swelling was down. however i could not clean my ear etc because it would hurt. its been a few months and i felt better and the pressure was not bothering me nor pain. Now my right ear is hurting, and also the left ear where the tube was placed is staring to feel clogged again. I am wondering why could this happen? i went to my hearing test last week and they told me the tube was still there. But i im feeling a clogging noise again and my right ear is bothering me too. im scared to go back worried about them placing tubes again in both ears this time. I have not been able to use my hearing aids because of this either and it so difficult to hear as it is with the hearing aids and now with the tubes and the clogging and the pain again. I don't understand why im getting this cloggin in my ear and why after so little months of having one placed in. It did help, but im afraid i would have to do this every so often. I had been told by my ENT that he has patients that have new tubes placed every 6 months why would this be? i have an appt next week but am worried. Can you pls explain why this can happen? ty so much. <br />Moe
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Rod Moser, PA, PhD responded:
Moe (my old nickname, too)....

As much as I would like address your various questions, I am at a loss since I do not know anything about you, your medical history, nor do I have a way of examining you. There can be MANY different reasons to account for you array of symptoms, and I just can't blindly guess. The tube can be clogged and need replaced, or it is possible that your problem is not in the middle ear at all, but rather in the inner ear. I am thinking that you should consider getting a "second opinion" from another ENT to see if your first ENT agrees with the approach that has been taken so far. You may need a few more diagnostic tests.

You do NOT have permit your ENT to put in tubes. Even though me may recommend it, the choice is always up to you...anesthesia or not. This is another reason why a different ENT would be helpful in rendering a management opinion.
Report This| Share this:ear tubesMoe (my old nickname, too)....<br /> <br />As much as I would like address your various questions, I am at a loss since I do not know anything about you, your medical history, nor do I have a way of examining you. There can be MANY different reasons to account for you array of symptoms, and I just can't blindly guess. The tube can be clogged and need replaced, or it is possible that your problem is not in the middle ear at all, but rather in the inner ear. I am thinking that you should consider getting a "second opinion" from another ENT to see if your first ENT agrees with the approach that has been taken so far. You may need a few more diagnostic tests.<br /> <br />You do NOT have permit your ENT to put in tubes. Even though me may recommend it, the choice is always up to you...anesthesia or not. This is another reason why a different ENT would be helpful in rendering a management opinion.
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dulsura replied to Rod Moser, PA, PhD's response:
Tks for taking your time to respond Dr Moser (Moe).) I will talk to my dr this friday i have an appt. i know i was told exactly what you said regarding the tube being clogged. since it worked well for a few months and then all of sudden i had started to have issues may or may not be the issue. I usually do go for second opinions however, he has been my dr for so many years over 10 but i may just go for a second opinion. Funny, first the hearing loss out of no where (my dr is not the dr that i see for that i see a audiologist) and then now the clogging and pain. Has me worried, i will try to find another dr. I live in NJ and work in Phila any recommendations as to any drs in either area?
Tks again
ms moe (:
Report This| Share this:ear tubesTks for taking your time to respond Dr Moser (Moe).<img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/eek.gif" align="top" border="0">) I will talk to my dr this friday i have an appt. i know i was told exactly what you said regarding the tube being clogged. since it worked well for a few months and then all of sudden i had started to have issues may or may not be the issue. I usually do go for second opinions however, he has been my dr for so many years over 10 but i may just go for a second opinion. Funny, first the hearing loss out of no where (my dr is not the dr that i see for that i see a audiologist) and then now the clogging and pain. Has me worried, i will try to find another dr. I live in NJ and work in Phila any recommendations as to any drs in either area?<br />Tks again<br />ms moe (:
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Rod Moser, PA, PhD replied to dulsura's response:
Moe...WebMD does not permit referrals to specific medical providers or clinics. Sorry. Besides, I live and practice on the West coast, so I don't know anyone in your area anyway. You should not have any problems finding one, but do some personal research first. See if you can ask around and find the BEST!
Report This| Share this:ear tubesMoe...WebMD does not permit referrals to specific medical providers or clinics. Sorry. Besides, I live and practice on the West coast, so I don't know anyone in your area anyway. You should not have any problems finding one, but do some personal research first. See if you can ask around and find the BEST!
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dulsura replied to Rod Moser, PA, PhD's response:
oh ok, sorry didn't know. but tk you for your time, youve been a great help and i appreciated it very much.

ill keep you posted. tks again!!!
Report This| Share this:ear tubesoh ok, sorry didn't know. but tk you for your time, youve been a great help and i appreciated it very much.<br /><br />ill keep you posted. tks again!!! <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
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Rod Moser, PA, PhD replied to dulsura's response:
I will await to hear how things turn out....

Soon, you will have those tube no "moe"....
Report This| Share this:ear tubesI will await to hear how things turn out....<br /> <br />Soon, you will have those tube no "moe"....
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dulsura replied to Rod Moser, PA, PhD's response:
Hello Dr Moser, i went to my ENT dr and the reason i couldnt hear out of my left ear and my ear was clogged was because the tiny tube they placed 4 months ago had fallen out. So the tube did help while it was in because when it fell out i noticed the difference. So im scheduled on the 15th to have two bigger tubes placed. They will also place a tube in my right ear because im beginning to have the same problems as i did in the left. They are going to put me to sleep to do it this time. Hopefully the bigger tubes will help. I would think so since the tiny tube helped the first time. wow i was so surprised on the difference from having the tube and it falling out. The ear felt like you feel when your on a plane and your ears clog up when it fell out. Hopefully this will be better, if not then i will have to see what other options i have....But definately another dr will be seen if this does not work. My dr is one of the best in my area, and ive seen him for years so im trying to work with him. So i will cross my fingers. Not using my hearings aids all this time has been difficult but hopefully in another week i will be able to hear better once again and use my hearing aids. TY so much and have a long wonderful wkend. i will keep you posted after the surgery and let you know how it worked out and how im feeling. TKS AGAIN!!
Report This| Share this:ear tubesHello Dr Moser, i went to my ENT dr and the reason i couldnt hear out of my left ear and my ear was clogged was because the tiny tube they placed 4 months ago had fallen out. So the tube did help while it was in because when it fell out i noticed the difference. So im scheduled on the 15th to have two bigger tubes placed. They will also place a tube in my right ear because im beginning to have the same problems as i did in the left. They are going to put me to sleep to do it this time. Hopefully the bigger tubes will help. I would think so since the tiny tube helped the first time. wow i was so surprised on the difference from having the tube and it falling out. The ear felt like you feel when your on a plane and your ears clog up when it fell out. Hopefully this will be better, if not then i will have to see what other options i have....But definately another dr will be seen if this does not work. My dr is one of the best in my area, and ive seen him for years so im trying to work with him. So i will cross my fingers. Not using my hearings aids all this time has been difficult but hopefully in another week i will be able to hear better once again and use my hearing aids. TY so much and have a long wonderful wkend. i will keep you posted after the surgery and let you know how it worked out and how im feeling. TKS AGAIN!! <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
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Rod Moser, PA, PhD replied to dulsura's response:
Thanks for the update. Clogged or extricated (fell out) tubes are relatively common, so I am glad that is going to be fixed. With the new tubes, your hearing may not immediately return to normal, so please be prepared. Inflammation can take a few weeks to resovled, and the larger tubes may create a small echo effect af first until you adjust. Of course, anything may be an improvement of what you were experiencing before....
Report This| Share this:ear tubesThanks for the update. Clogged or extricated (fell out) tubes are relatively common, so I am glad that is going to be fixed. With the new tubes, your hearing may not immediately return to normal, so please be prepared. Inflammation can take a few weeks to resovled, and the larger tubes may create a small echo effect af first until you adjust. Of course, anything may be an improvement of what you were experiencing before....
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dulsura replied to Rod Moser, PA, PhD's response:
Tks for the info. i just want to hear "better" under my circumstances so i can use my hearing aids and hear MUCH BETTER . i know that it may hurt because when they place the tiny tube in the office it hurt like heck for a few days and it did take a while for me to adjust but once I did it the pain and clogging was gone and it felt much better. I noticed when the tube fell that the clogging was back and its so bad. So the tube did help I just didn't know that it had fallen out. Well will keep you posted. Oh i have severe sinus problems, the dr said it can be because of that. i have to use the rinse thru the nose every so often for 14 days. I had the surgery back 2004 and that helped so much. The problem is i have mod to severe asthma and the allergies activate my asthma. I guess all that come in a package. Will keep you posted Dr. Moser and thanks again for your time.
Report This| Share this:ear tubesTks for the info. i just want to hear "better" under my circumstances so i can use my hearing aids and hear MUCH BETTER <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">. i know that it may hurt because when they place the tiny tube in the office it hurt like heck for a few days and it did take a while for me to adjust but once I did it the pain and clogging was gone and it felt much better. I noticed when the tube fell that the clogging was back and its so bad. So the tube did help I just didn't know that it had fallen out. Well will keep you posted. Oh i have severe sinus problems, the dr said it can be because of that. i have to use the rinse thru the nose every so often for 14 days. I had the surgery back 2004 and that helped so much. The problem is i have mod to severe asthma and the allergies activate my asthma. I guess all that come in a package. Will keep you posted Dr. Moser and thanks again for your time. <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
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