Thank you for your posts. I would sure like to hear of any updates to the posts. It seems like we have had some of the same issues. (age 52)
So... I?m hoping for improvement ( at least in the future) to my current ear issues. . So if there anyone could update me with hope, then that would be GREAT news.
I had an ear infection in early December 08 and after a couple of weeks of two different antibiotics, and the symptoms of everything sounding like I was underwater (even when I talked) and two ruptured eardrums and some drainage I went to see a ENT specialist. They immediately recommend tubes in both ears. I went ahead with this and at first notice a big reduction in hearing. It has slowly come back,(a little more in the right ear than the left) but I still have concerns. That is why I?m writing this with the hope to get input by others.
It?s now February 4th 2009 and while the hearing has improved some, I still have the ?bad cold / underwater? voice when I talk to others and now a lot of humming sound when people talk to me. I also get the humming from fans or cars driving by that are in the background. The best way I can describe it is that its like someone holding a tuning fork up to your ear while they're talking.
Some sounds like cupboards closing, pots and pans being moved, someone walking on a tile floor with high heels is very loud and actually hurts my ears. I still feel some pressure from time to time that does not seem normal. And still the lower sounds are difficult to hear. I'm wondering if that is also related to the tubes.
Does anyone know if once the tubes are removed, that this will help with the humming (sounds like a tuning fork hum) sound as described above? Any help or info by anyone would be great. I'm not sure I want to wait one to two years for the tubes to fall out. If taking them out sooner helps, I'd like to move ahead. (once I know for sure there is no more infection. But I don't think there is). I also deal with some dizziness from time to time, but my ENT doesn't think its Meniere's. I wonder though.
Thanks in advance for your help or suggestions