Strange Ears Problem

[problemfarang]

im having some problems with my ears for 3-4 months now. Its still the same issue and level since it started but lately i just started to get annoyed with it. It also started to disturb my sleeping. If anyone had the same issue or similar or any ideas please write down. Thanks

 

So few months back i was sleeping and when i woke up in the middle of the night i noticed my right ear is blocked. Well it was not disturbing my hearing or else but it was like numb or blocked feeling.. i was sleeping on it so maybe it was numb thing. Then the next day same thing again.. And the next day same thing but this time my left ear. This also started right after i use my headphone with computer. Because of online meetings i was using it 5-6 hours per day for 3-4 months. That can also another cause. i often clean my ears with ear cotton. So ear dirt was my last cause.

 

i started to observe the issue:

- stopped for a while after i stopped using headphones but started again probably 1 month later. it still might be a reason tho.  

- no water inside for sure.

- i also tried to clean my ears more deeply using ear cotton. Sometimes it helped sometimes not. In some cleanings i had brown ear dirt and sometimes nothing. It helped get back to normal sometimes and sometimes not.

- this thing happens only when im sleeping and when i sleep on it. When i wake up it get back to normal sometimes in few mins and sometimes in hours. If its numb thing.. im not sure i always sleep on them plus it started almost same time for my both ears... 

- when i check with my finger it has some wet feeling. im not saying like water comes to my finger. But its like sweaty feeling on my finger because of hot. 

- its not effecting my hearing but the feeling is really annoying. 

- started to happen every night for the last 1 month. 

- i also noticed sometimes it gives some very very little pain like pulse rhythm..

- i have no balance problem but i must say i started to feel little bit dizzy these days and sleepy and tired.

- i have mid-ear infection since my young ages but it never bothered me and its like almost dont have it. Plus this is happening to my both ears not only one

 

most likely i will visit a doctor or do ear cleaning thing. If you have any info about ear cleaning please let me know (what to do, not to do, whats important, etc.)

 

thanks again

 

 

[Sheryl]

Self ear cleaning: be very, very  careful so as not to puncture ear drum.  Inserting cotton wads safer than Q tip and do nto try any hard metal instruments (including those sold as ear wax removers -- if that is necessary have a trained person do it) 

 

There are things you can put in the ear  that help dissolve wax. A brand of drops called I think "Dewax", or a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide - see https://www.entsinusorlando.com/earwax-removal/hydrogen-peroxide-solution/

[tomacht8]

2 hours ago, problemfarang said:

im having some problems with my ears for 3-4 months now. Its still the same issue and level since it started but lately i just started to get annoyed with it. It also started to disturb my sleeping. If anyone had the same issue or similar or any ideas please write down. Thanks

 

So few months back i was sleeping and when i woke up in the middle of the night i noticed my right ear is blocked. Well it was not disturbing my hearing or else but it was like numb or blocked feeling.. i was sleeping on it so maybe it was numb thing. Then the next day same thing again.. And the next day same thing but this time my left ear. This also started right after i use my headphone with computer. Because of online meetings i was using it 5-6 hours per day for 3-4 months. That can also another cause. i often clean my ears with ear cotton. So ear dirt was my last cause.

 

i started to observe the issue:

- stopped for a while after i stopped using headphones but started again probably 1 month later. it still might be a reason tho.  

- no water inside for sure.

- i also tried to clean my ears more deeply using ear cotton. Sometimes it helped sometimes not. In some cleanings i had brown ear dirt and sometimes nothing. It helped get back to normal sometimes and sometimes not.

- this thing happens only when im sleeping and when i sleep on it. When i wake up it get back to normal sometimes in few mins and sometimes in hours. If its numb thing.. im not sure i always sleep on them plus it started almost same time for my both ears... 

- when i check with my finger it has some wet feeling. im not saying like water comes to my finger. But its like sweaty feeling on my finger because of hot. 

- its not effecting my hearing but the feeling is really annoying. 

- started to happen every night for the last 1 month. 

- i also noticed sometimes it gives some very very little pain like pulse rhythm..

- i have no balance problem but i must say i started to feel little bit dizzy these days and sleepy and tired.

- i have mid-ear infection since my young ages but it never bothered me and its like almost dont have it. Plus this is happening to my both ears not only one

 

most likely i will visit a doctor or do ear cleaning thing. If you have any info about ear cleaning please let me know (what to do, not to do, whats important, etc.)

 

thanks again

 

 

Your headphones may not be good in the long run. There may also be overuse (5-6 hours per day). If you hear your blood rushing in your ear, this can be a precursor to tinnitus. Also, your ear cleaning technique may not be good (just pushes the dirt further in). I recommend going to a good audiologist. One of the best addresses is the department at the Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok. They have a hearing analysis studio and a competent professor there. Cost me 6500 baht.

[problemfarang]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

Self ear cleaning: be very, very  careful so as not to puncture ear drum.  Inserting cotton wads safer than Q tip and do nto try any hard metal instruments (including those sold as ear wax removers -- if that is necessary have a trained person do it) 

 

There are things you can put in the ear  that help dissolve wax. A brand of drops called I think "Dewax", or a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide - see https://www.entsinusorlando.com/earwax-removal/hydrogen-peroxide-solution/

thank you so much

[problemfarang]

21 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

Your headphones may not be good in the long run. There may also be overuse (5-6 hours per day). If you hear your blood rushing in your ear, this can be a precursor to tinnitus. Also, your ear cleaning technique may not be good (just pushes the dirt further in). I recommend going to a good audiologist. One of the best addresses is the department at the Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok. They have a hearing analysis studio and a competent professor there. Cost me 6500 baht.

thanks

[jak2002003]

You have probably pushed wax deeper into your ear with the cotton when cleaning. 

 

There is no need to clean inside you ears like that. 

 

Your ears self clean.  You only need to clean them when you shower and not poke things down into them. 

 

 

[problemfarang]

18 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

You have probably pushed wax deeper into your ear with the cotton when cleaning. 

 

There is no need to clean inside you ears like that. 

 

Your ears self clean.  You only need to clean them when you shower and not poke things down into them. 

 

 

Thanks but if its the wax.. why its only when i sleep? Daytime no problem.. and how come both ears at the same time

[bendejo]

If using the kind of headphones that tuck into your ears it is crucial that you keep them clean.  Those little alcohol wipes in packets are a cheap and handy way to accomplish this.  Dab anything you are going to put into your ears with something disinfectant, including your finger.

I had something wrong with one ear, some sort of pain would come and go, had it for a while.  Finally saw an ear doctor and he gave me an ointment of clotrimazole and betamethasone, it eventually cleared up.  I think.  I still use it once a week just in case.  You can buy these things easily in LOS.

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by bendejo

[scubascuba3]

4 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

You only need to clean them when you shower and not poke things down into them. 

ENT specialist said to me don't put water in your ears as it isn't clean, so cleaning whilst having a shower isn't a good idea

[scubascuba3]

I would changes headphones to a lighter model or use earphones. Also get ears vacuumed by an ENT specialist, in Pattaya around 700 baht. If there's wax on the ear drum it causes weird sensations

[swm59nj]

Sheryl is very knowledgeable.  And yes .  Using Qtips cleaning too deeply in the ear will push the wax in further.  Causing more issues.  I know from personal experience. 
It sounds like you have ongoing symptoms.  My personal advice is to get your ears checked by a doctor.  Preferably an ENT specialist 

[TheFishman1]

Go to doctor TIT

[Sparkling]

On 7/4/2023 at 7:45 PM, jak2002003 said:

You have probably pushed wax deeper into your ear with the cotton when cleaning. 

 

There is no need to clean inside you ears like that. 

 

Your ears self clean.  You only need to clean them when you shower and not poke things down into them. 

 

 

exactly - and yes: doctors are the ones who solve these kind of issues (personal experience)

[rwill]

On 7/4/2023 at 8:14 PM, problemfarang said:

i also tried to clean my ears more deeply using ear cotton. Sometimes it helped sometimes not. In some cleanings i had brown ear dirt and sometimes nothing. It helped get back to normal sometimes and sometimes not.

Cotton swabs can push the earwax back into the canal and clog it up.  Go to an ear, nose, throat doctor and let them look at it.

My ears were completely plugged up and the doctor told me to not use cotton swabs.

[SOTIRIOS]

...Sometimes It's A Simple, Unrelated Cause...

...I Had A Buddy Who Decided To Take Up Cooking...

...At The Local Grocery, They Sold Him Some MSG...

...Which He Started To Use, Generously...

...He Developed 'Ear Blockages' , Especially When He Lay Down At Night...

...(Whatever Your Philosophy/Experience With MSG...)

...As Soon As He Cut It Out Of His Diet, The Ear Blockages Went Away....

...Dunno If It Relevant To Your Condition...

 

[Grusa]

I will not comment on diagnosis or treatment for your problem, it's all been said above. I will however recommend Shokz bone conduction headphones. Slightly expensive, but they do not go in the ear, but conduct sound through the bone, and very comfortable once you are used to them. They do not isolate you from your environment.

[Troy Tempest]

Speak up or I'll pull your face off!

 

[brianthainess]

Any competent ear, nose, throat, doctor can clean your ears, for me he used a small unit that bombarded the wax with warm water, not painful.  

[problemfarang]

6 hours ago, rwill said:

Cotton swabs can push the earwax back into the canal and clog it up.  Go to an ear, nose, throat doctor and let them look at it.

My ears were completely plugged up and the doctor told me to not use cotton swabs.

Thanks

[problemfarang]

7 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Any competent ear, nose, throat, doctor can clean your ears, for me he used a small unit that bombarded the wax with warm water, not painful.  

Thanks

[problemfarang]

3 hours ago, Grusa said:

I will not comment on diagnosis or treatment for your problem, it's all been said above. I will however recommend Shokz bone conduction headphones. Slightly expensive, but they do not go in the ear, but conduct sound through the bone, and very comfortable once you are used to them. They do not isolate you from your environment.

Thanks

[Pdavies99]

As Sheryl mentioned cleaning ears with cotton can easily cause irritation. This might cause some swelling, enough to block the eustacian tube, which is the middle ear drain.

Stop cleaning with cotton completely and use an over the counter ear drops.

[problemfarang]

On 7/4/2023 at 10:25 PM, Sheryl said:

Self ear cleaning: be very, very  careful so as not to puncture ear drum.  Inserting cotton wads safer than Q tip and do nto try any hard metal instruments (including those sold as ear wax removers -- if that is necessary have a trained person do it) 

 

There are things you can put in the ear  that help dissolve wax. A brand of drops called I think "Dewax", or a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide - see https://www.entsinusorlando.com/earwax-removal/hydrogen-peroxide-solution/

 

i found 2:

dewax (the one you said)

and debrox

 

which one you would suggest? 

[scubascuba3]

17 minutes ago, problemfarang said:

 

i found 2:

dewax (the one you said)

and debrox

 

which one you would suggest? 

if you have impacted wax on the eardrum (been there a long time) those drops won't help much, i tried, did nothing for me

[hadock]

I had a similar problem for almost 6 month, it drove me nuts...my right ear was clothed and open, sometimes for a minute, sometimes for several hours, whatever I tried, nothing worked. I went to two ENT doctors in Germany, they looked inside my ear and said all is fine, there must be a problem with my eustachian tubes. Another doctor suggested a laser surgery, to cut my nasal concha. 

 

Then I went to Thailand, and visited another ENT Doctor. He looked in my ear and said "I see"....Then i had to lie down, he put some fluid in my ear. i had to wait maybe around 20 minutes, and then he came with a small vacuum cleaner. And after 5 minutes this problem was gone..  This is now 10 years ago , and I never had the problem again.

 

 

I can only suggest to listen to Sheryl and all the other users.....visit a good ENT Doctor

Edited July 6, 2023 by hadock

[problemfarang]

1 hour ago, hadock said:

I had a similar problem for almost 6 month, it drove me nuts...my right ear was clothed and open, sometimes for a minute, sometimes for several hours, whatever I tried, nothing worked. I went to two ENT doctors in Germany, they looked inside my ear and said all is fine, there must be a problem with my eustachian tubes. Another doctor suggested a laser surgery, to cut my nasal concha. 

 

Then I went to Thailand, and visited another ENT Doctor. He looked in my ear and said "I see"....Then i had to lie down, he put some fluid in my ear. i had to wait maybe around 20 minutes, and then he came with a small vacuum cleaner. And after 5 minutes this problem was gone..  This is now 10 years ago , and I never had the problem again.

 

 

I can only suggest to listen to Sheryl and all the other users.....visit a good ENT Doctor

thanks. yes i will visit a doc soon

[problemfarang]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

if you have impacted wax on the eardrum (been there a long time) those drops won't help much, i tried, did nothing for me

i dont think its wax to be honest but just want to try.. will visit a doc soon

 

thanks

[Toolong]

I stopped reading your post after the remark about you self-cleaning your ears....in the way you describe.

 

My friend, I have a long personal history of ear trouble.

 

Very good ear specialist at a hospital in Bangkok told me, after a life-changing session of removing impacted wax, to 'never put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow.'

 

How was it impacted? Years of pushing in ear plugs to sleep soundly. Same with cotton buds. ANYTHING being inserted into your ear by yourself WILL only result in an outcome opposite to the one you hoped for: wax impaction.

 

Sounds like you need to a)  get your ears cleaned by a specialist, and b) never put ANYTHING in your ears again, cotton buds, ear plugs, drops....you name it.

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, problemfarang said:

 

i found 2:

dewax (the one you said)

and debrox

 

which one you would suggest? 

Different brand names for same thing do either will do. 

[3NUMBAS]

i get em cleaned by a guy with a suction device after   sqirting water in,  even then not all the wax comes out as hairs contain the wax