I think I'm going deaf in my right ear

WATMM, this is not good!

I was at a club a few weeks ago, and I've always really hated trying to talk to people in those places cuz it's always shouting.. understanding about every 4th word - so a friend of mine came right up to me and shouted into my ear. I'm usually pretty careful with my ears and not absolutely raping myself with max volume on headphones etc, but this was just sooo piercingly loud...

anyway...

about a week later, randomly throughout the day, I started experiencing this sensation in my right ear that I can only really describe as the inside of my ear "expanding", with a puffy, sandy kind of sound - for a while I thought there might actually be something stuck in there... I remember being terrified as a child watching a report on the news of a lady who had spiders in her ears (let's hope it isn't this!).

Bus trips are a pain: if it's a bumpy ride my ear sloshes about, I get tingly and itchy.

Doctor is clueless

will probably pass, see another doctor, could be just wax blocking or some infection i think i've had the same feeling you describe, i think it's the sound of your heart + blood passing or something.

you are most definitely going to die

JUst take it as a warning, and protect your ears from now on. I get something similar, there will be a sudden loss of hearing where sound becomes numb as if there is water in there or something. The sound of white noise is most certainly hearing damage.

are you sure you don't just have a cold? i'm just getting over one and for the last two days had a very sharp constant dull pain in my right ear that wouldn't go away. (it's fine now though)

what?

sorry, you'll have to speak up; i'm wearing a towel.

could be a bit of a clogged eustachian tube—i've been having the problem for like two fucking months, and aside from keeping smoking to a minimum, and possible prescriptions to dry out and ease swelling in your inner ears, you might have to wait it out or try some homebrew, neti pot sorts of treatments.

for me, there'd be times when i'd feel pretty painful pressure on my ears if i inhale through my nose really quickly—things like shaking around would also bug my ear during that time. but the one consistent symptom is if i hold my nose and try to "blow" air through my ears (or pop my ears, if you know what you mean), then i can hear a sound similar to air rushing out of my ears. maybe that's it? you're proooobably not going deaf though, so don't freak out about that until you need to.

Are you sure you even have an ear to begin with?

just take the tone-deaf test bra http://forum.watmm.com/topic/61190-tonedeaf-test/

Sinus clearing.

  On 11/7/2010 at 2:41 PM, chax said:

are you sure you don't just have a cold? i'm just getting over one and for the last two days had a very sharp constant dull pain in my right ear that wouldn't go away. (it's fine now though)

Yeah colds and viruses can play funny tricks on the ears

also, beyond the advice already stated. Wear earplugs to gigs. They cost fk all.

(WTF WHY CAN'T I PM OR MULTI-QUOTE?!!?!)

I sometimes wear ear earplugs, but I've been meaning to get those really good ones, custom fitted, so the music doesn't sound like absolute shit. It couldn't be me getting sick, cuz that just passed a couple months ago

getting on to that neti pot though

i'm afraid there are very small chipmunks in your sinuses.

  On 11/7/2010 at 9:18 PM, hahathhat said:

i'm afraid there are very small chipmunks in your sinuses.

actually, this is a real possibility

You should really get an expert opinion.

Or at the very least you should wait for xxx's post in this thread before taking any action.

hahaha

  On 11/7/2010 at 10:42 PM, xxx said:

 

thanks as always xxx. The "whoosh" is definitely what I've got, but it's interesting what you're saying about "switching the channel". btw if it's a rock gig I ALWAYS wear earplugs, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel uncomfortable wearing them in just normal social situations. Fuck, if I wore them to the pub I'd have a bag of em with me at all times.

When I get back to Australia (ie when health-care becomes reasonable) I'll see an otolarynogologist because this is obviously a big deal to me... oh and my nose too, don't get me started on that, fuuu....

you've got earwigs

they get into your ear when your sleeping , burrow into the core of your head and eat

but seriously, i think my left ear is a bit deaf. i blame loud concerts and shit

Ive got tinnitus. Thats what I get for being so fucking sociable and going to concerts.

Rarely ever notice it, only when theres complete silence. Which never happens, I cant even hear the ringing above my breathing most of the time.

my advice:

Okay, make sure you get an early night, that's an obvious one, you are going to need it. Next day, get up nice and early get yourself down to the shops. Take your time, enjoy just being in the stores - you dont have to buy anything, just try to enjoy the experience and know that when the conditions are right, there is nothing stopping you from making that special purchase. Maybe it will be a nice ornament, maybe it will be a cosy pair of trousers that leave much to the imagination. Really enjoy the sights, sounds (while you still can) and smells of the entire shopping experience. Maybe stop for a croissant or French glazed cheese muffin baguette. Now you're done. Take the train home, even if the shops are just a few minutes from your home. Feel the carriage gently rock your relaxed body. Put your feet up and make a call to someone you haven't spoken to in ages - this will get you in the mood for some nostalgic cleaning when you get home.

Now you are home. Roll up the sleeves and give those surfaces a thorough polishment. Trust that you know when a surface has reached it's potential, really trust that feeling of knowing what is right for your household surfaces. No-one knows your surfaces like you do and nor would they want to. Really get to know your kitchen in a way that would have shocked your previous self. Throw a little talcum powder around and think about your childhood. Be carefree. Who cares, it's only talc. Then next, after you have released the optimum amoount of talc, get yourself down to see the doctor because you should have done that first imo.

I had quite a few ear problems over the years (grafted ear-drums, grommits, middle ear aeration, polyps, etc etc) and fortunately after a fuck load of quite invasive surgery my hearing isn't too shabby these days, i struggle a little bit when in a noisy environment to clearly hear people talking, but otherwise it's ok. So basically, don't worry too much... it is a horrible and scary problem but in general you can get weird infections for a few weeks that just clear up over time.

Ask your GP to get an ENT appointment and they will run some standard tests and they really know what they're doing. In the mean time, don't use cotton-buds, no matter how tempting. If you have waxy ears, drizzle a very small amount of olive oil into your ear and then lie on your side to let it drain out... you'll be surprised how much gack will drip out!! Also try taking a nasal decongestant (Vicks etc) as this will make sure your Eustachian tubes are clear as colds/congestion and sinus problems can cause hearing issues.

  On 11/7/2010 at 2:07 PM, BCM said:

you are most definitely going to die

This is my professional opinion as well.

fuck, rambo. you are really, REALLY funny