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Chronic sinusitis and clogged left ear
Good morning,
I am a 68 yo woman. I have suffered with chronic ENT infections since childhood. My BMI is 22.
My adenoids were removed when I was five due to chronic ear infections. After that I started having chronic tonsillitis and strep. At age 20 my tonsils were removed. The last 20 years I have chronic sinus infections.
My left ear never reopens. Regardless of all the recommended treatments. My frontal sinuses continue with pressure and the bone and neck behind my left ear gets sore with a swollen gland behind the ear.
I am currently on a ten day course of Augmentin 875 mg for 10 days. I am on day 8 and I still have pressure. When I move my eyes up or down the sinus pressure increased. The swollen gland behind my ear did go down. The only time my ear opened was in August when I took steroids for a more severe sinus infection with vertigo, dizziness, severe pain and flu like symptoms. Then it closed back up again.
My PCP put in a referral to see an ENT.
What questions shoud I ask?
Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.
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@303wendy-
Sinus surgeries can cause some extreme dryness and alterations of mucosal clearance. It’s not always a continuous bacterial infection, but could be in your case.
Did anyone discuss this with you? Perhaps if you got into Mayo Clinic, they would.
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1 ReactionThank you. I’m sure that’s the case for many. I also have cystic fibrosis, so infections are, unfortunately, part of my existence. I think I just need the right treatment to clear things up!
@303wendy
My apologies. This is why it is challenging to respond on a health forum, because everyBODY is different.
You may give advice to someone whom does not have cystic fibrosis, just like I gave advice to you not knowing you had cystic fibrosis. So it is a slippery slope of sharing, when not truly knowing where the individual is coming from, personally.
I have actually stopped responded to people or being active on this forum for that reason. I see far too many people giving advice without even asking the person some questions first, as there are always layers to the story.
Best wishes to you on your health journey.
I totally understand! I feel like it’s a helpful forum for sharing and giving people ideas, but you’re right, you can’t really trust that each piece of info is gospel for your own situation.
Wishing you the best as well.
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1 ReactionHi . I had my right ear start to ring then it clogged up. I went to the ER and the Dr there told me I had an ear infection. I had No Pain at all. But a few weeks before I had terrible sinus headaches that I just took ibprofren for. So I was put on 875 mg of amaxocillan and some ear drops. I then followed up with an ENT last week. He gave me a hearing exam and took the pressure in my ear. Passed with flying colors . My hearing was good / normal as well as the pressure in my ear. The ENT said with the ear infection I probably had fluid behind my ear drum. Now it’s going on 3 weeks without any clearing up in site. Everytime I think it’s getting better it goes right back to getting clogged again. I’ve used saline spray for the nose . I’ve used Sudafed for the congestion . Nothing. I have No Ear wax . Can anyone else tell me what can this be? Or if you had it yourself at one time ? And did it clear up? Thanks in advance.
I don't know but I always had good results with the ear drops. Perhaps you nay have to use them for a couple of days? Good luck !
Thanks for the reply. I’ve been on them and nothing. I’ve never had this problem before. I had an ear infection when I was 2 and then a purforated ear drum in my early 20s. That cleared up just fine. I don’t know if I had a sinus infection that I was to stupid to realize and it went into my ear causing all this. I’m going out of my mind. I have a 2 nd opinion on Tuesday. And I’m going to say this I have never been to an ENT that never looked up my nose in my ears and down my throat. The ENT I just went to didn’t even look in my nose? thanks again for your reply.
Hello @snoopy108. You will notice I have moved your post into a similar discussion on clogged ears, which you can find here:
- Chronic sinusitis and clogged left ear: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/chronic-sinusitis-and-clogged-left-ear/
My daughter actually suffered from similar symptoms and her ear pressure was relieved by a combination of a neti pot, saline spray, and an OTC allergy medication taken once daily. In addition, her doctor recommended daily attempts at plugging her mouth and nose and blowing to release the "valve" that was creating the ear pressure. It took about 2 weeks of consistent application and it did clear up! (She also did start with a minor ear infection.) We also used hot compresses and tried to eliminate bathing and stuck to showers.
I don't know if this is what you have going on but this protocol was certainly effective for my daughter! Do you have allergies?
Hello and thank you. I think I do have allergies. I do know that my nostrils are extremely dry all the time. At times one nostril will be clogged up while the other is open. I have a 2nd opinion this Tuesday . I did try blowing my nose but it only made the clogged feeling worse then what it was. I’m afraid to have it drained bc reading here people have had horror stories where it was worse then before !