Ears are main post Covid complaint

I have seen seven ENTs. I hope you get more help than I have gotten. They started with an ear flushing...nope. Then to hearing test...perhaps a hearing aid. I have hearing aids, but my moderate hearing loss is not really the problem. Then suggested I may have TMJ problem. Had a very expensive appliance made, wore it for ten weeks. Nope! Not that.
Suggested Eustachian tube dysfunction and I would agree with that, but how to fix? I have tried all the methods of opening tubes, and nothing has helped me. I was not considered a candidate for balloon dilation, which is a minimal invasive surgery. Etc, etc, etc. All doctors suggested SSRI which after trying several, just did not agree with me.
So almost two years later, I struggle daily with this underwater, dizzy, disoriented condition.
Guess what? I see an 8th ENT in two weeks!

I had ballon dilation and while it worked for about two weeks and I believe my tinnitus was gone at that point my ears became clogged again because I still have mucous production from who knows what, so I am still working with supposedly the top ENT in the region see him again tomorrow I don't know if there is any way to tell if your Eustachian tubes are blocked other that the feeling I have in my ears let you know how things turn out.

Good luck to all of us! Yes please let us know how it goes.

Thank you for this. I finally watched the video. I encourage others to watch. I believe it describes what I am experiencing. I think my trigger was Covid, but now I’m left with light and sound sensitivity. My ears are clogged and my vision is blurry.
Very hard to function normally. I’m working with a functional medical group with very similar views to the doctor in the video.
I’m trying to be patient and work my way back to some type of normal.

I was so pleased to receive your reply. Feeling validated and understanding what your body is going through really can be half the battle towards problem solving. It sounds like you've got a good plan working with a functional medicine group. Hang in there, patience is not always easy to come by but sometimes we have no other choice. What things might you be able to enjoy as distractions that take your mind off of symptoms?

Distractions are difficult when the problems are in your head! My vision makes it hard for me to read. I was an avid reader before Covid. Screens are easier for me because they light up, but can contribute to dizziness. I go outside when the weather is nice. I can watch tv on a big screen.
Old movies have been my friend. We added subtitles because of my hearing issues.
It is a challenge every day.

Touche, my friend, I'm challenged with similar symptoms regarding sight and sound hypersensitivity. I love that you've been problem solving instead of just giving up. Subtitles have been helpful to me as well. My husband's mancave TV is too high def for me to watch, so my older, upstairs TV is set to a lower brightness and resolution. When certain symptoms flare, I may need to sit and watch from the side versus full frontal, or not at all. I do try and work with graded exposure as to build tolerance gently without always giving into the tantrums, but I've learned when to push a little, and when I need to give myself grace and adapt. You're right, everyday is a challenge. My symptoms span full body and I've often thought of life now as a chess match....which move will I make next. On days legs are challenged, I think, OK what isn't challenged today, maybe arms - I'll make that move. Enjoy those old movies! And by all means enjoy nature. It is a thing of beauty and never stops giving. On a recent rainy, difficult day, I looked outside and saw this....

Beautiful double rainbow!
I must admit I give in to tantrums sometimes. Crying jags for my lost life. It wears me out and gets me nothing.
I hope there is improvement in both of our futures.
Good luck and thank you for the encouragement.

You're welcome. I know how hard it is and paying it forward helps me, too. If I could share one of the most valuable learned lessons from the Mayo Pain Rehabilitation Center (PRC) - it is about coping with loss. Adjusting to feelings of loss and grief are difficult and I allowed chronic pain and symptoms to really dominate my life for a few years, focusing on what was wrong with me not what was right. During my 3-weeks at rehab, I learned many tools and coping mechanisms, mainly through cognitive behavioral therapy lectures. PRC teaches:

"It is important to learn about your condition, follow an appropriate course of treatment and perhaps talk with others who have the same condition. However, constantly reading or talking about your condition can keep you focused on what is wrong and what you have lost, rather than your abilities and positive features of your life".

Acceptance is a huge factor and one of the most important steps you can take, but everyone gets there at a different pace. Hard to just happen overnight, ya know? My awakening was when PRC's Dr. Sletten drew a tomb stone on the white board in class that read "RIP" (to our old selves). I don't believe there was a dry eye in the room. It evoked tears and a sense of mourning, but I needed to hear it and accept it so I could move on. It's been 3 years since I graduated the program and not a day goes by that I don't work on maintaining my stability and occasionally testing my plateaus. I am doing better as a result.

Without a doubt, I believe you will have improvement in your future - one day, one step, at a time. Have a wonderful day!

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.
I think my main issue is I really don’t have a diagnosis, or a treatment. I’m being treated for inflammation, but that isn’t the whole story. My condition continues to worsen, and even though I feel more confident with the care I’m receiving, answers are in short supply. So I compulsively search online to try to find the answers myself.
At some point I hope to have enough confidence in a treatment that I can relax and try to recover as much as I can.