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One ear fills up minutes after getting up each morning
This is my current situation. My right ear feels like it is "full" -- I can't hear high frequencies at all. (If I rub my fingers together near my right ear, I can't hear a thing.) The strange thing is that overnight it seems to clear up -- while I lie in bed before getting up, the ear seems close to normal. But in a matter of a couple of minutes after getting up, it reverts to its "full" mode and stays that way for the rest of the day.
This all started almost a month ago. I got a fever with a very bad sore throat (as bad as I can remember having) and a plugged ear. After a couple of days the fever and sore throat went away, but the plugged ear didn't. I know this isn't uncommon after a bug, so I just thought it would go away after a few days.
It didn't go away after more than two weeks, so I went to my GP, who saw an infection in that ear (although the canal was clear). I was prescribed ten days of antibiotics. I am now a week into the treatment with no change. And it's only in the past two mornings that I noticed that to a large extent it does seem to go away overnight, only to return when I stand up to start my day.
What could be going on?
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Hello @bricks and welcome to Mayo Connect. I can understand your concern. It must be uncomfortable to have the fullness in your ear on such a regular basis. Perhaps this will clear up after you complete the course of antibiotics that were prescribed. If not, you may want to ask for a referral to an ENT specialist.
As you have indicated that your hearing is diminished in that ear as well, you might consider asking for a referral to an audiologist for a hearing test.
You mentioned the fullness, but I'm wondering if you have pain as well? I'm also wondering if there is any tinnitus (ringing in the ear)?
Thank you for your quick reply.
There has never been any pain involved, despite the red eardrum (which indicated an infection to my GP).
I've always had some tinnitus. Currently it's still there in both ears, but no more than usual (although perhaps I'm hearing higher frequencies in my "good" ear), and I'm less conscious of the tinnitus than of the hearing loss and fullness.
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1 ReactionI have the same problem. Soon after I get up within minutes I’m clogged in both ears. I told it is hearing loss. I was also told it was histamine swelling due to allergies. I am two years into allergy shots but have not gotten better as yet. This season is extreme. I also had eustation tube ballooning. But still clogged. I’m going for hearing aids this week. Will keep you posted.🙏
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1 ReactionIf allergies are responsible, why would your symptoms develop only after you get up?
I've just realized that it does not even take a full night to improve: if I just tilt my head with my bad ear pointing down for a couple of minutes, the fullness and hearing loss subside. (I even experience a little noise that feels like something in there settling to a new position, but maybe I'm imagining that.) But when I right my head, the hearing loss and fullness come back in a couple of minutes.
Were you checked for patulend tubes. They close when your head is tilted and open when upright. But you usually hear your voice loudly and sometimes your heartbeat loudly in your ears.
That's interesting. I do feel/hear something shifting when I tilt my head, but I'm not hearing my own voice very loud in my ear, which I read is characteristic of patulous tubes. My voice does sound odd to me, but only in the way it does when you plug your ears or put on headphones.