Let me start with some background. A few days before Christmas, I started with a persistent cough. I had no sinus or ear congestion, fever, headache, just the cough.
On Jan. 13th I had a doctor’s appointment simply a med check and I told him about the cough. He checked things out and said it was fine probably a viral thing. As luck would have it, later that night, I started with sinus congestion and the cough was getting progressively worse.
I gave it 10 days and made a Teledoc appointment because things weren’t improving and I had ear congestion that seemed to bounce from one ear to the other. I don’t ever recall my ears being clogged like this. I feel like I’m underwater. There’s no pain, they’re just clogged.
The tele doc says it could’ve been a viral bronchitis that went bacterial and sinusitis. He prescribed an antibiotic, nose spray and a cough suppressant. I’m not using the suppressant it makes me panic (that’s another thread for another day.)
I am feeling better, I’m still doing a lot of coughing, but not as much and it’s become a productive cough. I know the cough can linger anyway. I feel as though the nasal spray makes me stuffy, and I feel better just doing a saline spray, it really clears me out.
The ear congestion will not go away. I feel like I’ve tried everything. The holding my nose method, chewing sugarless gum, steam from the shower, warm compresses. The slightest relief I get is when I get ready for bed I take 2 Benadryl and it seems to clear it up a little.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I’m also on the fence about making an appointment, I’ve read this will often clear up on its own, but I feel it’s been quite awhile. That said though, I’m not in pain.
Any thoughts are welcome!
[Moderating]
We don’t do medical advice in FQ. Such threads go in IMHO, to emphasize the fact that you don’t know any of us random yahoos online, you have no idea what, if any, qualifications any of us has, and even if we are qualified, we don’t have all the relevant information for your situation.
Moving.
Thank you, I should’ve figured that was a dumb ass place to put it.
Speaking as a physician, but not as your physician, I’d suggest using a sinus flush method like a neti pot or similar. It has been demonstrated scientifically to help folks out more than placebo when issues of congestion, including ear congestion are involved. I’ve used it for decades when my sinuses start acting up, and it’s helped me greatly decrease the sinus and ear issues I had for ages.
I’ve had improvements with a device called the EarDoc.
However, for what it is, it is wildly overpriced. Its basically a $5 electric toothbrush with a triangle shaped head you put near the back of your ear. The vibrations help move fluid through the eustachian tubes.
Also you mention steam from the shower, have you tried an portable steam inhaler you can use outside the bathroom? that may help.
Thank you!
Have you flushed out your ears recently? Sink full of warm water, ear syringe (horrible name, it’s one of those rubber teardrop shape thingies) full of warm water, turn your head sideways, squeeze, squeeze, flush, flush, repeat if necessary; hopefully, all the water comes back out (I have a little recess in the middle ear that hangs onto about a drop and it takes a while for it to evaporate). Globs of wax in the sink? Success!
If you get swimmers ear, this is probably not for you.
I’m pretty sure this is sinusitis. I also never knew, but I’m sure finding out now, that bronchitis can mess with the ears. I’ve had it in the past, and it’s never happened before, but apparently it’s not all that strange.
You may have an impacted ear (ear wax). If verified by a physician, follow their advice on potentially treating it at home.
I’m with @Qadgop_the_Mercotan on the use of a Neti pot. I grew up with chronic ear infections (BAD ones - several burst eardrums). I’ve been using a Neti pot daily for over a decade and haven’t had an ear infection since. My doctor loves that I use it.
It may not fix your problem, but it’s a good place to start and won’t cause any harm.
Thanks everyone. I really do think it’s congestion related to the bronchitis and not a wax issue. I’ve gotten some relief today. Not perfect, but actual moments of clarity. If it doesn’t show more signs of improvement over the next day, I’m going to consider the rinse.
I had a chronic ear condition that made it felt clogged. That lasted about a year and went away when I went the the dentist which I had a tooth infection that they treated.
IANAD, but I do have at least an anecdote. Many years ago, I caught a cold-like virus that caused a near-blockage in one ear that just would not go away. I eventually went to an ENT specialist, and TBH I don’t remember what he proposed to do but whatever it was I squirmed around so much that he concluded it had to be done under general anasthesia.
Anyway, the point of the anecdote is that while contemplating this fairly drastic procedure, the congestion went away on its own. The bad news is that it did take more than a year to clear up…
I’ve still got a lot of congestion, I hope it doesn’t take a year to clear up, but it’s been a hell of a winter so far. I just haven’t been at 100% at all.