Is there a doctor in the house?

[Superfly]

Let me ask you a question...

I've been having this increasing pressure inside my left ear for the past 2 days. It's not painful or anything, but it's starting to muffle my hearing. From time to time my equilibrium feels kind of "mushy" like the world takes some time to catch up to me. I took an antihistamine just in case, but it hasn't seemed to help. Any ideas on what it might be?

Oh, and I plan on heading to the doc right after work, but I can't leave right now...I'm swamped.

Thanks!
Brian

[GOPisEvil]

1. I'm not a doctor but I have stayed in a Holiday Inn Express before.

Could be excess sinus drainage...could be an infection of the ear...

I get the same thing from time to time, and it's usually one thing or the other.

[Bronco69]

11. LOL!

I love those commercials. :-)

[truthspeaker]

2. decongestant might help more than an antihistamine

Sudafed or a generic equivalent (pseudophedrine hydrochloride).

I'm not a doctor either. If the pressure persists I suggest you see one!

[Snow]

3. Sorry, I'm an epidemiologist - so if a bunch of you get this problem,

then I can describe and control the outbreak......

[mopinko]

4. try this

to see if you can open your eustascion tubes- pinch your nose closed, take a deep breathe, clamp your lips closed and blow. if you feel a pop, it worked. this will allow air into your middle ear, which helps control infections.

[Superfly]

5. I've been doing that all day, but it still

feels clogged after it pops.

[Ganja Ninja]

15. Try extending your lower jaw forward..

and make a yawning motion. See if it helps.

[Superfly]

17. Nope....

really strange.

[geniph]

6. Does your health insurance have a consulting nurse service?

They're great for stuff like this. I use the consulting nurse service (via the telephone or email) a lot more than I ever visit actual medical facilities in person. They're wonderful for this kind of advice. Plus they can often arrange tests or emergency appointments for you. I highly recommend that anyone whose health insurance plan includes this service makes use of it; among other things, it's much cheaper than actually visiting a doctor when you're just concerned about something.

[LibertyLover]

7. Ear problems

Believe it or not, it could be ear wax that has built up. I had a similar problem several years ago and a friend who was a nurse suggested that I use an over-the-counter ear wax remover. I did and the vertigo and pressure cleared up very quickly. Good luck.

[Redleg]

8. Airborne soldiers don't get sick.

I have had something similar. Decongestant worked for me.

[Superfly]

10. Did I say I was sick?

No, I could go on a 12 mile forced ruck run, if only the world would hold still for a while.

[BigMcLargehuge]

9. I asked to famous docs about your problem

The first famous expert doctor, Dr. Nick Riviera.



Hi everybody!!!I see you have what we from Los Angeles upstairs medical school call earouchitis. That not very bad once we remove left arm and use it to pick at ear canal until popping dangerous tympanic membrane with very large spike. After that you go to coroner for out patient treatment.

The second doctor, Dr. Julius Hibbert.



Huh huh huh huh. Let's take a look in there. Oh, there's our problem. Someone stuck a lollypop in there while you were sleeping. Huh huh huh huh huh.

[Westegg]

12. Your hearing's important (just ask Beethoven)...

...Could be that something is lodged againt your ear-drum. I had this once---turned out to be dried blood. No biggie: The ear doc removed it in five minutes. No problems since. Do the right thing and see a specialist.

[CanuckAmok]

14. Did you ever find out who's blood it was? n/t

[CanuckAmok]

13. Ever use an ear syringe?

It's totally gross, but it's something everyone should do from time to time. Use warm water, forced into the ear via the syringe.

I used to have all kinds of inner-ear problems, usually as a result of moisture freezing in there when I was working in the cold weather. A doctor set me up ith the ear syringe, and it did the trick.

Once a month is a good regimine, and it's free once you pay the $4 for the ear syringe.

Talk to your doctor before you do this, of course.

[meegbear]

16. Do you have any dental problems?

One of my wisdom teeth was growing in and pushing the molars on the left side of my mouth and it caused a blocking in my left ear. Once it was taken care of, it went away.