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Suffering From Head Cold, Ear Popping And Watery Nose. Feeling Tightness Around Face. Am I Going Deaf?
Question: Hi Doctor,
I am very frightened. I had a really bad head cold about three weeks ago and after wards had ear popping, sudden watery nose. Today I woke up with a strange reverberating sound in head(kind of like an air conditioner ) and sensitivity to loud sound plus frequent ear popping when I yawn or swallow. I also feel disoriented. Am I going deaf? people have been telling me it might be the sinuses but i no longer have a stuffy nose or sneezing. I do have a tight feeling around my face and slight pressure around nose and eyes. I hope you can help me.
I am very frightened. I had a really bad head cold about three weeks ago and after wards had ear popping, sudden watery nose. Today I woke up with a strange reverberating sound in head(kind of like an air conditioner ) and sensitivity to loud sound plus frequent ear popping when I yawn or swallow. I also feel disoriented. Am I going deaf? people have been telling me it might be the sinuses but i no longer have a stuffy nose or sneezing. I do have a tight feeling around my face and slight pressure around nose and eyes. I hope you can help me.
Hi,
Thank you for your query.
1. There is no cause for fear or worry.
2. The frequent ear popping is due to flow of air through the Eustachain tube which connects the ear to the nose. This tube is normally in a collapsed state and opens on swallowing, yawning and so on. This tube also tends to get blocked after a bad cold.
3. The strange reverberating sound is known as tinnitus and may be due to a blocked middle ear, sometimes with fluid trapped there, secondary to a blocked Eustachian Tube. Increased sensitivity to loud sounds is common in this condition. Tinnitus may also be due to a hearing loss.
4. Get a PTA (Pure Tone Audiogram) and a Tympanogram (Impedance Audiometry) done,This will help rule out any hearing loss or fluid/ vacuum in the middle ear. Get your ears examined by a local ENT Specialist as the appearance of the eardrum gives an indication of the state of the middle ear.
5. The tight feeling around the face and slight pressure around nose and eyes is probably due to sinusitis persisting after a cold.
6. The simplest course of action will be a course of decongestant nasal sprays, anti-allergics, anti-leukotrienes, anti-inflammatory agents, mucolytics, steam inhalation for a week.
7. Since you are feeling disoriented, get a plain CT PNS (Para Nasal Sinuses) done and share the images here. It is not possible to directly examine the sinuses.
7. I must emphasize that the if the above investigations along with a physician's direct examination are normal, there is nothing to worry or fear.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Thank you for your query.
1. There is no cause for fear or worry.
2. The frequent ear popping is due to flow of air through the Eustachain tube which connects the ear to the nose. This tube is normally in a collapsed state and opens on swallowing, yawning and so on. This tube also tends to get blocked after a bad cold.
3. The strange reverberating sound is known as tinnitus and may be due to a blocked middle ear, sometimes with fluid trapped there, secondary to a blocked Eustachian Tube. Increased sensitivity to loud sounds is common in this condition. Tinnitus may also be due to a hearing loss.
4. Get a PTA (Pure Tone Audiogram) and a Tympanogram (Impedance Audiometry) done,This will help rule out any hearing loss or fluid/ vacuum in the middle ear. Get your ears examined by a local ENT Specialist as the appearance of the eardrum gives an indication of the state of the middle ear.
5. The tight feeling around the face and slight pressure around nose and eyes is probably due to sinusitis persisting after a cold.
6. The simplest course of action will be a course of decongestant nasal sprays, anti-allergics, anti-leukotrienes, anti-inflammatory agents, mucolytics, steam inhalation for a week.
7. Since you are feeling disoriented, get a plain CT PNS (Para Nasal Sinuses) done and share the images here. It is not possible to directly examine the sinuses.
7. I must emphasize that the if the above investigations along with a physician's direct examination are normal, there is nothing to worry or fear.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Doctor,
Thank you so much for your helpful insight . I am going to an ENT tommorow, I know you told me I shouldn't worry, but the sensitivity to loud sounds has subsided and know left me with this frequent ear popping, and peoples voice sound a little muffled distorted over phone. I mean I can hear pretty well, but there is a slight distorted robot sound when I talk over the phone with friends and family .... I am super worried , and don't know if that is a symptom of middle ear fluid buildup ... I'm trying tp remain calm and will go tommorow. I also feel very tired , my head hurts and this pressure around my nose and dry raw nose feeling is not going away. I will let you know of the outcome. Thank you so much
Thank you so much for your helpful insight . I am going to an ENT tommorow, I know you told me I shouldn't worry, but the sensitivity to loud sounds has subsided and know left me with this frequent ear popping, and peoples voice sound a little muffled distorted over phone. I mean I can hear pretty well, but there is a slight distorted robot sound when I talk over the phone with friends and family .... I am super worried , and don't know if that is a symptom of middle ear fluid buildup ... I'm trying tp remain calm and will go tommorow. I also feel very tired , my head hurts and this pressure around my nose and dry raw nose feeling is not going away. I will let you know of the outcome. Thank you so much
Hi,
Thank you for writing back.
1. It is good to hear that the sensitivity to loud sounds has subsided.
2. You may follow up here with the results of the examination and investigations.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Thank you for writing back.
1. It is good to hear that the sensitivity to loud sounds has subsided.
2. You may follow up here with the results of the examination and investigations.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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