Back in December 2023 I had a throat infection, and on the evening of 2nd January 2024 I suddenly lost the hearing in one ear. I literally felt it go.
Afterwards, it felt like my ear was waiting to pop. I kept trying, without success. I assumed it would pop overnight, but it didn't. I used the NHS website, which suggested a few things, none of which worked.I continued to try for days, until I eventually asked for a GP appointment. By the time the appointment came it was over 3 weeks since it happened.
I didn't see the GP, it was another practitioner. I told him that I'd felt my hearing go, it went suddenly. He told me to get one of those balloons (Otovent), and to come back in a week if it didn't help and they would make an ENT appointment.
I bought the balloon thing, I used it frequently. I tried all the other exercises as well. After a week of no success, I made a follow up appointment and asked for a referral to ENT.
The referral came through fairly quickly, it was something like 20th February. It turned out it was too late to help, and the ENT chap said it was likely that my loss (degradation rather than complete loss) was now permanent. I should have had steroids within the first 6 weeks, which would have improved my chances of my hearing being restored.
I was having problems with my sinuses,which was interfering with my CPAP.
During the last year I've had a lot of tinnitus, to varying degrees. The sinus issues come and go.
If I'm lucky, for a few seconds I can hear much more clearly, before it goes away again.
The other day, someone posted that they had tried using a sinus rinse and it had cured their tinnitus. I didn't hold out much hope, but I thought it was worth a try, while I am throwing everything and the kitchen sink at my issues.
I had a go the first time - what a weird sensation it was! My nose felt quite perky afterwards, but my tinnitus was unaffected, and my sinuses weren't any happier. Five days later, I decided to have another go. I knew what to expect this time, and once again my nose seemed happier but no other changes. I actually had a craving to do it a second time the same day, but I resisted.
This morning when I woke up, I could hear the voices on the radio more clearly than normal. I thought perhaps DH had turned up the volume. Then I realised that I could hear "behind me" (which is the bit of hearing that I have lost). My tinnitus was also very low (or gone?).
It didn't last. Four hours later, the sensation has dulled, and my tinnitus is back (at a low level at the moment)
It was lovely while it lasted.
I'll try another rinse later on today.
