I have been suffering with earache and pain for 8 months now. It started at night in my right ear and I would wake up in the morning with earache. I put this down to me sleeping on my right side and blocking my ear for hours with my pillow. I went to my doctor who advised it was probably the start of a cold and to see how it goes. I never got a cold so went back and saw a nurse. The nurse said I had fluid in my ear and gave me a nasal spray. This spray did nothing and ended up going back to the doctors. I saw a different nurse this time, who told me there was no fluid in my ear, my ears looked healthy and to see how it goes.
This was about 5 months with earache and it was getting worse and turning into a pain. It effected my sleep and started to ache during the day not just at night time. My ear also became blocked and effected the hearing in my right ear. I started sleeping on my left side to allow air to get to my right ear at night-time which did seem to help. When my earache got worse, I started to get the signs of tinnitus which drove me crazy when trying to get to sleep. I went back to the doctors who referred me to ENT clinic at the hospital. The doctor at the hospital checked my ears and put a camera up my nose and came to the same conclusion as the other doctor. My ears were perfect and there was nothing in my sinuses effecting my ears. He put me forward for an MRI scan.
8 months down the line with my MRI scheduled for next month, my left ear has started to lightly ache and fear that this may get worse too. I fear that the MRI scan will not show anything and have no idea what steps to take. I thought about going back to my doctors but not sure what else they can do. The doctors I have seen tell me to change my job to something that doesn’t require wearing a headset but I don’t think this is a solution although it will probably help. Also thought about going to see a specialist but this could be costly.
A few things that might help to know:
Recently been on holiday and my ear pain got worse when landing.
I work in a call centre and have done for 22 months and wear a headset for the best part of the day. Before this, I worked in a different call centre wearing a headset for 2 years.
From the age of 10 I have had their weird thing where when I swallow it like makes my ears crackle/pop. I must hold my nose and sniff up to like counteract it which makes my ears feel full. The fullness then wears off within seconds until I swallow again and the same thing happens repeatedly.
I have never had any previous problems with my ears.
I have never had excessive earwax or had to have earwax removed.
My earache does not seem to be affected by noise in general.
Earache worsens when obstructed by headset, pillow etc and noticed more ache when wind blows into my ear.
I have had blood tests for vitamin D deficiency, diabetes and thyroid which all came back negative.
No liquids, discharge or blood coming from my ears
From the age of 14 to 24, I have suffered with tonsillitis once, twice and sometimes three times a year. On two occasions, it turned out to be a severe form of tonsillitis called Quincy.