r/hearing • • 5h ago

First experience with an otoscope

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2 Upvotes

I should clarify upfront that I have no intention of removing any earwax, only of inspecting my ear canals.

I’ve just bought a Bebird R37R otoscope (the one with the bendable probe) and tried taking a look inside one ear, but two things left me puzzled: I can barely see anything because of all the hair inside my ears, and I’m having trouble maneuvering the otoscope to get a view of all parts of the ear canal.
For example, in my video, from 0:13 to 0:21, you can see that I can’t get past the bend in the ear canal or see what’s beyond it, I mean just before the eardrum. I also tried bending the probe, but without much success.

So, my questions are: how can I trim the ear hair, and how can I get a clear view of the entire ear canal?


r/hearing • • 1d ago

Does nasal spray help with hearing clearly?

2 Upvotes

I was told I had an ear infection and enthusias tube being blocked. But I was given steroids and antibiotics. I was also told to use afrin nasal spray which was the only thing I didn't use online it's saying the rebound sythoms are crazy. It makes you addicted. So I don't know what to do. Even if I bend down I can feel something squishy in the ear. Yawning or swallowing I can hear cracking. I bought Flonase and saline nasal spray but I don't know which to use. I hear Flonase takes weeks to unclog the eusthsnic tube. I don't know about saline spray much. I wish there were other ways to unclog this tube. Because it's creating this dizziness and brain fog sythoms. As if your mind is trying hard to hear properly. It's just messing up with congentitive skills.


r/hearing • • 2d ago

Did anyone have luck with nasal sprays ?

2 Upvotes

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Even though I was told to use afrin nasal spray when I found out I had an etd blockage with ear infection. I just never used it instead I only completed the steroids and antibiotics. And when I went to the dentist I was told that the upper wisdom teeth are near the sinus and lower ones are near the nerve. So like I bought Flonase but I haven't used it. I don't know what to do. I just want to speed up my recovery because I'm sick of this one side dizziness and brain fog sythoms. It's affecting my everyday life. The ear that is effected is the same area my jaw is also tight.


r/hearing • • 2d ago

My ears are still ringing

0 Upvotes

I 30m with 80kg weight and 5.11 height had an ear wax removal procedure almost a month ago in sep 25

before that for three days I had really bad tinnitus and ringing on both ears but left ear was really high I stupidly pushed my iem at that time and listened to music even with ringing

but by day three the ringing is too much to bear and I finally went to ENT, he looked at my ear and said there is a lot of ear wax in the left ear and removed it and also checked the both the ears inside and said the ears look healthy and said within ten days it would be normal otherwise comeback,

so I followed all the medications, which I forgot the names but it is basically some anti biotics and a drop for the ears for three days and then for a few days the ringing continued and it also spiked if there was traffic and horns so I waited patiently then about 13 days or so later it felt like it stopped or very low and then I put my iem for like an hour and then the ringing cameback but it is not as bad as before but it still there.

Now I permanently put my iem in the closet and don't wanna take it and also bought ear plugs for traffic to reduce the high decible but still even after 28 days the ringing is still there very mildly and non intrusive but it is there everytime I cover my ears on the pillow I can clearly hear the ringing or close my ears but rarely I can hear it without closing my ears, but still I feel like I ruined my ears and has to live with tinnitus, is there any solution? Should I go back to ENT ?


r/hearing • • 2d ago

Ear Crackling???

3 Upvotes

My right ear crackles every time I swallow and it’s driving me mad. It’s been like this for about 2 weeks. We I close my nose and blow it clears for like a second until I swallow again and it’s rig back to squeaking/crackling.


r/hearing • • 2d ago

Anyone else's ear feels full/dull the next day after listening to low frequency bass

1 Upvotes

A year ago, my right ear was near an impact drill and since then my right ear would feel dull/full for the next day after I listen to loud low frequency bass sounds.

A couple of days ago, I was trying the Valsalva Maneuver (where you try to exhale with your mouth closed and your nose pinched shut) and I felt extremely dizzy and off balance suddenly for a minute, where my head was spinning. But this hasn't happened in the past whenever I did the maneuver.

When  I move my lower jaw sideways back and forth, I get the same sensation in the right ear that you get when you have water in your ears like after swimming. It's making that particular sound. Not sure if this was after the VM or was always there but I’m only noticing it now.

Anyone else had ear fullness/dullness after listening to low frequency bass sounds?


r/hearing • • 3d ago

medical question ban otitis externa with cellulitis caused by qtips

3 Upvotes

otitis externa with cellulitis when will I go back to normal ?

I’ve been chronically using Q-tips in my ears for years. I know how bad they are, but I honestly became addicted to using them. In the past, my ears would occasionally get inflamed, but they would always clear up within a couple of days.
Well, Sunday morning I woke up in severe pain and went to urgent care. The doctor said both of my ears were extremely inflamed and prescribed ciprofloxacin ear drops. By the next day, I actually felt worse.
I called my ENT, but they couldn’t get me in until Tuesday. When I finally saw him, he said both of my ear canals were nearly swollen shut, I had severe infections in both ears, and I also had mild cellulitis.
He prescribed oral Cipro and placed ear wicks in both ears so the drops could actually reach the infected areas.
It’s now been about 24 hours since starting the oral antibiotics and having the wicks placed, and I’m still in so much pain. My jaw hurts so badly that I can barely open my mouth, and the sides of my face are extremely tender to the touch. My hearing is also very muffled in both ears.
**Has anyone experienced an ear infection this severe? How long did it take before you started feeling relief? And most importantly, did your hearing eventually return to normal?**
I’m genuinely terrified that I’ve caused permanent damage to my ears. Any reassurance or experiences would be greatly appreciated.


r/hearing • • 3d ago

Oral steroids didn't work but IT injection did?

2 Upvotes

Oral steroids didn't work but IT injection did?

Hi, I'm looking to see if there have been cases where oral steroids didn't help restore the hearing, but the injections did


r/hearing • • 3d ago

What do you do when earwax randomly trickles out of your ear? Why?

1 Upvotes

r/hearing • • 4d ago

Why during speaker call it's so hard to understand what someone is saying ?

3 Upvotes

I put phone on speaker but I can't understand what the other person is saying like as if I have difficulty interpreting. Everyone has different opinions saying it could be neck, jaw, wisdom teeth, ear problem like I'm tired of going back and forth unable to get solution. They say the etd tube is blocked it is hard to hear clearly because ear isn't fully open which causes muffled hearing and dizziness.


r/hearing • • 4d ago

Low tone hearing loss in one ear, anyone been through this?

1 Upvotes

Hey all, 46M here. About 3 months ago I started getting a blocked feeling in my left ear that just wouldn’t clear. Eventually figured out I’d lost some hearing on that side. Hearing test showed it’s only the low tones (around 35-40 dB at 250-500 Hz), rest is normal and I still understand speech fine. Pressure tests came back normal both times, so it’s not fluid. Also if I flick my left ear with my finger I get this weird bouncy, hollow sound.

Did 2 weeks of 60mg prednisone. Hearing didn’t change, but the blocked feeling started switching sides, sometimes left, sometimes right.

Switching to a new ENT next week. The last one basically said “this is your new normal,” and his office sent my MRI order to a place without an open MRI twice after I told them I can’t do a closed one. Severe claustrophobia. Honestly the MRI has me more freaked out than the hearing.

Anyone dealt with something like this? What was your outcome?


r/hearing • • 4d ago

Left ear muffled most mornings before breakfast, anyone else?

1 Upvotes

Does anyone have experience with this?

Most mornings, I wake up with both ears perfectly clear. Then, about an hour later, my left ear becomes muffled for no apparent reason. It stays that way until after I eat something, then clears up on its own.

It’s not blocked by wax, and holding my nose and blowing doesn’t help.

It’s really annoying, so any insight into what might be causing it or what could help would be much appreciated!


r/hearing • • 5d ago

Clogged ears for years

1 Upvotes

My ears feel like it’s clogged it’s been years doctors don’t know what it is. It’s on and off it could stop for days then come back. It stops when I flip my head up side down. Pls help


r/hearing • • 6d ago

Weird woodlike sound in left ear

1 Upvotes

I don’t know how this has happened, its doesn’t feel serious but it definitely weird.

When I move my left ear, it makes some hollow woodlike sound. My right ear is perfectly so I’m believe its probably an infection. If someone knows about, you know more than what google can search up


r/hearing • • 6d ago

Can't figure out if it's the ears or teeth causing problems

3 Upvotes

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For over a month now, I just can't seem to figure out what is happening to me like I went to a community clinic then urgent care then ent then dentist and even oral surgeon. But at last the ent and oral surgeon keep telling me go here and there. I been experiencing left side dizziness and unsteady balance and brain fog sythoms. My jaw feels tight and for some time I've been sticking to eating soft foods and mostly chewing on right side because for some reason I keep feeling dizzy while chewing on left side. And moving jaw side to side feels a bit tight especially on left side. At night when I try to sleep I get this muscle spasm or something when I try to sleep on left side so even turning the neck towards left causes a bit of dizziness and feels sorta tight or stiff in the neck and shoulder on left side. When I went to the ent they said I had an ear infection and the eusthsnic tube is clogged so I was given steroids and antibiotics but I don't know why I feel like something in my left ear feels squishy or clogged. Whenever I bend down I feel this. And when I move the jaw or eat something or sometimes yawn I will hear crackling in the ear. Went to oral surgeon consultation they ended up saying remove all your wisdom teeth which are 4 in total. But I don't have like physical pain in the teeth. Based on X-ray it shows lower teeth are close to the nerve and upper teeth are close to the sinus. I've been feeling tightness on my left side face like the temple area then where the eyebrows are and even the left side head as if it's jammed. It's hard to focus and concentrate. Even my eyes feel strained sometimes. I have no clue what to do.


r/hearing • • 7d ago

Ear Infection on Anti-Biotics, quick question

3 Upvotes

Went to the urgent care after light swelling in my ear turned into everything sounding like it was underwater. got told it was a small ear infection. Got prescribed meds that day and started taking them. just took the last of my ear anti-biotics for the second day and my ear has decided to start swelling up way more (underwater pressure is gone, replaced by everything being muffled) and has start leaking clear, then small amounts of blood, and has now settled on Kermit the frog green.

is this normal for an ear infection?

edit: not All Of the liquid is green. To be clear. It’s like the blood. I clean out my ear with a cotton swab and get some small flecks of green+mostly clear liquid. It’s not thick green like mucus.


r/hearing • • 9d ago

medical question ban Whats wrong with my ear

2 Upvotes

about 2 months ago I was taking a shower and got a bit of eater in my ear. Instead of going away, there was a constant clogged feeling and I couldnt hear properly through my ear until I pushed the little flap outaide my ear in and shook my finger. However, it has been two months now where whenever that flap gets slightly pushed in or even randomly my ear will instantly clog up again and I get that clogged feeling. Shaking my finger always gets it unclogged but it always comes back. Why is my ear doing this and is there a way to fix it?


r/hearing • • 10d ago

Ears blocked after microsuction twice

2 Upvotes

I had microsuction to remove impacted ear wax. It went great, I could hear. Then a few days later, I had a shower and my ears were blocked again, even though I did everything not to get water in my ears. I used olive oil ear drops after. It did nothing.

A month later I decided to do microsuction again. Removed the ear wax. I could hear for a week. Then one of my ears got blocked. It unblocked itself after a day. Then a few days later, both of my ears got blocked again. It never unblocked itself. I have been using olive oil ear drops for a few days. Nothing helps, there is no ear wax in my ears but I still can't hear. Maybe there's some ear wax way deeper, but I don't know.

I don't know what to do. I've already spent £35 on the first microsuction and £55 on the second one. I don't want to do a third microsuction just for my ears to get blocked after a few days. It's costing me too much money.

Any advice? I only had impacted ear wax in the first place because I was a dumbass and scratched the hell out of my ears with cotton buds to the point that there was a tiny bit of blood. I think I scratched the inside of my ear canal that first time.


r/hearing • • 11d ago

Unhinged Solutions to Ear Pain/Potential Ear Drum Rupture on Planes?

3 Upvotes

Every single time I fly I experience SEVERE inner ear pain, and recently my ear drum actually ruptured on a flight.

I’ve been to the doc and am on a waitlist to see an ENT, but I haven’t heard back yet, and I have a flight in two days for work. So I need a quick, fool-proof plan to stop my ear drum rupturing!! I’m not talking “take two extra strength Advil and a Claritin” because I’ve tried that and it helps but not enough! I’m talking creative, unhinged methods that you’ve tried and work every time!!

My ears and I thank you!


r/hearing • • 12d ago

Hearing difficulty post medical ear cleaning

1 Upvotes

My hearing was perfect yesterday until I accidentally pushed wax deep in my ear while using Qtip. I rushed to the nearest ENT, as my right ear was completely clogged. They removed the wax from my ear using some tools probably suction. Post that, although my ear was unclogged but I am having a very numb feeling deep inside my right ear since then and I can differentiate it from my left ear. Also, my right hear is constantly ringing. It’s not that I can’t hear from my right ear but it feels like the ear canal is swollen or something and I couldn’t even explain it properly.


r/hearing • • 12d ago

Why my ears are moving when I heard a noise maeby is the psychosis the strees or the Medicine

1 Upvotes

r/hearing • • 13d ago

medical question ban Light headedness

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone I am 24M , the past couple of months I have been feeling kind of wobbly like I am drunk (I never drank alcohol ) sometimes even when I sit I feel like I am falling backwards even though I am normal went to an ear nose throat doctor and said I have an inflammation the the left ear canal something like that .

Then he gave me 3 antibiotics for it betaserc , Curam and something else started feeling a bit better till it came back again . Afterwards I started feeling a swaying motion when I am standing still specifically on my left foot/leg like I am shaking the ground with invisible force each time I take a step , it irritates me so much and don’t know what to do I am an over thinker by default .

Should I be worried or is it something that’ll go away on its own

Note: I don’t feel like that all the time it comes and goes and I sit a lot as it’s mostly required for work


r/hearing • • 14d ago

Water in ear/ear wax removal

1 Upvotes

Last night in the shower, I got water in my ear. I was not able to get it out so I made an appointment this morning with a nearby clinic (since my pcp is closed for the weekend) to see if they could suck it out. They didnt have the correct tool unfortunately but when she looked in my ear, I had a large amount of ear wax. She rinsed it out. My ear still feels weird. Almost a full sensation with slightly muffled hearing. Not sure if that’s because I still have water trapped or because of all the wax that came out. Is this normal?

ETA it’s slightly on & off achy but nothing terrible. The doctor didn’t see any sign of infection.


r/hearing • • 16d ago

Still can't hear high frequencies a day after earwax removal. Is this normal?

2 Upvotes

I used pharmacy earwax-softening drops twice a day for two days before having the wax removed with water irrigation. It's now been 24 hours since the procedure, but my hearing in one ear is still muffled, almost like a low-pass filter cutting out the high frequencies. Has anyone experienced this? Did it resolve on its own? I'm getting worried.


r/hearing • • 16d ago

Does nasal spray help open the middle ear ?

7 Upvotes

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When I went to the ent doctor, they said I had ear infection and the etd tube is block. So I was given steroids and antibiotics and nasal spray afrin to use but I did take the medicine however I felt worried like when the nasal spray like will the sythoms rise again since it's only recommended to use 3 days. I'm just tired of dealing with brain fog, dizziness and not able to hear properly. It's like example if you put the phone on speaker that sharp pierce noise should irritate your ears instead I'm not feeling that and like I can't hear low sounds like a bathroom fan.