Clogged/Fullness in Ears and Pressure/Vertigo in Head

[playaz]

Hi everyone,

I have been having this problem for the last 4 years and still didn't find a solution for my problems. It started with ear pressure and my ears feel clogged and full all the time and I keep trying to pop them every day. I keep opening jaw and pushing through nose to try to keep them open but with no longterm success. This has been happening on a daily basis for the last for 4 years and it is really hard to live like this.

The second problem is the head pressure and these weird feelings in my head. This is something that comes and go (or is bearable at least for some time), but when it is there I feel like there is constanly some pressure around my forehead, eyes, sometime at the back aswell and in my neck. I feel a bit of vertigo and I find it hard to focus because of this (with stress it gets even worse). If i lie down I can also very easily hear my hearbeat in my head.

I have already been to multiple ENTs,Neurologist, took CT of head, sinuses, went to TMJ specialist,chiropractor,bioresonance and probably some other stuff that I can't remember now. Thing is all results came back normal and noone could tell me what is wrong with me while I know something is not right.

If someone has experienced this or found a relief or know what it is, then PLEASE help as I am desperate to get better.

TY

[CICI56]

Hi, i know this is a years late post so I really hope you have gotten a diagnosis and relief since 2012. But just in case you are still searching, you could research pseudotumor cerebri also called beneign intracranial hypertension & IIH (idiopathic intracranial hypertension).

**DISCLAIMER**Im definitely NOT a physcian. However, I was diagnosed with IIH and I experienced similar symptoms (and others like visual blackouts and blurry vision) that got progressively worse. I finally went to my opthamologist who saw that I had optic nerve swelling (papilledema) and suggested that i could possibly have IIH. Subsequently, I got a MRI and went to a neurologist. I searched for a neurologist that had treated IIH before. It took months to get in so while I was waiting for my appt to come up, i lost weight and did what i could to help myself. By the time I saw my neurologist, my pressure headaches had subsided completely but i still had the fullness and ringing in my ears. The ringing went from beating/whooshing sound to a low ringing from time to time. My optic nerve swelling has improved with wt loss & treatment but i still have ear fullness esp. When lying flat. I really hope you've gotten the help you need because those symptoms are no picnic to deal
with. Take care, Cici

[lisa22111]

Don't do the tubes. I am having the exact same symptoms as the original person who posted and I tried ear tubes. It ended up making my vestibular symptoms much worse. I know that it links directly to the ear tubes because I had a huge amount of vestibular dysfunction (dizziness, imbalance, etc) right after having the ear tubes put in. The vestibular symptoms subsided a little but never went away. Then after a year of having them in, I had my Neurotologist (balance specialist) take the ear tubes out and my balance and dizziness issues went out of control again. I also have positional headaches as well and my doctor said it could be related to a cerebrospinal fluid leak. It can cause the pressure feeling in the head and ears, along with the tinnitis. That leak could also be causing the post nasal drip as well. It can be diagnosed with a CT cisternogram. I'm just too chicken at the moment to do that test so trying to evaluate all other options first.

[GrannyG12]

Google "cholesteatoma"
A lot of info. on the net.
ENT specialist may not pick it up, it can be hidden behind drum. Can cause fullness as you described,vertigo, dizziness.

[CJDelgado]

It's completely gone now if you do what I said in my previous comment it'll work for you to.

[pegcoa]

Are you still on the diet regime?

[CJDelgado]

I'm on a different diet for bulking now. but i maintain some of the foods from the one i mentioned before

[htoussaint]

One more thing that I think has helped with lowering my migraine problems is I did discover that my hormones (50 here, lol) were completely out of wack!  I go to a Nature Dr for this, as normal Dr.s have not been able to help me in the past.  I also have an adrenal fatigue problem, that my ND has been helping me with.  So bit by bit I am finding some of the reason for my problems.  Just have to keep going and searching.  Don't give up people and don't let any Dr tell you it's all in the head.  Been there too, when I needed a hysterectomy a year ago, I had seen 4 OBYGYN specialists, all telling me my problems were in my head.  The last one saying I needed to see a Psychologist!  The 5th one finally took me serious, operated and I have a DVD of the operation to prove all the problems I had going on inside.  It was NOT in my mind!  So do not let anyone bully you with this!

[htoussaint]

I too have had these symptoms for many years, at least 5.  And it's getting worse as I'm getting older.  (I'm going to be 51 in a month).  I would get horrible migraines every month for the past year, 18 to 20 times in a month.  They have been helped by going to a Orthospinologist.  Now I still get them, but more like 5-10 times a month.  I've seen a TMJ specialist who is making me a dental guard to wear at night as I have a tendency to clench my teeth.  At the TMJ dr, he found that my air way tubes in my throat are very thin, and feels I might have a sleep apnea problem.  When we talked about this, I found that I really do have all the symptoms for it, so will schedule for an appt. to have this checked out.  I also have my ears plugged 24/7 and almost daily a burning in the upper part of my nose, that switches sides constantly.  I'm always plugged up and have seen allergists, just to be told that I have an over sensitive nose, so it just closes off.  (So most of the time I have no sense of smell).  I've tried to unplug my ears by holding my nose and blowing, but this does nothing.  And I have to admit all these problems have made it hard to concentrate and always feel a bit foggy.  I've also seen sinus specialists while in full blown sinus symptoms, but the scans come out showing no sinus infection, which is why antibiotics in the past never helped.  Spraying salt water in my nose helps a bit, but doesn't get rid of the problem.  All of this has effected me drastically, as I love to ride motorcycles and I have a horse.  Haven't been able to do either for 2 years now because of the virtigo and light headedness.  Just too dangerous. I've also seen an ENT specialist, and all is ok.  But yet I'm not ok!  This is driving me crazy, as I can't live a normal life like this.  So really understand all the pain from everybody else on here.  Hoping someone will find some answers.  :)

[auntietatty]

Hi i sympathise with you completely. In 2001 at my mother in laws funeral i felt aware that my left ear seemed over sensitive ti noise and it the only wsy to ckear it was to sniff or bend my head forward. Then in 2004 i woke up feeling really dizzy i thought i was dying. The doctor told me it was labyrinthitis and that it would go away. Scroll forward to 2016 i have permanent vertigo on my right side which after numerous trips to ENT im told its bppv and its not "serious" i also have a plugged up feeling in my left ear which i can never seem to clear, i also have fluctuating noises whooshing sounds in my left ear. In my right ear i get strange fluttering sounds which sound like a butterfly stuck in my ear.  This affects my whole life as i cant bear to be in a noisy environment because i cant hear my own voice and its very uncomfortable. Also the vertigo affects my job and my social life. All ive been told is to have the epley manouevre for the vertigo and steroid nasal spray for the ears. I am desperate for answers to this as i feel there is definately something thats causing all this. Its very reassuring to know other people also suffer from this. Sorry for the long winded comment.