[deathtoluly]

Hi, I'm 20 years old so I'm in pretty good health, nothing majorly wrong with me... yet.

But I'd say a month and half ago I noticed that I couldn't hear as well out of my left ear. The past month its just been getting wrose, slowly luckly but I don't know what it could be or do about it.

I'm afriad of going to the doctor to get stuck with a bill saying it will just go away. And also afraid to go for the fear of it being something bad.

I know its not an ear effection because I had plently of them when I was younger (constantly getting tubes put in my ears and ear effections constantly) and know what they feel like.

I don't know what to do about it or anything, I'm thinking of just waiting to see if it gets wrose but afraid if I do I might hurt it more.

I do know I couldn't hear well until I was about 2 or 3 because of the ear effections I had. I'm thinking (while typing this actually, didn't think about it before) that it could be linked to that... any clues on what I should do?

I don't want to start a hoopla over this and it be nothing, but really scared of what it could be.

[J_9]

Welcome to AMHD, you will find this site very informative, and, possible addictive.

I will go on to say that it is time to call the doctor.

After as many ear infections as you have had, there is a possibility that scar tissue has built up and the "pain" that you felt as a youngster is no longer there. Scar tissue tends to lessen pain and discomfort.

I had many infections as a child and at 42 years of age I know that I have an infection if I begin to lose hearing, there is no pain or discomfort involved. Just a loss of hearing and maybe a popping sensation if I swallow or yawn.

Are you a swimmer, spend any time in the water? Could be swimmers ear.

Whenever there is a problem with the ear, or hearing, it could ba a number of things that include, blockage of the eustacian tube. It is always best to get a medical opinion as you do not want to permanently damage your hearing.

[deathtoluly]

Thanks for your reply, good adivice, when I think about it, it has happen before I might of just become amune to the pain.

Um.. not I can't swim!! I just never learned, I just talked to my father about it asking him if one of my ears were wrose as a child but of course like a father he doesn't know and my mother is asleep. He said he will get me something to clence it out. I'm hopiing that will help. I have a feeling I'll most likely be seeing a doctor though.

With constant ear infections (thanks for spelling it right I'm a bad speller) and not being able to feel the pain, could that lead to some trouble down the road?

[J_9]

Yes, it can lead to slight or moderate hearing loss down the road.

Swimmers ear does not necessarily mean that you are a swimmer, this can occur if you take a bath and get water in your ears while washing your hair. It is just a broad term.

You should most likely make an appointment with your doctor, but in the meantime when you take a bath or shower and you wash your hair, afterwards, put a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and drip a small amount in the ear. Now, this is important, place the drops in the "bowl" shaped portion of the ear and then hold your ear with your forefinger and thumb and slowly rotate until you feel the alcohol slowly slide down the canal.

It may make your eyes water or make you sneeze, but the effect of the alcohol may dry whatever water may be in your eustachian canal.

Now, this is important, this will not work if you have an infection. Infections are only cured by antibiotics, which you MUST take according to doctors directions. This may only work if you have water in your ear.

[deathtoluly]

Thank you once again for your help. I much appreciate you taking the time to read what I wrote and reply.

Well before I do that I guess I will see what happens after my father gets me whatever he said he is, if that doesn't work then next the doctor. And if not then then well hopefully its just water in the ear.

Good luck with your career!

I like this website a lot. I been searching all over it. I was trying to find some place to find help and this website was kind of like a "duh" to find help.

Once again, thanks.

[J_9]

There is a cleansing liquid that sometimes works, but this could be a sign of an infection.

As I stated before, I know I have an infection when I begin to lose hearing. The only thing that will get rid of an infection is antibiotics.

It is advisable to go to the doctor and let him look in your ear to see if you have otitis media, which is an inner ear infection. With your background otitis media would possibly cause little or no pain due to scar tissue.

There is an old addage

"Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear"

And this goes for anything, if you do not want to lose hearing it is always best to have a doc check it out.

[valinors_sorrow]

I had a lot of ear infections as a kid, many of them due to swimming in the Detroit River when I wasn't supposed to. As a result I have flattened eustacian tubes that are just as J_9 says-- prone to trapping water. I am very careful about my ears and have a dropper bottle of equal mix white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and water if I feel my ear plugging. If it ever aches I use a few drops of both hydrogen peroxide and alcohol. Also I can't clear my ears so as a result scuba diving is out but I can tell you how soon before the big thunderstorm hits by the bulging sensation I get. LOL. I began tracking my hearing loss at about age 25 and its been steadily declining to the point where, at age 52, I can't hear clearly enough for conversation in some settings - noisey restaurants, etc. and use an amplified headset to talk on the phone. There is a surgery to replace the tubes that they prefer you to be over 50 to qualify for-- but I pass. It is amazing how adaptable this is... meaning I have learned to instintively look at whoever is talking and partly lip read now. I admit this topic is not one of my more rational ones. I occasionally visit an audiologist (you might want to too just to find out what it is, certainly) just to see where I am, but will become a crotchety old woman with a sign around my neck saying "don't talk to her, she's deaf!" before I ever stuff any hearing aids in these ears!! There are far greater problems for a person than slowly losing one's hearing. I hope that helps a little.

[jgj6331]

This problem could be as simple as impacted ear wax which can easily be flushed away by irrigation (in the doctor's office) - or more serious things such as otosclerosis (where the inner ear 'bones' fuse), cholesteotoma (destructive process resulting from previous ear infections) to a tumor of the 8th cranial nerve (auditory nerve) or a CP angle (back of your head) tumor. A visit to an ENT is manditory - make an appointment TODAY!