Well since February I constantly hear my heartbeat in my ear.
It all started right after I went to an eye doctor and he put drops in my eyes to do the Schaller test (sp?) to see how dry they are.
On my way back to work from the eye doctor, both ears completely clogged up. Then the left ear started with that heartbeat thing (loud).
The right ear unclogged eventually, but left ear stayed clogged. Well I have gone back to the ENT three times and they just said tinnitus, nothing you can do, blah, blah, blah.....
So, my problem is that since Wednesday that same ear is in a constant spasm. It is actually vibrating. It is the most annoying thing!
Does anyone have any experience with this? I keep on thinking that some fluid got trapped in the inner ear and it is causing those symptoms.
What can I do?
I am on biaxin, bactrim, mepron, plaquenil, and artemisinin. I do not think this is med related though, because all I read about pulsatile tinnitus does not mention meds.
It is really this spasm thing that is driving me crazy- stopping me from sleeping, concentrating, etc. because it is constantly vibrating in my ear and I can't get it to stop.
Any thoughts? Thanks!
Posts: 871 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
Hey Maureen, sounds so annoying! Sometimes I think about all these symptoms - any one of them would be enough to drive one crazy - and then to think that we have to put up with so many . . . but we do.
The vibrating is not something I've experienced, BUT I did just want to pass along that before I was ever treated, in addition to my hearing going 'in and out' and ringing and buzzing, I would very frequently get a motorboat sound going in my ear for days at a time: 'putt putt putt putt'. Bizarre. Again, this was before I was ever diagnosed and/or treated, so for me it was Lyme and not abx.
This symptom improved SO MUCH after treatment, now it is something I never experience, and I have almost no ear symptoms at all (used to have many, including terrific pain). I've been abx'ing for 16 mos now. All is much improved.
Best -
otm
Posts: 314 | From east coast | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
Yeah, I've had the same problem, last night as a matter of fact. Lasted a couple minutes. It has to do with the nerves for the ear I think.
Ironically the only nerve test that worked when I was in the hospital. I don't know what to tell you, other than I sympathize and know how annoying it is.
-------------------- C.D.C = "Country Doesn't Care" Ticks are like Snipers, you don't know they're there, until you see the bullseye. Posts: 86 | From Upstate New York | Registered: Jun 2007
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Find out what was in the eye drops, and specifically, is there any preservative added.
Posts: 442 | From Biddeford, ME | Registered: Nov 2007
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Could be sinus related?
Posts: 228 | From Wassaic NY. USA | Registered: Aug 2002
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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Allicin has unclogged my ears when something like this occurs.
Magnesium helps stop the spasming.
It sounds as it this is a reaction to the eye drops. However, if you ever had these symptoms before, there may be some inner ear things to look into - beyond tinnitus.
When you speak, is your own voice loud inside your head?
posted
Weird, I totally have that but never thought it could be Lyme related? It happens when I lay down at night to sleep ..it is so annoying!
Posts: 232 | From MN | Registered: Jul 2007
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
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I get all kinds of annoying ear sounds -- ringing, heartbeats, pulses. Drive me crazy.
Right now it is a pressure sensation and pain...
I'm hoping it will go away. But I think the damage is permanent.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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Keebler- no, when I speak my voice isn't louder. However, when my 3 year old talks (very loudly) i hear it okay, but after i hear the words, i hear a sound in my head which i figured out is the same sound you get in your head when you yawn.
i keep thinking it is sinus related, since it happened after the eye drops and both ears were full. however, the right one resolved, while the left one didn't and that was in february. the heartbeat sound started around that time right after that.
should i try some nose drops? the ENT gave me nasonex, but i don't want to use them because they are a steroid.
i am thinking of trying claritin every night? i am hoping that once the ear drains, the pulsing and vibrating, as well as the yawning sounds will stop.
any other ideas, suggestions, advice?
thanks all!
Posts: 871 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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Maureen, the fact that your own voice is not louder to yourself is good and rules out one particular thing.
I'd ask your LLMD (with your abx protocol, I assume you have one) - or others might pass along what their doctors have said about the steroid drops.
Still, the ears are very tender. I'm not a doctor and can't tell you what to do. While steroids are advised against, since you are on so many abx, you might ask your doctor if the drops might decrease the inflammation without causing dependency.
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Just for a quick "whoosh" of clearing, although these might be too irritating to tender tissue, but what has helped me in times like that has been Chinese mustard (with food), wasabi (that lime green horseradish condiment used in Japanese food), a good dose of garlic/allicin.
You might try eating a small bit of radish. All this, of course if your stomach and mouth can handle it. Maybe just a sniff of a cut lemon would do it for you.
Preferred to try first would be Ginger capsules - or better yet, lots of warm ginger/lemon tea - it helps open ears and is anti-inflammatory. Not too much ginger late in day, however, as is it stimulating to a degree.
Magnesium helps calm muscle spasm, detox and can decrease inflammation, too.
Do yawn a lot - and when you rest/sleep, elevate your head to a 20-30 degree angle from waist up so neck itself is relatively straight.
You can get a saline spray at the pharmacy or get a neti pot and use a sea salt solution at home to irrigate your sinus passages.
2 minute demonstration of neti pot. You can use sea salt, you don't have to buy their special salt. Not too much salt, though, I don't have the exact recipe.
If you do the exercises shown on video, have someone with you and do them near a padded chair or couch.
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a warm, moist towel around your face and neck might encourage drainage, too. Breathing in warm steam . . . be gentle in all methods, though.
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