Chronic Ear Infections

[MegaBee]

hi Guys and Girls,

I just thought I would toss in something here that I have discovered!! For years I have been suffering with suffering from chronic ear infections, so bad in fact that my left ear has basically been mostly deaf for nearly 2 years now. My doctors were at a loss as to why I kept having the ear infections recur and there was only really one effective antibiotic that helped me when I was at my worst. I had lots of different types of ear drops over the years as well. Anyway I have been not smoking at all now for almost 2 months (7 weeks close enough) and NOT one ear infection so far, and my ears feel better already my left ear the most comprimised is even starting to hear better! I never had any other smoking related symptoms except a small cough occasionally and every now and then if I had a heavier than usual smoking day a small wheeze at bed time. I never connected my smoking to ear infections at all and nor did my doctors. I havent mentioned anything about the ear infections to my doctor yet as I would like to test this theory a couple of more months first. But on average every month I would be battling a sore ear or deafness. I will let you know how I go. Thanks for listening.

 

[burns_erin]

It makes sense. Chronic ear infections are typically the result of eustacian tube dysfunction, which could have resulted from minor inflammation due to the products of combustion. Did they never suggest PE tubes?

 

[Adik Ted]

I suffered from ear infections for nigh on 50 years. Haven't had one since starting vaping 2.5 years ago. If only my sinus problems would go the same way.

 

[Rickajho]

Hmmm... really don't know what to make of this but I'm very happy for you!

How long were you smoking? What I'm thinking - not a medical professional here - is that smoking compromises the circulatory system, and the smallest blood vessels get it the worst. Perhaps some healing going on of blood vessels in your auditory system, and the resulting improvement in circulation, is helping. If those white blood cells can't get in there, they can't get the job done! Just throwing it out there...

Are you going to run the improvement by your MD? Love to know what he/she has to say.

 

[MegaBee]

It makes sense. Chronic ear infections are typically the result of eustacian tube dysfunction, which could have resulted from minor inflammation due to the products of combustion. Did they never suggest PE tubes?

is PE Tubes what are also called Grommits? If so not until just recently after 3 years of chronic ear infections did my regular doctor say "time to see a specialist" he could not understand why we could not get on top of it he did know I was a smoker but my upper respirotary tract always tested good. The last 12 months he decided due to my deafness I needed to see Ear Nose and Throat specialist for surgery

 

[MegaBee]

Hmmm... really don't know what to make of this but I'm very happy for you!

How long were you smoking? What I'm thinking - not a medical professional here - is that smoking compromises the circulatory system, and the smallest blood vessels get it the worst. Perhaps some healing going on of blood vessels in your auditory system, and the resulting improvement in circulation, is helping. If those white blood cells can't get in there, they can't get the job done! Just throwing it out there...

I smoked for 20 yrs, and yes since this is my only symptom and I am now noticing its reducing I will follow it up.

Are you going to run the improvement by your MD? Love to know what he/she has to say.

I will follow it up by my Doctor because they couldnt understand why my symptoms where so severe because I was so healthy in every other way. I have suffered these ear infections for years and they were always at a loss as to why. As I said earlier I didnt want to mention my smoking so they didnt take seriously my illness, now I realise I think my smoking was the cause of my illness

 

[Rickajho]

I will follow it up by my Doctor because they couldnt understand why my symptoms where so severe because I was so healthy in every other way. I have suffered these ear infections for years and they were always at a loss as to why. As I said earlier I didnt want to mention my smoking so they didnt take seriously my illness, now I realise I think my smoking was the cause of my illness

If you mentioned it or not, believe me Dyanne a non smoking health care professional knows. Prior to quitting you might have done whatever you could to give a "not a smoker" image to your MD. But the minute they ask you to "open wide and say ahhhh" your respiratory passages still carry very tell tale odors. And even if you can't smell smoke residue in your clothes or coat or on your purse, non smokers do, no matter how subtle it may be.

 

[Running Wolf]

Would make sense, a lot of the stuff up there is connected (ears, nose, throat & sinuses). Besides the micro ash your blood stream would be full of CO clogging up your red blood cells. I'm not a medical profession but think that increased oxygen flow would help heal things up better as well.

 

[MegaBee]

Well I'm definitely going to discuss this with my doctors.


Last cigarette 16th October, 2011. Forever grateful for the support and advice from ECF.

 

[burns_erin]

Umm, I have never heard them called grommets, but that is kind of what they look like. PE tubes are actually pressure equalization tubes.

And sorry to nitpick, but I can't seem to stop myself. But you have hearing loss, not "deafness". The term deaf is used for two specific reasons, either hearing loss so severe that a person cannot communicate orally at all, or a person who is culturally deaf, in which case it is Big D Deaf. And I'll just step off my soap box for now.

 

[MegaBee]

Sorry for not using your terminology, I have a father who is profoundly deaf so the word deaf is thrown around loosely in our household. My father has been profoundly deaf for 40 of his 65 years. Secondly PE tubes are nicknamed grommets here as my ENT referred to them as grommets not PE tubes but he's pretty "old school" thank you for the "correct terminology" my doctor informed me I would experience some deafness until my ear drums healed and the length of time would depend on the scar tissue. I will also inform him to use the term hearing loss as well.


Last cigarette 16th October, 2011. Forever grateful for the support and advice from ECF.

 

[burns_erin]

Sorry for not using your terminology, I have a father who is profoundly deaf so the word deaf is thrown around loosely in our household. My father has been profoundly deaf for 40 of his 65 years. Secondly PE tubes are nicknamed grommets here as my ENT referred to them as grommets not PE tubes but he's pretty "old school" thank you for the "correct terminology" my doctor informed me I would experience some deafness until my ear drums healed and the length of time would depend on the scar tissue. I will also inform him to use the term hearing loss as well.


Last cigarette 16th October, 2011. Forever grateful for the support and advice from ECF.

Interesting your ENT calls them grommets, the ones around here don't but it makes sense to call them that, since that is what they look like.

As for the terminology thing, like I said, it is a sopa box thing for me and I literally can't help myself

I grew up with Deaf family members (yes as in signing went to TSD "culturally deaf instead of medically deaf". If your father's hearing loss is profound, ie >90 dB deaf is probably still the correct term. I mean if he can't talk to people over the phone really, or can't talk to people in person if he can't see their lips to read them. Then it is still within the term. As for your being hearing loss, unless you already have significant sensorinueral hearing loss, the maximum amount of conductive hearing loss possible, the kind of hearing loss from an ear infection, is only 60 dBHL, so it wouldn't usually qualify.

But my .... retentiveness on this issu stems from the fact that I am an audiologist who works for a University that not only has an audiology program, we have a large Bilingual/Biculture deaf education program. And since we are all in the same building, and there are obviously quite a few tensions, we all had to learn to be very specific in order to get along. unfortunately for me that bleeds over into my daily life, lol.

BTW, how did your father end up profoundly deaf, if you don't mind my asking. It is so unusual for that to happen to an adult.

 

[scinsc]

I hope you continue to improve.
It would be interesting to know if PG had a role in helping your problem. For as long as I can remember I have had at least one bout of cold/flue every winter. I haven't even had a sniffle in almost two years and I am wondering if it's the PG or just the fact that I quit smoking or both.

 

[MegaBee]

Interesting your ENT calls them grommets, the ones around here don't but it makes sense to call them that, since that is what they look like.

As for the terminology thing, like I said, it is a sopa box thing for me and I literally can't help myself

I grew up with Deaf family members (yes as in signing went to TSD "culturally deaf instead of medically deaf". If your father's hearing loss is profound, ie >90 dB deaf is probably still the correct term. I mean if he can't talk to people over the phone really, or can't talk to people in person if he can't see their lips to read them. Then it is still within the term. As for your being hearing loss, unless you already have significant sensorinueral hearing loss, the maximum amount of conductive hearing loss possible, the kind of hearing loss from an ear infection, is only 60 dBHL, so it wouldn't usually qualify.

But my .... retentiveness on this issu stems from the fact that I am an audiologist who works for a University that not only has an audiology program, we have a large Bilingual/Biculture deaf education program. And since we are all in the same building, and there are obviously quite a few tensions, we all had to learn to be very specific in order to get along. unfortunately for me that bleeds over into my daily life, lol.

BTW, how did your father end up profoundly deaf, if you don't mind my asking. It is so unusual for that to happen to an adult.

We still don't know the actual cause of his deafness, it declined slowly until his 20's and then rapidly after. He can't use telephones and he lip reads. He was a mechanic and used to race cars until his deafness stopped the racing. He still managed to be a great mechanic until he hat very ill 5 years ago and then retired. He's since been diagnosed with a genetic kidney disease which apparently causes deafness? He's too sick for a biopsy to determine the diagnosis. I have had hearing tests, I can hear its just muted or muffled (mostly volume not tones?)


Last cigarette 16th October, 2011. Forever grateful for the support and advice from ECF.

 

[burns_erin]

We still don't know the actual cause of his deafness, it declined slowly until his 20's and then rapidly after. He can't use telephones and he lip reads. He was a mechanic and used to race cars until his deafness stopped the racing. He still managed to be a great mechanic until he hat very ill 5 years ago and then retired. He's since been diagnosed with a genetic kidney disease which apparently causes deafness? He's too sick for a biopsy to determine the diagnosis. I have had hearing tests, I can hear its just muted or muffled (mostly volume not tones?)


Last cigarette 16th October, 2011. Forever grateful for the support and advice from ECF.

Yep, chronic kidney disease, particularly on top of noise exposure is one of those things. Sorry to hear your dad is unwell. Are you still having an ear infection?

Sent from my G2...so please excuse the spelling errors, correct gets the best of me.