Help to treat plugged ear. Nose, o2, ear

[maryaz]

I guess I will connect with to COPD because the oxygen connects to the nose and the nose and ear connect somehow and I suspect the o2 and nose have something to do with a blockage, inflammation, swelling or whatever it is.

After I got out of the hospital, it took 6 weeks for my hearing to get back to normal. No one had the instrument to look in my ear until I saw the Pulmonary Dr. He verified there was swelling or whatever he called it.

That time he had me use afrin for 12 days twice a day. I hesitate to do that again. It did work. It took a little longer than the afrin but it finally got back. I know my nose is messed up. I can tell I am plugged up.

I generally don't like water on my o2 but my nose was bad over the weekend and I put the bottle on. I had to call hospice to be sure I got it on right. I have taken it off because I got to feeling worse.

Anybody ever have a problem with a plugged ear and loss of some hearing and nose also plugged. What did you do? Thanks, I will check back. Bummer too is getting what I need. It works out.

[merryfl]

Mary - if there is no pain, it is probably allergy-related or just plain old sinus. If there is pain in the ear, I'd call the doctor. I always used distilled water with my O2. It really seemed to help. It probably wouldn't hurt to use the Afrin again if you have a way to get it. I had a chronic sinus problem (one side, pressure in the cheek, one nostril plugged up, ear kept popping) that went on for months. Doctor (pulmo) finally gave me a prescription for a steroid sinus spray. It was amazing! Cleared me up really fast.

I can also recommend a bowl of steaming water---stick your face in the steam and cover your head with a towel. Just relax and breathe for about 10 minutes. A good hot shower can do the same thing. Some people with COPD can't stand to do either of these--it adversely affects their breathing.

Another thing that can cause the problems you are having is nasal polyps. That can require having them removed. An ENT can do this in the office.

Hope you get to feeling better soon.

[maryaz]

Thanks Merry for the reply. I had this and it lasted at least 6 weeks. This was after I got out of the hospital in March. It was much worse then than it is now. It got worse while I didn't know what was going on. My sinus' were a mess all the time in the hospital. I got really poor care in the hospital for 8 days.

I cannot do hot showers and so would doubt the steam would work either. I didn't realize this for sure until today. That is why I want to catch it early. The other time, the only one that suggested anything was my pulmonary doctor. He told me to use the Afrin for 12 days. After I did, he said might need one or more times but not much then. I was sure nothing was going to work. I was driving my son whacky, especially with air flowing from vents and fans. It finally opened up. This was all thru Joe's last days. So frustrating.

There is no pain and wasn't before either. Other than I could feel it plugged. I didn't notice the hearing when Justin was here Monday. Hearing was gone today. It is allergy and sinus but I never know for sure what to do. I never had this before. I had a bad setup in the hospital and think the air blowing on me didn't help, and another day in the Heart Drs office.

Afrin is one that normally they tell you not to use more than 3 days and take a break. We always use distilled water with any of the equipment. I wasn't sure that putting the water on didn't bring it on. Probably not.

What was the steroid sinus spray your doctor gave you. I use Flonase now. Thanks again.

[Cherylmcc]

Oh boy, Mary - I hope you get this cleared up.

[merryfl]

Mary - I don't remember the name - only that it was by prescription and it kind of burned when I sprayed it...but, boy did it work to clear me up!

[Colleen-NC]

I always used the neti pot and felt much better....I have tried all those sprays and they can take a couple weeks to work and I hate the taste, other than that I have no suggestions. My dr once told me that if the sinus gets bad enough it will drain into ears so hopefully you can get the sinuses under control and the ear will just naturally follow...here hoping anyway......feel better soon

[kenaz]

Mary, Colleen, my sleep DR said I was using my nasal spray wrong. He said to keep head straight and use two sprays in each nostril. DO NOT sniff in when you spary but to pinch my nose shut for a couple minutes so the spray has time to penetrate sinus tissue in nose. He said if you caan taste the medication in the spray it is wasted. It really helped me. I use two sprays in each nostril at least once, sometimes two or three times a day. In the evening I use the nasal spray.
Good luck Mary

[Colleen-NC]

Thanks for the tip on the nasal sprays Ken, been doing it wrong for years...will try this the next time.