Vid19 (it's still out there) and your ears?

[digitaldrummer]

so it finally got me a couple weeks ago (went to see some music at an apparent super-spreader event). I've had my shots so it was fairly mild symptom-wise and for sure by the 10th day test was negative again. But one of my ears was really feeling plugged (probably 60%+ attenuation) and the other a bit too (20%?). still does. I thought I was getting a secondary sinus infection, went to CVS late last Friday and begged the doc for an antibiotic (because I've had enough sinus infections that it really felt like one). Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be doing much and now I'm wondering if it is just the effects of covid? Realistically it's only been about 2.5 weeks now since onset. I spoke to a friend who said he went deaf for a couple weeks (an exaggeration, but I took that to mean he had stuffed ears too). This is some scary shit for us musician/engineer types. I've got work to do (drums, mixing, recording) but it feels uncomfortable sometimes (especially playing loud drums) and I certainly don't trust my ears yet.

anyone else have a similar experience and did it go back to normal?

[kslight]

Can’t say I had this experience, but I did have to take decongestants for about a week following just for sinus issues. Have you tried this?

[digitaldrummer]

Can’t say I had this experience, but I did have to take decongestants for about a week following just for sinus issues. Have you tried this?

a little relief but not at all normal. Maybe I'm impatient but I don't like it at all!

[kslight]

Can’t say I had this experience, but I did have to take decongestants for about a week following just for sinus issues. Have you tried this?

a little relief but not at all normal. Maybe I'm impatient but I don't like it at all!

I get it, I have had my ears get pretty stuffed up before when sick. I really didn’t feel too bad, the only reason I tested in the first place was because I had a headache and my mom had tested positive (whom I had lunch with a few days prior, she already felt sick but didn’t occur to her to test herself before lunch…she’s a fucking nurse of all things…).

Have you tried Debrox?

[digitaldrummer]

Have you tried Debrox?

not familiar so looked it up. I don't think it's wax. I was into the ENT earlier this year and was told everything looked good (and I asked specifically because there is some family history of build up). actually I feel a little more normal today so there's still hope!

[alexdingley]

anyone else have a similar experience and did it go back to normal?

Nearly identical experience / went fully back to normal… but it wasn’t actually Covid in my case. I had Covid over the summer (after full vax and my Oct 2021 booster). Got 2nd booster in Oct ‘22, and around thanksgiving I felt VERY much like I had Covid again. But after several Negative tests for 3 straight weeks, both home tests and two Urgent care administered tests, it was determined NOT to be Covid.

I have a toddler and it was probably a combo of multiple viral infections (passed from her) and then I finally had strep-C. From late November until Xmas, I had nothing above 2Khz in my left ear and there were times when it was so painful I thought I had permanent damage.

After the strep diagnosis, they ended up hitting me with two rounds of Augmentin… and it finally gave way. My hearing is back to 100% (of what it was before)


So long story short. Make sure they check you for bacterial infections again / don’t be afraid to take super strong antibiotics. (Clearly I’m no doctor, but if my guesses are right) maybe you should get some probiotic in the gut and let the augmentin do it’s thing. It might be a few more weeks, but I think you’ll be okay.

[digitaldrummer]

yeah, I had something last year (also not rona - or so the tests said but who knows) that messed up my ears then and I ended up visiting the ENT. that took a month or so to resolve but eventually came back to (my) normal. But if I'm not feeling like this is improving by next week I'll be going back to the ENT for sure (but it's not cheap to see a "specialist", even with insurance).

[drumsound]

Can’t say I had this experience, but I did have to take decongestants for about a week following just for sinus issues. Have you tried this?

This is similar to my experience.

Mike, you and I are on very similar timelines. I'm about a week out from my negative test. I'm still having congestion and coughing.

[mjau]

About a week out from finally testing negative here, too, and my ears / sinuses are all kinds of messy. It’s pollen season where I live, so I think it’s hitting me harder this year as it’s immediately following the Covid fun I just went through. And Covid knocked me OUT for days.

[digitaldrummer]

I think it's always pollen season where I live, but it's been "cedar season" and that always messes people up. Luckily my ears cleared up soon after I started this thread and I've been back in the studio so hang in there - there is light at the end of the tunnel (and it's not a train)!