Ears, noses and throats – oh my

I’ve been having a hard time hearing lately – especially in crowds. Although some of this can be blamed on getting older, apparently going hard of hearing at 35 is a BIT young.

I talked to my doctor about it and also explained that my ears always feel wet. You know – that feeling where you want to jab your figures in your ears and wiggle around until it stops feeling wet? Or maybe that’s just me, but that should give you a good idea of how it makes me feel.

She had a look in my ears and the diagnosis was water in my middle ear.  So that wet feeling is because there’s water in there I can’t get out. This is the kind of problem kids get that they need to have tubes put into their ears.  Adults don’t usually get this kind of thing because the tubes in their ears and big and well developed.  Unless they aren’t – like mine.

She then proceeded to tell me I needed to do all kinds of things for my sinuses – nasal sprays, x-rays, etc. Hm. Bizarre. I wasn’t stuffed up. She even asked and I said no. But this is apparently step one to trying everything to flow properly. I’m also getting a referral to an ear nose and throat guy.

I started the nasal spray – kind of makes me feel like water went up my nose at the pool which I’m not very fond of.  I also decided to use a netipot because my father is such a big fan for his sinuses and since we’re focusing on sinuses and I was told the steroid nasal spray should be rinsed out of my nasal passages.

I used the netipot for the first time this evening:

- It was bizarre and I choked, but only the very first time I used it.  I got comfortable with the process far faster than I expected.

- Feeling the water run its course through your nasal passages is very weird. Particularly since it felt like it was running through the back of my throat before pouring out the other side of my nose.

- When I blew my nose afterwards to clear things out my ears started popping like crazy.

- My ears feel wetter than ever. Did I manage to pour water in my nose and into my inner ear??! That would be a stellarly bad use of a netipot.

- Apparently people die if they use tap water in their netipot. You will definitely find this out if you tweet or Facebook about using a netipot.  I used distilled water as per the instructions that came with the pot

I will keep using the netipot and nasal spray for awhile. My ear nose and throat appointment is in August.  Until then, if I smile and nod blankly at you at an event, chances are I couldn’t understand a word and have just given up asking people to repeat themselves.

Have you used a netipot?