#1 ·
Here’s the situation, everyone—I’m posting this because of my mother, and honestly, I’m at my wit's end. She started experiencing this tinnitus about five months ago. In the beginning, it was just a ringing sound that would come and go, but since those early stages, it’s been happening almost every single day, especially during the night...
Over the last week, however, the rustling and ringing have intensified significantly. Actually, the rustling specifically kicked in about seven days ago, and now she’s dealing with physical pain whenever the ear is touched. We've moved past mere noise into actual, sharp physical discomfort. I am completely out of ideas on what to tell her or how to actually help.
She went to see an ENT specialist at a private clinic here in San Diego, but all the doctor did was shine a little flashlight into her ear and call it a day. That was it. The ringing hasn't stopped, so it makes me wonder—is it even possible that no one, not even her primary care physician, is suggesting any real diagnostic work? No imaging of the head, no detailed ear exams, nothing? Look, I’m no medical professional, but it strikes me as bizarre that her doctor wouldn't recommend further testing—especially since, for the last week, she’s been in physical pain rather than just hearing a noise. Couldn't this be an infection, a bacterial issue, or something along those lines? When I look at the outside of her left ear—the one that’s hurting and ringing—the area looks slightly swollen compared to the right side. What should our next move be?
Everything that private doctor told her when she saw him a month ago was essentially just a referral to another specialist. Seriously—does one need to be a world-class expert just to get a referral for detailed imaging of the ear or the head, or some kind of analysis more substantial than a flashlight check? Forgive the sarcasm, but I think you’ll understand where I'm coming from.
She’s telling me now that when she touches her ear or applies pressure at a certain angle, it feels like she's "opening" something up. Even when she yawns, there’s this popping sensation. Is it really possible that this isn't a physical issue, given that there is actual physical pain involved now? I'm feeling pretty frustrated with this private practitioner; considering what she paid for the consultation, it feels both ridiculous and pathetic that a simple flashlight exam was the extent of the service provided...
Perhaps I’m overreacting with my anger toward the private doctor, seeing as she wasn't experiencing physical pain back then, but I still can't wrap my head around the fact that he basically handed her a diagnosis of "it's just noise" and then just gave her another number to call...
Prior to five months ago, she had never dealt with this ringing in her entire life. So, what does a person actually have to do to get someone—even her own doctor—to order a systematic checkup or an MRI/CT scan of the ear or head (not that I'm an expert)?
I think the best course of action is to call that other specialist on Monday, because she simply cannot endure this anymore. My mom says it feels like there is an "apple" stuck in her ear—a heavy sensation, likely from internal swelling. She also mentioned that occasionally something wet leaks out of the ear, which provides a momentary sense of relief.
Over the last week, however, the rustling and ringing have intensified significantly. Actually, the rustling specifically kicked in about seven days ago, and now she’s dealing with physical pain whenever the ear is touched. We've moved past mere noise into actual, sharp physical discomfort. I am completely out of ideas on what to tell her or how to actually help.
She went to see an ENT specialist at a private clinic here in San Diego, but all the doctor did was shine a little flashlight into her ear and call it a day. That was it. The ringing hasn't stopped, so it makes me wonder—is it even possible that no one, not even her primary care physician, is suggesting any real diagnostic work? No imaging of the head, no detailed ear exams, nothing? Look, I’m no medical professional, but it strikes me as bizarre that her doctor wouldn't recommend further testing—especially since, for the last week, she’s been in physical pain rather than just hearing a noise. Couldn't this be an infection, a bacterial issue, or something along those lines? When I look at the outside of her left ear—the one that’s hurting and ringing—the area looks slightly swollen compared to the right side. What should our next move be?
Everything that private doctor told her when she saw him a month ago was essentially just a referral to another specialist. Seriously—does one need to be a world-class expert just to get a referral for detailed imaging of the ear or the head, or some kind of analysis more substantial than a flashlight check? Forgive the sarcasm, but I think you’ll understand where I'm coming from.
She’s telling me now that when she touches her ear or applies pressure at a certain angle, it feels like she's "opening" something up. Even when she yawns, there’s this popping sensation. Is it really possible that this isn't a physical issue, given that there is actual physical pain involved now? I'm feeling pretty frustrated with this private practitioner; considering what she paid for the consultation, it feels both ridiculous and pathetic that a simple flashlight exam was the extent of the service provided...
Perhaps I’m overreacting with my anger toward the private doctor, seeing as she wasn't experiencing physical pain back then, but I still can't wrap my head around the fact that he basically handed her a diagnosis of "it's just noise" and then just gave her another number to call...
Prior to five months ago, she had never dealt with this ringing in her entire life. So, what does a person actually have to do to get someone—even her own doctor—to order a systematic checkup or an MRI/CT scan of the ear or head (not that I'm an expert)?
I think the best course of action is to call that other specialist on Monday, because she simply cannot endure this anymore. My mom says it feels like there is an "apple" stuck in her ear—a heavy sensation, likely from internal swelling. She also mentioned that occasionally something wet leaks out of the ear, which provides a momentary sense of relief.