Ears...

I've always had trouble with my ears. My mother tells me that I couldn't hear at all until I was two--when they put tubes in my ears. At that time, I was so disturbed by all noises that I couldn't ride in a car with the windows even cracked and held my hands to my ears when loud people were around.

Though my hearing hasn't always been perfect, it has been within normal ranges and I can get by in most situations with a little assistance from lip reading. Most people would never know that I had some hearing loss or problems with my ears.

Until this past year, I'd been managing my ear problems with OTC allergy medications and decongestants. I could always feel an allergy attack or cold coming on and was rigorous to make sure that my congestion stayed at a minimum because I did not want an ear infection. But things have changed with the ears this year and while the deoncgesants are staving off infections I'm often dizzy...today is one such day when I'm dizzy. It's difficult to get up, turn around and drive cars...and makes me feel clumsy and worry that I'll fall and end up getting hurt.

So, I went to an ENT yesterday--a good one with a reputation for working with adults. He was shocked that I hadn't lost significant hearing in my right ear (the test confirmed that my hearing is within normal range) because he said my eustacian tube does not function at all. This was determined by a pressure test and him pumping air into my ear rather vigorously (I don't recommend this as a fun thing for most people!). He said, too, that I have a nerve disorder in my ear that is genetic and was very surprised to hear that both of my parents still had their hearing.

So, I called mom last night to get some answers. Turns out that Daddy had ear aches as a child. And that Aunt Betty and my Daddy both have serious issues flying--as do I. So, there is a link to similar issues with our ears. Papa T may have also had ear problems because he did go deaf after a bad cold, but it's not something in my memory to be able to determine if it was a similar type of problem or damage resulting from not getting the cold cleared up.

The solution first off is to get my allergies under control and maintain with rigor a congestion-free sinus cavity. I've been put on two different allergy meds and hopefully that will take care of the congestion and all my ears to clear up. He also recommends I get tubes in my ears. He said that they can be put in permanently that will allow for proper drainage and pressure maintenance--which apparently will make flying pain free. I can't even imagine, but think a minor surgery that could make flying pain free would be absolutely worth it.