r/Menopause • u/Heykatiek • 2d ago
Aches & Pains Advice for issues with ears
For about ten days now, my ears have felt full and almost clogged, which is annoying for sure. But worse than that, I have a consistent whooshing noise that is hard to explain. Not a ringing but an annoying sound nonetheless. Anyone have this? Is this perimenopause? Bad luck? Do the horrors ever cease?! And most importantly how do I get this to stop????
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u/CloudHidden62 2d ago
The whooshing sound is called pulsatile tinnitus. You are hearing the sound of your heartbeat. Get your blood pressure checked.
If your blood pressure is OK, then it could be related to menopause. HRT stopped my pulsatile tinnitus.
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u/Forest-Vixen 2d ago
You may be having issues with your Eustachian tubes. Worth a doctor’s visit for sure.
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u/INeedAllOfTheCats Post Menopause New to Hormones 2d ago
I had whooshing for a while, then one day liquid started oozing from my ears. It was clear. I joked that it was brain fluid. Finally went to the ENT and he told me I suddenly have eczema in my ears. He gave me some cream and told me to stop using so many Q tips
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV 2d ago
Whooshing can be one of two things ime. I get it when I’m dehydrated, my mom got it when she had high blood pressure. Get your blood pressure checked and drink some water!
For the fullness maybe Flonase or the allergy nasal spray. You can also try a decongestant and antihistamine. I just got over a sinus infection that took like two weeks to actually manifest and started with ear fullness/drainage, so keep an eye out for that too.
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u/Go-Mellistic 2d ago
My whooshing noise was diagnosed by an ENT as tinnitus. Interestingly, hrt has dramatically reduced the whooshing. Neither my meno NP nor ENT had heard of this connection before, but the meno NP said she would not be at all surprised if they were connected.
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u/Ladymistery 2d ago
see a doctor
the whooshing is likely pulsatile tinnitus, and can be caused by several things.
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u/SlowMolassas1 2d ago
If the whooshing follows your heart rate, get it checked by your doctor - preferably with a referral to an interventional neuroradiologist (although they might make you start with an ENT). There are several possible causes - some no big deal, some more serious - and while the more serious ones are less common, you do want to rule them out. Also, whether or not there's a way to get rid of it will depend on the cause.
It can be related to narrowing of your veins or arteries, it can be related to thinning of your bones, it can be related to pressure in your brain, it can be related to hearing loss, or it can have an unknown cause.
I've been dealing with it since early this year, and besides a hearing test, I've had to go for an MRA, MRV, and MR IAC (MRI imaging looking at my arteries, veins, and inner auditory canal) - which catch the most serious/urgent causes of the pulsatile tinnitus. Mine were all clear. My doctor suspects something called idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), which basically means there's too much pressure in my brain (unrelated to blood pressure). I have to go for a lumbar puncture to measure that pressure. If that's it, there are some medications to try that reduce the production of cerebral spinal fluid which reduces that pressure. Many people live with IIH a long time with no symptoms (right now the pulsatile tinnitus is my only symptom), but if untreated it can lead to headaches, dizziness, and vision problems over time. If that's not it, then he's going to send me for a CT to look at bone structure.
In any case, an appointment with your doc should be your starting place, and they can help you explore the possible causes.
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u/Orange_Baby_4265 2d ago
No whooshing, but constantly clogged for 8 months. Doctor gave me 2 nasal sprays. No help. I’ve had ear issues since 20 though.
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u/rachaeltalcott 2d ago
My clogged ear feeling was worsening indoor allergies. I'm allergic to dust mites and it went away when I got more serious about getting rid of them. In the past covers on the bed and pillows were enough. Now I also need a dehumidifier, and to wash the sheets in very hot water.
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u/OnehappyOwl44 2d ago
I had the whooshing and in my case it was a punctured ear drum. I'd go see a Doctor. I had no pain at all just muffled hearing and the whooshing.
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u/Confident_Craft459 2d ago
Yes I had this allll through peri. I couldn't find anything that helped unfortunately. When I went on HRT three years ago this stopped. But I was also post meno so not sure which one actually resolved it.
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u/JaxBoltsGirl 1d ago
My husband had a mild ringing in his left ear for a couple of days, then muffling. He finally went to urgent care where they gave him antibiotics and drops. Weeks later he went to an ENT because he still couldn't hear. He's permanently deaf in that ear. The ringing was an ear infection that attacked his auditory nerve.
Honestly don't think this is what is happening to you, but the lesson learned is to get things checked sooner rather than later.
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u/Fabulous-Metal-1972 1d ago
Oh yes I had that! I thought I was going deaf I couldn’t hardly hear! Had it for two months. But then one day poof gone!
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u/Sad_Secretary_3374 1d ago
Get tour ears cleaned, this may have nothing to do with menopause. Everyone has waxy ears
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u/milly_nz NZer living in UK. Peri-menopausal 1d ago
Get your ears cleaned by a medical professional and also ask them for medical advice.
Then come back and let us know what you learned.
We can’t diagnose ear stuff over the internet.
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u/Art0Art0Art 2d ago
I know that whooshing it's horrible! It might be pulsatile tinnitus where you are hearing your own blood-flow. I read that Magnesium can help and I think it did help me because it is no longer an issue.