What is wrong with my ear? A ringing noise in my ear?
nicholasdewaal
Information:
Information:
I always wear foam earplugs at night. Could earplugs be damaging my ear?
The earplugs cause the inside of my ears to itch, so I stuck a cotton swab in my ear to itch it. Could I have punctured the eardrum and caused it to ring?
I went swimming and my ears hurt afterwards. It was two days later that my ear started ringing.
I got a cold about the time my ear started ringing. My cold is pretty much over with, but the ringing is still there.
I also hear a popping in my right ear when I chew with earplugs in, but not in my left ear. My right ear is the one that rings. Could it be that my eardrum is punctured?
The only medication I have taken is Zinc nasal spray for a cold I have had.
Tinnitus Help
You might have tinnitus.
Don’t blame your earplugs–and you would know if you punctured your eardrum from intense stabbing pain when you used your Q-tip, and possible bleeding. it is likely you have some Eustachian tube dysfunction in your ear from your recent cold, especially since you are hearing “popping” in that ear, which is the ear’s way of trying to re-establish correct air pressure in your ear (like after flying). You would NOT hear popping if the drum was not intact. Try 2 puffs of afrin in each nostril 2x a day to try to reduce swelling and open the Eustachian tube up.