Ear tubes to help with CPAP ear pressure?

[ragtopcircus]

I get air to leak out of my eye (tear duct I suppose) when I am using the CPAP. I need a wee little party horn or kazoo for it. Hey, we could form a band!

Hmmm, I do sometimes feel a tiny bit of air blowing in my eyes with no apparent leaks ....

I need to have my eardrum punctured to drain a month or two before starting CPAP, but didn’t get a tube. The hole closed within a week or so.

Sometimes that ear will suddenly inflate when I shift my head on the pillow. I use the technique you described, sometimes followed by swallowing and/or gently sucking while holding my nose. Sometimes I also tug down and outward mommy earlobe (roughly 45 degrees) while swallowing.

[ragtopcircus]

Oops, I just noticed the “mommy earlobe” autocorrection snafu. The window for corrections has already closed. Oh well.

[REMless]

If your ear fullness persists after performing the valsalva maneuver, you might have a physiological problem.

I had a CT scan of my head last year, ordered by the ENT. We were looking for reasons for my symptoms (vertigo, ear fullness, ear pain, tinnitus). Not only did they find I had a brain (I waved the proof in front of several friends) but there was no tumor, no eustachian tube issues, etc.

Your symptoms do sound like meniere’s.   If that is indeed your diagnosis then tubes may not help much for that and you should get an allergy, metabolic and or autoimmune workup.  If you do suspect allergies and autoimmune issues ensure that your ENT specializes in this area.

[PaulaO2]

Yeah, the dx isn't official but that is where they are leaning.

[teamjingle]

I had a CT scan of my head last year, ordered by the ENT. We were looking for reasons for my symptoms (vertigo, ear fullness, ear pain, tinnitus). Not only did they find I had a brain (I waved the proof in front of several friends) but there was no tumor, no eustachian tube issues, etc.

Hey! I'm brand new to CPAP (on week 3), but this caught my eye because I have something called an Acoustic Neuroma - with the exact same ear symptoms. I also had a clear CT scan, but the symptoms continued and gradually added on new friends of facial tingling/numbness. About a year later my doctor ordered an MRI and they found the neuroma in my inner ear. I am finding that the neuroma and my cpap do not always play well together. I was treated a few years ago for the neuroma and now the fullness, pain, and tinnitus are more pronounced with the cpap. 

Not wanting to diagnose you OR alarm you... just want to let you know that the CT scan might not reflect everything that's happening in your ear.

[PaulaO2]

Yeah, that's what they were looking for. Neuromas, malformations, etc. The CT scan was done with and without contrast. The only thing found were white spots in my brain which they said were calcifications due to migraines. So now I take low dose aspirin because, hey, I don't take enough meds.

The tinnitus is driving me nuts. I can't sit in the quiet anymore without slowly getting agitated. I have music going all the time. Or use my whitenoise app to play "pink" noise mixed with whatever. Then add in the fullness/pressure and the ear pain and I'm a happy camper.

But, I'll use the CPAP because, over the years, I have become addicted to sleeping. Nasty habit, sure, but I just can't seem to quit. Ya know?

[jiyun]

Hello! Did you solve your giddy tinnitus ear pressure problem? I have been using cpap for 6 months and this problem occurs when I use cpap.. I have been stopping cpap for a few days now and my heart is not good so I have to use cpap again one day. However, after using cpap, my head feels full of pressure, my tinnitus gets worse, and I can't hear for a while, so no doctor has been able to help me..