Hearing loss after congested night of CPAP

[harkonnen30]

I'm new to the board and to CPAP therapy. Been using it for about 2 weeks and my pressure is set at 4-18. Last night while using my machine I woke up in the middle of the night extremely congested - so I assumed I was breathing through my mouth for a long period of time. 

I had been wearing the nasal mask for about 6 hours at this point. I now have the feeling of muffled sound mostly in my left ear but also slightly in the right. It's similar to the sensation before your ears pop from quick altitude changes, but the loss in hearing is more severe. I also hear a constant humming/ringing sound as well. It's been about 7 hours and the symptoms haven't changed, so I think it's more than mild irritation.

When I was testing the nasal mask in the past, I've tried breathing through my mouth to see what happens. It seems to create a lot of pressure in my sinuses, so I assume this is what was happening last night. My hypothesis is that this open mouth breathing (due to congestion) could have resulted in a lot of internal sinus pressure leading to ear drum damage, but this is a guess. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, is there anything to be done about it? Should I got see a Dr.?

Thanks

[skiajl6297]

I am no doctor, but as someone who has experienced multiple inner ear issues, including infections and hearing loss as a result, I would at least consider getting yourself to an ENT to rule out anything acute. Do you think you ruptured your eardrum? Did you have any blood or other fluid leaking from the afflicted ear? Any vertigo issues/dizziness or disorientation/balance problems afterward?

You may just have a sinus infection or other upper respiratory ailment that PAp pressure exacerbated. But if it was me, and I was in pain, I would call my doctor, ask them for their thoughts, and react accordingly. Good luck!

[harkonnen30]

I am no doctor, but as someone who has experienced multiple inner ear issues, including infections and hearing loss as a result, I would at least consider getting yourself to an ENT to rule out anything acute.  Do you think you ruptured your eardrum?  Did you have any blood or other fluid leaking from the afflicted ear?  Any vertigo issues/dizziness or disorientation/balance problems afterward?

You may just have a sinus infection or other upper respiratory ailment that PAp pressure exacerbated.  But if it was me, and I was in pain, I would call my doctor, ask them for their thoughts, and react accordingly.  Good luck!

Hi I don't have any fluids coming out of my ear, so I guess that's good. No vertigo or dizziness either - just hearing loss and pressure.

[ardenum]

i get this occasionally after i put my silicone ear plugs to deep, your ear cannals might be clogged so go get them professionally cleaned.

[mesenteria]

I agree with the above statement of crowtor's.  I have been having some stuffiness lately, and my left ear sounds 'dull'.  I have had to have my ears cleaned by our family physician twice in the past decade.  First, though, I have to put two drops of extra-virgin olive oil in the affected ear and stop the canal up with a small wad of cotton.  I do this once a day for ten days, and then present myself for the syringing process which, like a miracle, clears the canal very well indeed.  I have to ask him to stop shouting.

In this case, though, it could also just be congestion in the eustachian tube. Have you tried a decongestant? Are you hydrating enough during the day?

[harkonnen30]

I agree with the above statement of crowtor's.  I have been having some stuffiness lately, and my left ear sounds 'dull'.  I have had to have my ears cleaned by our family physician twice in the past decade.  First, though, I have to put two drops of extra-virgin olive oil in the affected ear and stop the canal up with a small wad of cotton.  I do this once a day for ten days, and then present myself for the syringing process which, like a miracle, clears the canal very well indeed.  I have to ask him to stop shouting.

In this case, though, it could also just be congestion in the eustachian tube.  Have you tried a decongestant?  Are you hydrating enough during the day?

I am taking Zyrtec and Afrin.

[mesenteria]

I'm not familiar with those, but if they are decongestants, is it at all possible that you could be in 'rebound'?  Overuse of decongestants can cause a rebound effect that actually brings on congestion.  I'm not suggesting you are misusing them, but wondering if there's a slow build-up of toxicity or some other effect like rebound in the literature.

[skiajl6297]

OP - be careful with Afrin - you probably already know this but it is highly addictive, and is not intended to be used for more than 3 consecutive days. It becomes way less effective over time, requiring you to use more and more to achieve the same result, and don't even think about suddenly stopping if you have been using for awhile. It develops into a very difficult to kick habit that for some, is only kicked using RX steroids to bring the rebound inflammation back down. Ask me how I found this out, as a lifetime sufferer of a stuffy nose, and UARS.

Good luck!

[harkonnen30]

OP - be careful with Afrin - you probably already know this but it is highly addictive, and is not intended to be used for more than 3 consecutive days.   It becomes way less effective over time, requiring you to use more and more to achieve the same result, and don't even think about suddenly stopping if you have been using for awhile.  It develops into a very difficult to kick habit that for some, is only kicked using RX steroids to bring the rebound inflammation back down.  Ask me how I found this out, as a lifetime sufferer of a stuffy nose, and UARS.  

Good luck!

How did you find this out?