Dang, this ear. I went to the walk-in clinic again this morning, a week after my last time. The infection is gone. “Don’t take this anymore,” the doc said, referring to the antibiotics. Instead, my Eustachian tube is plugged causing a buildup of inner ear fluids.
Now I’m on Sterile Saline Nasal Mist spray, Phlegm and Mucous Relief (acetaminophen 500mg, dextromethorphan hydrobromide 15mg, pseudoephedrine hydrochloride 30mg, and guaifenesin 100mg), and Cough & Chest Congestion syrup (dextromethorphan hydrobromide 15mg again, and guaifenesin 100mg again).
Gotta have my dextromethorphan hydrobromide and guaifenesin! Tastes like crap. But it’s not all bad. I’m also chewing gum and eating corn chips, both of which have in the past allowed my Eustachian tube to drain properly.
The bizarre side effect, if you can call it that, of having this Eustachian tube plugged is that sound in the right ear appears to be a bit more than one note higher in pitch than the left (normal) ear. So, in effect, I’m hearing two different pitches of sound at once. So much for playing guitar. Plug the bad ear, and music sounds normal. Plug the good one, and everything is raised by one note. I thought I was losing my mind. The nurse didn’t think so. He says this is pretty normal for tinnitus.
So that’s what I have. Tinnitus. Or is it? Tinnitus is not really a disease but rather a symptom of whatever ailment that is causing it.
One good thing has come of this. I’ve learned how to spell Tinnitus and Eustachian.