'Ear, 'Ear.


I’ve been deaf in my right ear all day today, thanks to some kind of Eustachian tube shenanigans, either caused by a low-level infection or just a build-up of earwax (lovely image) and it’s really been getting me down.

I had similar problems off and on towards the end of my time in Edinburgh, which I took just to be illustrative of me being run down. I’d fully intended to see the doctor when I got home, only to find it had seemed to clear up - until today that is, when I’ve spent the whole day feeling like I’m underwater; it’s disorientating and irritating in equal measure, and may result in me buying an ear trumpet (which is the best kind of brass instrument).

I’ve had a long history or ear problems, from suffering terribly painful infections as a child resulting in me having grommets fitted, to being hit with labyrinthitis in 2010: a condition that has never really gone. I’m not thinking for a moment this instance will be anything as bad as the two others already mentioned, but it’s still irritating; I wouldn’t mind if I’d been at high altitude or 20,000 leagues under the sea.

The fact this problem fell in the middle of the weekend led to the inevitable attempt at a solution (i.e. turning to the internet). I’ve tried all kinds of tips and tricks to no avail…until literally a few minutes ago, when a few subtle jaw movements resulted in a slight, almost negligible improvement, but I’m holding onto it; this might be all I’ll get out of my right ear for ever more; I may change my name to Brian Wilson.

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