[serman005]

This happens to me when I have an upper respiratory infection only. Guess I am quite lucky.

 

[ashleypsandoval]

This has happened to me for as long as I can remember! Anyone find a solution? Its seriously the worst!! I had three sets of tubes as a child and still have sinus problems today. I always assumed it was fluid draining from my tubes that might still be there.

 

[Juliesodonewiththis]

The same thing started happening to me this month. Stumped 3 primary doctors so far and I have noticed the amount of draining with eating is increasing. I will definitely bring food to my next doctor appointment to prove it as suggested here! I have an ENT appointment in a month -- a friend who is a nurse recommended the doctor her and said she was very good. But based on the comments in this thread I am not too hopeful that there will be a diagnosis. I also shared with the same friend that I suspected I needed a neurologist based on an article (see link below) but she advised me not to go there. Any updates or other diagnosis that might be available? Here was the article: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/05/15/leaking-brain-fluid/322609001/

 

[davisman]

My ears drain regularly, but nothing like you guys are suffering. I too have to keep q tips handy and sometimes it feels like the floodgates open and water is moving through my ear canals. I have pretty bad sinus issues and figured it was related. Im just lucky that I have clear drainage, my poor dad gets hard buildup that he has to scoop out.

I came across a product on amazon that helped him out, but didnt do much for me. I think it is more for hard build up. Its called and elephant ear washer.

But yea, that is why I haven't invested in quality IEMs. I use earrasers when I am on my motorcycle and I have to rebuild/replace the housing every few weeks. I could only imagine the damage that would do to IEMs.

 

[Meshaboo]

Wow, thank you all so much for sharing, but I'm sad to hear that you also deal with this. I've long suspected that it could be a CSF leak, but I didn't want to look into it too much for some reason... I guess it's because it's been so difficult to get a doctor to even care enough to investigate. I just don't know what to do or who to go to anymore. I'm pissed yet feel defeated....

 

[Kkim09]

Hello,
I have had this exact problem for a year now. I am starting to figure out how to manage it. First thing you need to do is figure out what foods trigger it. It may seem all foods do, but start making changes and keep tract of what makes it worse vs. Better. For me food items high in sugar, salt, caffeine, & dairy trigger my ears to become filled with fluid. I switched cows milk to almond milk. I also can only eat bland cereals like rice crispies, chex mix. These types of cereals don't have added sugar. Making these changes are worth it because having fluid filled ears is miserable. Sometimes its hard to stick to the diet, but as soon as I give in and eat something that triggers it, my ears are filled with fluid.I also have seen Drs and ENT & they have never seen/heard of anything like it. If anyone tries this and it works let me know. I started seeing a correlation between what I ate and how my ears reacted to it. Its not all foods with sugar, salt, dairy,caffeine but if it's large amounts of it then it would trigger it.
Thanks!

 

[Arm5078]

I've been trying to research this on and off for the last few years. Finally found this thread! I have the same thing, unfortunately. My ears drain when I wake up, go to bed, eat, drink beverages, and sometimes just randomly. Q-tips are my savior but I also wonder if using them started this problem in the first place. When I use my finger to "pop" or squish my ears, my husband can actually hear it. I've been thinking about recording the sound and showing it to the doctor so they can see what I mean. My father also has this same issue. Glad to see I'm not alone but disappointed to realize that there seems to be no answer as to why it happens or how to stop it. If anyone gets answers, please post!

 

[lee70]

I'm so happy to find this thread, also! Many of you have expressed the same frustrations that I have had the past 8 years. Also, many of you have it worse than I do, so I'm sorry. I started noticing that my ears were draining at night about 8 years ago. I mentioned it to my pcp, who waved it off as ear wax and suggested I stop using q-tips. It became worse, not better, so much drainage that my pillow has big wet spots each morning. I eventually convinced the pcp that I needed to see an ENT, but the ENT also dismissed it. By this time, the draining is happening during the day when upright, but it is random and not consistent, but as soon as I lay down it starts again. Because of severe migraines, my pcp ordered an mri, which detected fluid in the left mastoid. I was sent back to the ENT, who again considered the fluid in the mastoid insignificant, not connected to the draining, and told me to ignore the draining. When I told my pcp this, she suggested I see a different ENT, which I did. This second ENT did take it more seriously, but also did not discover where the fluid is coming from. I have a neurologist now for the migraines and because of a small aneurysm that was discovered during the mri, but he does not think the ear drainage has any connection to the migraines. I have stopped seeing the ENT because they have exhausted all testing and did not come up with an answer. Meanwhile, the fluid drainage from both ears continues and is super annoying. Meshaboo, you mentioned concern of a CSF leak, and I've wondered about this also. I have not mentioned this possibility to any of the doctors because I don't want to appear to be self-diagnosing. I know this isn't a solution any of you were hoping for - I was just so excited to commiserate with others who have been experiencing this. This is the first time I've found my peers, much needed validation found!

 

[Aprilhaarer]

Omg praise God to find someone else with the problems I have. 10 ENT no one can explain and I do bring food to show them and they are flabbergasted. Sunflower seeds and it dripping onto my chest . I suffer from chronic fungal infections that they clear up but comes back because of conditions of moisture. I have had headaches fatigue vertigo and it seems to be getting worse as the years go bye more symptoms and more symptoms keep arising I have a fatty liver and I don’t drink never have I have cysts on my kidneys in before the tooth I was completely healthy athletic body It all started when I had a root canal I would be eating and a stabbing pain would hit me so hard I would dropped my fork and start screaming in tears started pouring immediately that only lasted for a month or two this for six years ago and thank God the pain stopped or I’d be in amend metal Institute by now.Currently I have been diagnosed with a brain lesion and I tend to think of maybe we have cell phone here as I did a report on cell phones the 12 week one research paper and it said we wouldn’t know the effects of cell phones for years I am sick and tired of the arrogance as each ear nose and throat doctor thinks they’re going to cure the problem with some drops or their special medicine and I land up listening to them tell me they’ll treat me for my chronic fungal infection but they don’t now and of course they don’t say I don’t know in their findings reports I see a neurologist an endocrinologist Ophthalmologist-and ear nose and throat doctor and all I can say is at least I have the neurologist and the ear nose and throat doctor in the same office currently working together.I used to experience this stinky sticky hot liquid it would run out my ear when I placed my jar in a certain way this has currently stopped since I pulled that bad root canal that had severely been infected for five years between my bone in my gums. Oh and currently had a CT scan done on my temporal bone and I have to foci in my parotid gland that they never seen before but picking up my reports the brain lesion was always there and they never told me I only got told about it when I went to the ER for extreme weight gain I thought I was pregnant then when they put me in an MRI machine for a brain scan I was so dizzy For six weeks and counting migraines that I really thought I was dying I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I pray every day that I get fixed as I have an eight-year-old son to keep up with and it’s so hard I think even my husband left me because of my sickness and all those years they told me they didn’t find anything I’m really mad that after I started picking up my reports that there was something they can explain all these things but the brain lesion has been there since 08 and one more thing I can’t see anything it’s a brain lesion is sitting on my pituitary and optic nerve so sorry for any misspellings it’s hard to read but if anybody has found any kind of solution or person that is found out why this is happening please let us know I’ve even called the mayo clinic asking them about cell phone studies and if it could be the cause and if there’s a study going on that might find me interesting I had one neurologist sayThat if anybody does find out what it is they can write a journal and have it published

 

[Aprilhaarer]

This has been driving me crazy.

I actually posted this in a post i created in the portable headphones forum in response to someone asking me why I don't like IEMs. I said that they make my ear canals irritated, but here is the bigger reason why:

My ears actually run or drain whenever I eat I don't know why, my doctors don't believe me, and it's getting on my last nerve. It happens ALL day, even when I first wake up and brush my teeth. They drain when I'm cooking, and again when I eat and drink (even purified water!!!!!!). It is 99% clear fluid, and every once in a while it is light yellow.

They sometimes itch when they drain, and I do have a habit of "popping" my ears (pulling my lobes down so the air pressure readjusts in the ear canals. This helps to relieve itching sometimes, but also helps the fluid come down when I want to clean them out). This has been happening for about 6 years now, but it's been getting much worse over this past year.

None of my doctors (ENT, neurologist, allergist) believe me. Or, maybe they just don't want to understand it? I went to the neurologist for a different issue (chronic all- over my head headaches that have been reduced for the most part) and after I mentioned the ear issue, he asked me follow up questions. That's it... he never addressed my ears after that. I'm planning on seeing a new ENT in a few weeks (because my current for sure doesn't believe me. He said it was sweat. How imma sweat from inside my ears lmao??) and my allergist said it was allergies. Which is what I assumed it was all these years, but when I ask other severe allergy sufferers if they have draining ears, they look at me like I'm crazy (which I feel is legit).

I used to get tons of ear infections as a child, but as I grew they went away. I never had surgery for my ears or sinuses before. I just have crazy severe sinus problems like allergies, and I also have asthma. I'm constantly congested and blow my nose alllllll day long.

I have to keep Q-Tips with me 24/7 and I also have to make sure I'm near a bathroom when I eat so I can go and wipe my ears out. So this is a major reason why I don't use IEM as well... they used to get soaked and I hated having the draining feeling while having IEMs and even ear buds in. I haven't had the normal, thickish brown ear wax in my ears for a few years now. I ONLY use Q-Tips because of this draining problem. Otherwise I'd stay away from them and use other methods of cleaning because I know how dangerous they can potentially be.

I REALLY need relief.

Has anyone else heard of this??????????????????????

Yes you are telling my story as well have you found anything out to now.im sitting in a neurology appointment right now. Please contact me about this I tend to think it has something to do with cell phone usage as no one can explain it so it might be possible. I have been struggling with your same problem since 2012

 

[Aprilhaarer]

I'm so happy to find this thread, also! Many of you have expressed the same frustrations that I have had the past 8 years. Also, many of you have it worse than I do, so I'm sorry. I started noticing that my ears were draining at night about 8 years ago. I mentioned it to my pcp, who waved it off as ear wax and suggested I stop using q-tips. It became worse, not better, so much drainage that my pillow has big wet spots each morning. I eventually convinced the pcp that I needed to see an ENT, but the ENT also dismissed it. By this time, the draining is happening during the day when upright, but it is random and not consistent, but as soon as I lay down it starts again. Because of severe migraines, my pcp ordered an mri, which detected fluid in the left mastoid. I was sent back to the ENT, who again considered the fluid in the mastoid insignificant, not connected to the draining, and told me to ignore the draining. When I told my pcp this, she suggested I see a different ENT, which I did. This second ENT did take it more seriously, but also did not discover where the fluid is coming from. I have a neurologist now for the migraines and because of a small aneurysm that was discovered during the mri, but he does not think the ear drainage has any connection to the migraines. I have stopped seeing the ENT because they have exhausted all testing and did not come up with an answer. Meanwhile, the fluid drainage from both ears continues and is super annoying. Meshaboo, you mentioned concern of a CSF leak, and I've wondered about this also. I have not mentioned this possibility to any of the doctors because I don't want to appear to be self-diagnosing. I know this isn't a solution any of you were hoping for - I was just so excited to commiserate with others who have been experiencing this. This is the first time I've found my peers, much needed validation found!

I think a group study is called for here

 

[Qina]

I have been having this problem for many years now too and have finally gone to a doctor to see what they can do about this. Will have a ENT appointment soon because the local practise does not know what to do about this.#

Spoiler

 

[NZtechfreak]

Lowly GP here (family physician to those stateside)...

This is consistent with eustachian tube dysfunction -

"They sometimes itch when they drain, and I do have a habit of "popping" my ears (pulling my lobes down so the air pressure readjusts in the ear canals. This helps to relieve itching sometimes, but also helps the fluid come down when I want to clean them out). This has been happening for about 6 years now, but it's been getting much worse over this past year."

If you have allergies and sinus problems this would almost certainly be the underlying cause of the eustachian tube dysfunction.

If fluid from the middle ear was draining when you eat there would need to be something like a perforation in the drum or sinus tract communicating between the middle ear and outer canal, since the tympanic membrane usually sequesters this fluid in the middle ear.

Given this would unify your symptoms something along these lines seems likely, however I would have thought if this were the case though that it would be readily diagnosable on otoscopy or video otoscopy...

Definitely take food to an appointment to demonstrate the problem, if the leak is sufficient to be visible running out of the ear having someone take a video may also be helpful. Hopefully that can get a specialist alongside to properly investigate this - unfortunately specialists sometimes are dismissive or defensive about things in their specialty realm that fall outside their experience or for which they have no ready explanation or treatment plan - if your countries healthcare system has primary care docs (GPs/family physicians) make sure you have a regular GP and follow up with them too. While we generally can't order things like MRIs, we tend to listen better and believe our patients and sometimes we need to be drivers for getting a specialist to take ownership of your problem and go further seeking diagnosis.

Given this problem is being suffered by others here you might find it worthwhile to start a Facebook group - for rarer conditions these are sometimes useful for support and sharing knowledge (and potentially here in convincing your specialist that this is actually a thing!).

Good luck with your journey, medically unexplained or difficult to diagnose problems are really hard on people, and patients sometimes have a real struggle in their experience with doctors and the medical system en route to trying to find answers.

 

[Chevygal]

Hello... Girl I had to prove it to my sisters! I ate and touched there arm with the clean, but wet qtip! So I carry a qtip with me when I know I’m about to eat! I really just think it allergies, cause I make all kinds of noise with my throat, until I twist a qtip around in my ear!

 

[droido256]

did they test the liquid to see its composition? Might be able to isolate the source that way. i know I was reading a story about a woman who had chronic headaches, and a runny nose. Turns out it was some kind of funny thing with her skull and it was cerebral fluid leaking. Not to alarm ya or anything, but Id get several opinions and have them test the fluid itself. Also could be a ear infection. Or maybe hyper sweating in the ear (do inner ears sweat?) im not doctor tho, not even close. I mean unless youre a engine.