Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration?????

Sep 25, 11 16:03

Post #1 of 22 (57913 views)

I'm hoping someone can help me figure out what is going on. Since we live in Texas the majority of my training is done in the heat. During short course events everything goes as planned without any problems. However during IMTX and a TT yesterday I became dehydrated. I followed the same nutritional plan that has been used successfully during training (in the heat) and at IMFL.

Both times the first sign that things were going wrong was my ears stopped up.Then I couldn't hear or pop my ears. Both times I had difficulty seeing/focusing and felt like passing out. From there things quickly went downhill into cramping and other signs of dehydration. It also takes about a day for my ears to become unstopped after the race. Once my ears stop up it feels like I'm drunk and can't focus on anything. Prior to my ears stopping up yesterday my nose was dripping a lot more than normal. But I just thought it was from being in a different part of the state.

Has anyone else had a problem or noticed that your ears stop up and you can't hear as a first symptom of dehydration? Any ideas of why this might happen? Or how to prevent it? Should I go and see a doctor? And if so what kind of a doctor? I use Nasonex and Claritin daily. I'm 48 year old female.

Up until this year I've never had any problems with dehydration. It is really discouraging when this keeps happening at long distance events. At this point I'm almost afraid to sign up for another IM until we figure out what is going on.

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Sep 25, 11 16:45

Post #2 of 22 (57875 views)

It happens to me. Seems like it happens when I'm dehydrated too.

jaretj

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [jaretj] [ In reply to ]

Sep 25, 11 16:52

Post #3 of 22 (57864 views)

+1

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Sep 25, 11 17:15

Post #4 of 22 (57845 views)

You are taking allergy meds daily. They are going to dehydrate you MUCH faster than normal, but I would assume you know this?

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [sentania] [ In reply to ]

Sep 25, 11 17:23

Post #5 of 22 (57830 views)

Very good thread!
I've always thought that it might be some sort of accumulation of sweat in my inner ear. Used to happen to me as a teenager after playing hard soccer matches in the heat, now it happens when I combine heat with speedwork or heat with marathons.
Would love to hear about it from someone with some medical knowledge...

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [sto] [ In reply to ]

Sep 25, 11 17:30

Post #6 of 22 (57819 views)

No I didn't know that. Thanks for the information. Any other suggestions? Should I stop taking them a few weeks/days before an event?

Thanks for bringing this up. I started taking daily allergy meds in January 2011 to prevent my annual bronchitis (April/October) problems. Since the meds are new this year perhaps they're a contributing factor to the dehydration problem. Especially since I haven't had problems up until 2011.

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Sep 25, 11 17:32

Post #7 of 22 (57817 views)

Dr house may have the diagnosis

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Sep 25, 11 17:59

Post #8 of 22 (57777 views)

That happens to me too! My husband noticed it in himself, as well, and now that we know about it, we can catch back up with out water intake before it gets any worse. For me, the worst is on long runs, particularly after a hard training block. I take flonase and claritin, but can't give those up or else my allergies would stop me from training more so than the ear/dehydration issue.

The weird thing for me right now is that my ear has had this feeling for 3 days now, but i have already started my off season! This is the first time it's happened when not training, and it sucks!

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Sep 25, 11 19:39

Post #9 of 22 (57709 views)

Your equilibrium is off balance. When your ears are not balanced, perfectly, it causes that sensation of 'slippimg' Allergy medications often accelerate that sensation.

I would seek a homeopathic remedy if I were you.

**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

Last edited by: Mojozenmaster: Sep 25, 11 19:41

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]

Sep 26, 11 4:30

Post #10 of 22 (57625 views)

Any other ideas?

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]

Sep 26, 11 4:41

Post #11 of 22 (57613 views)

Mojozenmaster wrote:

Your equilibrium is off balance. When your ears are not balanced, perfectly, it causes that sensation of 'slippimg' Allergy medications often accelerate that sensation.

I would seek a homeopathic remedy if I were you.

Why would you suggest that someone take sugar & water to fix an inner ear problem? Homeopathy has to be one of the biggest crocks of shit going around. About the only way a homeopathic remedy could fix an inner ear problem which is dehydration related is if enough of it was consumed to prevent dehydration.

"If you want to run with the big dogs, you're going to have to learn to piss on the big trees."

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [Goat_Herder] [ In reply to ]

Sep 27, 11 4:27

Post #12 of 22 (57495 views)

Bump.

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Sep 27, 11 4:55

Post #13 of 22 (57482 views)

+1 here, I clog up so bad I cant hear myself talk sometimes. I am "really" dehydrated when this happens.

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [El Scorcho] [ In reply to ]

Sep 27, 11 6:51

Post #14 of 22 (57440 views)

Yep, add me to the list. I'm an extremely excessive sweater and this happens to me quite often...it starts out with my ears being mildly clogged and then worsens to the sensation of SEVERE sinus congestion in the ears and nasal passages. I hear/feel myself breathing in my head, if that makes any sense to anyone. I also have to blow a lot of "snot rockets" during workouts/races, I produce excessive mucus as well. I guess the only way to combat it is calculate a sweat rate and stay on top of hydration?? It's REALLY FRUSTRATING, not only because it effects performance towards the end of whatever I'm doing but it's difficult to talk with friends/family after a race or workout because my ears and sinuses feel so clogged....any additional medical advice is much appreciated...

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [Hause804] [ In reply to ]

Sep 27, 11 11:46

Post #15 of 22 (57374 views)

+1 for me.

But I don't think it's dehydration related (for me at least). Have noticed that it happens
a) During sustained intense efforts (think sprint triathlon 5k)
b) When hot & humid

Doubt I can get sufficiently dehydrated over the course of 20 minute 5k run to induce physiological changes in the inner ear.

Perhaps it's an ideal gas law thing?
If the volume in the inner ear is fixed and heated, one should expect an increase in the pressure...

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [Hause804] [ In reply to ]

Sep 27, 11 19:25

Post #16 of 22 (57310 views)

wow, thought i was the only one that this happened to... i get the exact symptoms... i also take zyrtec daily and had no clue it had adverse effects causing dehydration? Might be why i had such hydration issues at Eagleman.

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Sep 27, 11 20:50

Post #17 of 22 (57271 views)

Maybe its a texas thing... but +1 here as well.

For me it doesnt get so bad that I cant hear, seems to be more progressive than acute, but I assume / d it was a nutrition related thing...or maybe blood pressure. Gels with Caffiene seem to help?

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 13 17:38

Post #18 of 22 (53816 views)

gotta love slowtwitch search, since I have been experiencing this recently during my long runs....it's called "Eustachian tube dysfunction" and one of the causes is:
"Additionally, anecdotal evidence suggests that some patients only experience symptoms or have an increase in symptoms during humid weather and especially during increased respiration in humid conditions (i.e. aerobic exercise in high humidity). "

http://hearing.yale.edu/...seases/patulous.aspx

I haven't come across any treatments, other than avoid the conditions that create the symptoms or surgery.

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [GAscott] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 13 20:02

Post #19 of 22 (53731 views)

GAscott wrote:

gotta love slowtwitch search, since I have been experiencing this recently during my long runs....it's called "Eustachian tube dysfunction" and one of the causes is:
"Additionally, anecdotal evidence suggests that some patients only experience symptoms or have an increase in symptoms during humid weather and especially during increased respiration in humid conditions (i.e. aerobic exercise in high humidity). "

http://hearing.yale.edu/...seases/patulous.aspx

I haven't come across any treatments, other than avoid the conditions that create the symptoms or surgery.

I had this happen to me on the run of a tri last summer. I could barely hear anything and couldn't pop them, almost like I was underwater It was a hot and humid day and I was breathing hard and fatigued so this would be a good explanation for it. I never really looked into the cause after because luckily it was only a one time occurrence for me.

--
"If you can't win, make the guy ahead of you break the record." - Anonymous
Runner's High

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 15 12:09

Post #20 of 22 (46474 views)

Not just dehydration, but likely hyponatremia (low sodium, dilluted blood). Can happen on hot days even if you drink enough water but don't take in enough electrolytes (Salt Stick, Endrurolytes, etc...). Last week I did a 100 mile ride in the heat, and my ears were popping and I had pressure in my head afterwards - all the same sypmtoms many have posted here. On that ride, I took only one Salt Stick per hour and used regular Gatorade. This week, I banged out another 100 mile ride in the heat (today, in fact), but doubled up on the Salt Stick (two per hours) and switched to Gatorade Endurance Formula (more sodium and potassium). I had no issues with the ears or head pressure, and I rode faster on tired legs. More on hyponatremia here:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/basics/definition/con-20031445

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Aug 1, 15 14:25

Post #21 of 22 (46369 views)

I get similar things happen after a very hard workout but I get the added joy of ringing in my ears as well.. I get the ringing come and go all the time but especially after hard workouts. Drives me crazy at times.

Re: Ears stopping up as first sign of dehydration????? [milesaway] [ In reply to ]

Jun 14, 16 14:24

Post #22 of 22 (41935 views)

I just had the ear-popping experience for the first time (when not changing altitude anyway) at the finish after a very long event in pretty serious heat.
After crossing the finish I became extremely dizzy & nauseous. Some event personnel came to check me out, and began to dump ice water on me & put cold packs in my bibs, under my arms, and on my neck.
When they realized that this was not helping matters, a medic wheeled me back to one of the ambulances they had on standby. My ears definitely were making noises & plugging up, but I can't remember exactly when it started. It was either just before they started the first IV bag, or just after they started it, because I mentioned it to the medic when I noticed it. By the time the second bag was drained, the ear plugging issue was resolved (10-20 minutes).

In my case I can't say it's a first sign! The EKG they performed in the ambulance showed an arrythmia, and the blood pressure cuff inflating caused trousseau's sign (forearms & hands seized involuntarily when blood flow was restricted...) I had tunnel vision, and confusion... There were all sorts of dehydration related problems happening before the inner ear issues started (for me).

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