Head Cold - OMG

[MikeL]

I've been struggling with a bad head cold for the past month or so but this is the first time I've ever had one that made my guitar disappear

I could hear perfectly well through both ears but had that weird popping, pressure issue like at take off and dizziness sometimes.

The worst was that whilst I could hear sound from all directions clear as a bell with the the guitar on my lap it kind of just disappeared, so muted like it was next door.

Finally today this passed but what a horrible experience on top of the cold.

Really makes you realise how we take our ears for granted and that sometimes things may sound a bit off when in fact its our ears playing tricks on us.

[63telemaster]

A lot of very nasty colds/flu around at present. I caught one 2 months ago, a couple of days after buying my D28. An ear infection, 2 courses of antibiotics and endless painkillers later I'm now just about over it although my hearing still isn't fully recovered.

Both my acoustics still sound like they're stuffed with blankets

[riverrummed]

You know, most colds are viral in origin and don't respond to antibiotics. Doctors that over prescribe antibiotics and/or prescribe them for conditions that they won't work on in the first place are part of the reason antibiotics are becoming ineffectual and are actually increasing "bugs" that are resistant to any antibiotics. If you've had a cold for two months, that's a long time. And if it didn't respond to the first round of antibiotics I'm incredibly surprised that a doctor would prescribe another round. I know this isn't guitar related but you might want to be examined for something else going on and you might want to examine the environment you are living in for another source of irritation that is affecting you. Something you are breathing perhaps? Good luck and I hope you get past it all.

[Long Jon]

Hi Mike. I'm very sorry to hear about this, I don't want to alarm you, but it does sound like that could be a MAN COLD mate.

I pray you've got someone to bring you plenty of chicken soup.

Take good care.

[DanPanther]

Get it taken care of you don't want to chance ear damage due to infection.
Dan

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by MikeL

I've been struggling with a bad head cold for the past month or so but this is the first time I've ever had one that made my guitar disappear

I could hear perfectly well through both ears but had that weird popping, pressure issue like at take off and dizziness sometimes.

The worst was that whilst I could hear sound from all directions clear as a bell with the the guitar on my lap it kind of just disappeared, so muted like it was next door.

Finally today this passed but what a horrible experience on top of the cold.

Really makes you realise how we take our ears for granted and that sometimes things may sound a bit off when in fact its our ears playing tricks on us.

See your doctor and get checked for a sinus infection.

[63telemaster]

Originally Posted by riverrummed

You know, most colds are viral in origin and don't respond to antibiotics. Doctors that over prescribe antibiotics and/or prescribe them for conditions that they won't work on in the first place are part of the reason antibiotics are becoming ineffectual and are actually increasing "bugs" that are resistant to any antibiotics. If you've had a cold for two months, that's a long time. And if it didn't respond to the first round of antibiotics I'm incredibly surprised that a doctor would prescribe another round. I know this isn't guitar related but you might want to be examined for something else going on and you might want to examine the environment you are living in for another source of irritation that is affecting you. Something you are breathing perhaps? Good luck and I hope you get past it all.

Thankfully I very rarely have to go to my GP, but had to in this case as I had an extremely painful infection of the inner ear. I was put on 250mg dose of clarithromycin twice daily for 7 days but the pain returned within a couple of days. I revisited my GP and was prescribed a 500mg dose twice daily for 5 days which finally saw the infection off. That was 3 or 4 weeks ago but since then I've had mild flu like symptoms which have really only cleared up the last couple of days. I work in education so I'm exposed to lots of bugs and viruses but don't usually get hit this hard and for this long. Just hoping that's the end of it.

[Bob Womack]

Yeah, I got one of these at the start of November. I got on it with the doctor pretty quickly but still ended up with fluid behind the right eardrum. For me that is a pain in the neck because I make my living as a recording engineer and it plays havoc with your spacial perception and frequency response. I'm lucky to have had two weeks off surrounding Thanksgiving. I'm just now in the final stages and nearly clear and its a good thing! When I returned to work this week I immediately picked up mixing on several music projects.

Bob

[mahoriver]

Had one for about a week and a half now.Been on the way out the last couple of days,thank goodness....A month is a long time.Take care.

One good thing ive liked is a deeeper voice..Leonard Cohen..

[jsanfilippo5]

Drink some apple cider vinegar for a day or two. It works!

[MikeL]

Thanks might try the vinegar but yes I am finally over it at last.

Jon - yes, my wife declared it was man flu at the very first sneeze!

[Glennwillow]

I am only now starting to get over the effects of a cold I caught about 5-6 weeks ago. It has been about the most persistent cold I have ever had. Playing the guitar is not nearly as much fun in the midst of a cold that involves ear and balance issues.

- Glenn