Otitis Media Effusion

Otitis Media Effusion (OME) or middle ear fluid is the most common cause of hearing loss in children. It affects approximately 2.2 million children in the United States each year and can result from a blocked or malfunctioning Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the throat. OME can cause discomfort, fullness in the ear, and temporary hearing loss. It is often diagnosed by the presence of fluid behind the tympanic membrane without signs of inflammation or infection. 

Figure 1

A visit to an audiologist yesterday confirmed that this is the problem currently affecting my left ear. For quite a few months now I've noticed the hearing in that ear was diminished and it felt blocked. However, some simple external massage of the eustachian tube seems to have improved the condition and I'm now able to pop my ear drum on the left side, which I couldn't do before. I'm confident that with repeated massage sessions the condition will improve even further.

It's interesting that the audiologist's only suggestion was to visit a GP in order to arrange an appointment to see an ENT specialist. No self help suggestions at all, even though the Internet abounds in them. Another name for OME is "glue ear" and there was a popular procedure for children in the 1980's which involved inserting so-called grommets (little tubes) into the tympanic membrane in order to drain away the fluid (glue).

Disintegrating Teeth

Somewhat disconcertingly, the incisor with the hole in it on the upper right side of my mouth, totally disintegrated during the night. I only realised the loss when I was having a coffee and croissant at a local cafe this morning. Presumably, I swallowed the fragments and fortunately didn't choke to death.

While I still have enough teeth to get by, I can't help but speculate how many more will disintegrate in the coming months or years. Anyway, tomorrow I turn 74.5 years old. On that day, I'll be exactly 27214 days old and I'm beginning to feel very old.

Something Amiss

Figure 1 shows a record of my activity over the past few days generated by a pedometer app:

Figure 1

As can be seen, Thursday marked the day when I overextended myself and I spent the following three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) recovering. I did not go for an intentional walk on any of those days. Today, Monday the 2nd October 2023, I did go for an intentional walk although at a very leisurely path. I even rested for awhile on two park benches.

Despite the slow walk, I found that toward the end of my journey my left arm was becoming quite numb. This is not due to an impending heart attack because I've often noticed this before on my walks but never to such a severe degree. On my return home, I promptly took myself to bed for a couple of hours and just rested, lapsing briefly into a dream state. I'd had a good night's sleep and wouldn't normally have been fatigued after such a walk.

In bed, the joint in the pinkie on my right hand began to pain me for a while. Once I got up, I had some lunch and because I was chewing on the right side, I began to experience a dull ache in the teeth there that fortunately subsided quickly. My teeth and gums have almost returned to normal, which is to say I still have a gaping hole where a molar had been on my left side and a hole in one of the incisors on my right side. SNAFU as one might say.

It seems clear that even mild activity is a little much for my body to bear at the moment. My chest discomfort has returned a week or more ago. I'm coming up to the fifth anniversary of when I first noticed the problem. Getting back to being quickly overcome by fatigue, the issue is whether the normal deterioration caused by age is the culprit or whether some other factor is at work. Much as I dislike any medical scrutiny, it might be wise to have a blood test. We'll see. I'll continue to monitor my condition.

Teeth Trouble

There is a hole in one of my upper teeth on the right side. Up until recently it hadn't caused me any trouble but a few days ago it started up in the middle of the night and worsened over the next day or so. I needed to take some Panadol to ease the discomfort. At the same time, the gaping hole where a tooth used to be on the upper left side of my mouth also become inflamed. I was having difficulty eating.

I suspect I walked too far on the day preceding my oral woes but I can't remember the exact chronology. Nowadays, when I push my body too far, I seem to suffer a general collapse. Today, after a couple of days of not walking, my teeth troubles have largely subsided. I have to accept that my body is not what it used to be and I have to "exercise" more caution.

Now that I'm 74 years old, in fact 74.5 years old on October 6th, I have to change my ways and exercise in smaller "chunks". I've written about this before but not really practised it. I need to view the entire day as an exercise opportunity and find what works and what doesn't. I need to be more in touch with my body and view it as something to be bullied into doing my bidding.

This approach worked when I was younger but not anymore. I need to be kind to my body. The discomfort induced by overexertion is a strong motivator. Of course, I worry sometimes that I'm being overtaken by some insidious disease and eventually I may well be. However, the more I listen to my body, the less likely this is to happen.

Treadmill Excesses

A couple of days ago I spent an hour on the treadmill walking at a rate of 5km per hour. Toward the end of my session, I became increasingly fatigued and once I finished I was not feeling well. I came down with flu-like symptoms that were intense enough to prompt me to take two paracetamol tablets. My condition has gradually improved but I still feel far from normal.

Perhaps the events of a couple of day before my treadmill overexertion are relevant. I imbibed too much red wine one evening and blacked out toward the end of my drinking session. By blacked out I mean I don't remember doing what I did until told by others. What I did was quite mundane. For example, vegetarian pizza was ordered but I have no recollection of eating it. This was my only serious drinking session since New Year's Eve where I had a similar black out. It seems that once I consume more that one bottle of wine I'll have a blackout.

This never used to be the case so something is going on metabolically. Here is what I asked Bard:

Why do people who drink too much alcohol sometimes forget what they did during their intoxication, even though they are awake and acting more or less normally.

Alcohol affects the brain in a number of ways, including disrupting the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is important for memory formation. When a person drinks too much alcohol, the hippocampus can become impaired, making it difficult to form new memories. This is what causes alcohol-induced blackouts.

In a blackout, a person may be awake and acting more or less normally, but they will not form memories of the events that happened during the blackout. This is because the hippocampus is not able to store new memories while the blood alcohol level is high.

The amount of alcohol that it takes to cause a blackout varies from person to person. Some people may experience blackouts after drinking only a few drinks, while others may be able to drink more without experiencing a blackout. There are a number of factors that can affect a person's risk of experiencing a blackout, including their age, weight, gender, and the speed at which they drink.

The day following my blackout I felt quite vacuous, not physically ill but just kind of psychologically blank. This feeling hasn't really left me and my body is still sore from my back and leg injuries. Though these injuries are gradually fading, I still feel vaguely "fluey". A change has come over me that's hard to quantify. It's just a feeling that all is not as it once was.

Precognitive Dream

One could well ask what a precognitive dream has to do with "staying healthy" but there is a connection as will be seen once I've told my tale. Let's begin with the dream. I'm looking at a street corner where a large dog in lying on its side and there are people around. I wonder what's happened. That was it. 

The next day I walked to Coles, a distance of a couple of kilometres, where I bought some groceries and headed back home. On the way back, my right leg pretty much gave up on me and I had to hobble home looking like an old guy who'd had a stroke. Close to home and opposite the local vet clinic, I sat down on a seat and gathered my resources for the one hundred metres or so that I had left to walk. I was in a bad way.

As I sat there, I looked to my right and there on the nearby corner, opposite the vet clinic, a golden retriever was lying on its side with a woman standing beside the dog. She was holding a pram and just standing there. Presently, a guy came out of the vet shop, picked it up and carried it back to the shop.

Now that's a sight you don't see everyday and what struck me like a thunderbolt was that it was virtually a rerun of my dream of the night before. In the dream I was about the same distance off just watching the scene. The next day, I was sitting on a bench and feeling like what the poor dog might have been feeling. I just wasn't able to go on and thought about phoning and asking to be picked up.

Lately, it seems that every time I say I'm getting better, I suddenly get worse. I'm currently hobbling about and finding locomotion quite difficult. I'm alright if I'm lying on the bed, sitting down or not moving around. My right leg is not weight supporting and my lumbar region is still causing significant discomfit.

What's remarkable however, is the dream and my precognition. Should I draw any deep meaning from the experience? I don't know. Let's see how my recovery goes over the next few days. One thing is for sure: my body is clearly in need of regular maintenance and repair. 

Lumbago

For some reason, the word "lumbago" popped into my head to describe the condition that has afflicted me for some days now since I did some gardening work that involved my needing to bend forward continually while sitting on a low stool. Even while working, I had difficulty straitening up when I got up off the stool from time to time. This sustained strain on my lower back had its consequences and was exacerbated when I did some further gardening work that didn't involve bending forward but did put some strain on my lower back. 

I asked Bard to explain what lumbago was and it seems to describe my current ailment:

Lumbago is a common term for sudden or long-lasting pain in the lower back. It is often caused by muscle strain or injury, but it can also be caused by other conditions, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, or spinal stenosis.

The pain of lumbago is usually felt in the lower back, but it can sometimes radiate to the buttocks, thighs, or legs. The pain is often worse when standing up or bending over, and it can make it difficult to walk or move around.

Lumbago is usually not serious and goes away on its own within a few weeks. However, it can be very painful and debilitating while it lasts. Treatment for lumbago usually involves rest, pain medication, and physical therapy.

Here are some of the causes of lumbago:

Muscle strain or injury: This is the most common cause of lumbago. It can happen when you lift something heavy, twist your back suddenly, or sit in a bad position for a long time.

Arthritis: This is a condition that causes inflammation of the joints. It can affect the joints in your back and cause pain and stiffness.

Osteoporosis: This is a condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle. It can make you more likely to suffer a back injury, which can lead to lumbago.

Spinal stenosis: This is a condition that narrows the spaces in your spine. It can put pressure on the nerves in your back and cause pain.

If you are experiencing lumbago, it is important to see a doctor to rule out any serious underlying conditions. Treatment for lumbago usually involves rest, pain medication, and physical therapy. In some cases, surgery may be necessary.

Here are some tips to help prevent lumbago:

Maintain a healthy weight: Excess weight puts extra strain on your back.

Strengthen your core muscles: Strong core muscles help support your back and prevent injuries.

Stretch regularly: Stretching helps to keep your muscles flexible and reduce your risk of injury.

Lift with your legs, not your back: When lifting something heavy, bend your knees and keep your back straight.

Avoid sitting for long periods of time: Get up and move around every 20-30 minutes.

Use good posture: When standing or sitting, keep your back straight and your shoulders relaxed.

The good news is that the pain is easing and I'm to move about more easily. I don't think I've done any permanent damage. My mistake was to do too much too soon. These lower back muscles were simply not ready for the sustained strain that I was putting on them. I still haven't learned the lesson that my body is no longer able to adapt suddenly to new stresses that are imposed upon it.

Here is a little about the etymology of the word "lumbago":

The word "lumbago" is derived from the Latin word "lumbus", which means "loins" or "lower back". It was first used in English in the 16th century to describe pain in the lower back.

The word "lumbus" is also the root of the word "lumbar", which refers to the lower back. The lumbar region is the part of the spine that is located between the thoracic region (the middle back) and the sacral region (the lower back).

I do need to allot some time to regular exercises that involve stretching of the muscles in the lumbar area but first I need to let the muscles in that area heal.