...can you hear that?

Most of my hearing and ear problems are in my left ear.  I have an almost constant high pitched squeal which has a tendency to drive me straight up the wall.  It sounds much like a summer night out in the country with all the insects whirring... except they seldom stop except when I sleep.  lol...  One doctor suggested when it was really bad to just put headphones on and turn up the music.

The very top part of my ear has pain like it is being pinched.  lol...  And I get a fullness inside my ear like water being in your ear canal.  When that happens, my hearing is much like your hearing when you're under water.  Or... like it needs to pop but I live in Florida and don't really deal with elevation changes.  lol...  Then there are the times, I can't hear at all.  It happens all of a sudden, out of the blue and how long it will last varies and I have no idea when it'll come back.  Generally, it returns within a few minutes but it has been gone for a hour or so at times.  I am constantly asking during that time if I am talking too loud or yelling because I can't judge my volume.

Another strange thing that happens is sensitivity to sound.  Or maybe it is stimuli in general but occasionally, it is like, turn that DOWN, NOW!!!  I don't have children in the house.  It is just my husband and myself and we keep the TV at a fairly constant volume but all of a sudden it is just TOO loud.  Now I know what you're thinking that it's the channel, but it's not.  I can tell when that happens.