Nerve damage.

In a recent Yahoo! Answers query, a user posted concerns that a cold had advanced to the stage of ear infection, a concern that was exacerbated by the user's physician explaining that the user probably had nerve damage and needed to go on medication. So naturally, the user sought a second opinion from anybody with an internet connection. Most of the answers the user received on Yahoo! recommended Sudafed (which my future brother-in-law apparently uses to make meth) or self-administered neck massage, but one respondent had a more extreme view of the situation:

Lebo Hfrnk:

 

Sorry, but yo are totally screwed,

Your ear will never go back to normal.
In fact, soon the pressure will build in your head and your will start hearing voices and then you will go insane and probably either commit suicide or else get run over by a Mack truck while you are wandering around on the freeway babbling like an idiot.

If you think that answer is surprising, look at the image I found of the user who submitted it:

"Your ear will never go back to normal."

Lebo Hfrnk, 1863 - 2012