Horrendous ear pain for days and not getting better - please help!

[earpain]

DS 10 has had an eat infection since Friday and the pain is really bad. In fact it's become worse this evening. I went to OOH on Saturday and the doc said it's vital and can't give anything and to keep giving paracetamol and ibuprofen but it just doesn't seem to touch the pain.

I also took him this morning to my gp and she said the same.

I'm really worried. He is in so much pain. He can't sleep, isn't eating as he just feels awful. He can't hear properly from the ear and can hear ringing sounds.

When my kids have had ear pain a dose of Calpol and a sleep usually sorts it. I've never known an earache to last this long. There's no sign of it getting better.

Ive tried warm oil in ear and a hot water bottle and constant paracetamol and ibuprofen but nothing is easing the pain.

Is there anything else I can try? Has anyone else experienced similar?!

[earpain]

Sorry that's supposed to say viral not vital!

[HangingChads]

That sounds awful, try a hot flannel pressed over the ear and refreshed in hot water every 5-10 minutes.

[3luckystars]

I would go back to the doctor again, how awful.

[mumtobhoyandghirl]

I used to get constant infections when I was younger (glue ear) it's the pressure that's horrific, grommets in and out. Keep doing what U r doing and he will struggle to eat as moving your face as silly as it sounds hurts badly and almost feeling it crunching inside. I found ear drops made mines worse. Avoid any water near the ear this sounds daft, but yawning that motion helps as it opens eustachian tubes. He can also sleep in an elevated position to relieve pressure on the eardrums if the pain is felt most when you're lying down. But get him antibiotics sounds like an infection x

[Suzi888]

I ended up in hospital for a week on an antibiotic drip and oramorph. The infection eventually burst not envy. I was discharged with antibiotic ear drops and Prochlezone.

If the back of his ear - the bone at the back begins to swell he needs to go to A&E ASAP.

I used a hot water bottle on my ear - obv not boiling hot just warm and wrapped in a cover. Also massage the area very gently. Warm olive oil can help, if there’s no infection.
I had my ear vacuumed in hospital -the relief was immense!
Go back to the G.P- did they look in his ear? Is there any blood?
I went to A&E in the end as GP useless and my ear drum ruptured.
It’s excruciating!

[HotSauceCommittee]

The GP needs to take a swab. My sympathies, OP. Ear pain is horrendous and even worse when you see your child suffering it x

[StarsandStones]

Note: not in UK. After three days with fever and no improvement in symptoms despite the proper use of painkillers the guideline for inner ear infection suggests prescribing antibiotics. Go back to the GP...

Also: make sure that he is able to breathe through his nose so use nose spray if needed. Keeps the eustachian tubes open and lessens the pressure on the eardrum. Lessens the pain. Sleeping slightly upright may also help.

Good luck!

[earpain]

lmumtobhoyandghirl thanks. I've asked him to do a yawn but he doesn't like it as it feels like a burp in his ear?! I've put another hot water bottle on him again.
The gp was reluctant to give antibioticsas she's saying it's viral. I have no idea how they know that!

[HotSauceCommittee]

@earpain

lmumtobhoyandghirl thanks. I've asked him to do a yawn but he doesn't like it as it feels like a burp in his ear?! I've put another hot water bottle on him again.
The gp was reluctant to give antibioticsas she's saying it's viral. I have no idea how they know that!

They don't know that. Now is the time to do a swab and consider antibiotics. My DS had persistent, weeping ear infections and antibiotics were such a no no that the infections rotted a hole in his eardrum and he had to have surgery to repair it with a skin graft

[romdowa]

Try some nasal spray , it might help to reduce the inflammation.

[Suzi888]

I had two lots of oral antibiotics - they didn’t do anything. The hospital told me I needed antibiotic ear drops to reach the infection at source. They sent me home with some. I didn’t get swabbed at all.

[earpain]

Suzi888 omg that sounds horrific. When the doc looked in his ear she said it wasn't really red at all and the infection seems to be behind. How do you know if the bone is affected?!

[wtfisgoingonhere21]

I second nasal sprays op.

I use either a salt water spray or a spray designed for hay fever.

I suffer with the same and the ringing and pain which would shoot up into my head was cause by my nasal to ear tubes being blocked because of the inflammation

This in turn caused my ear drum to throb and bulge because the fluid was stuck behind it.

Do you have a Tesco or Sainsbury's with a chemist nearby that you could pick one up.

I almost feel the relief within half an hour.

[MrsDThomas]

Urine. Some cotton wool soaked in it, and leave it there forca few hours. Repeat.

Kids urine that is, not yours.

Ive always done this. Never took my kids to a gp for an ear infection,

[earpain]

I've just been googling other Mumsnet ear infection threads and antihistamines are suggested. Has anyone tried this?

[Tefiti3]

He definitely needs to be seen again, OP, that sounds absolutely dreadful!

Please don’t put urine anywhere near his ear though…….

[TheSpottedZebra]

^ yeah, don't put piss in ears.

[3luckystars]

I would go back and insist that they take his pain seriously, and explain that the painkillers are not working.
Poor kid. Hope he feels better soon, and I’m sorry you have both been fobbed off.

[Magissa]

If you can get hold of a balloon let him try to blow it up. It relieves pressure in the Eustachian tubes. May help.

[shivermetimbers77]

I remember the pain of ear infections very very well from childhood , utterly excruciating. The only thing that touched it was amoxicillin, and the days waiting until that was prescribed were like hell . I would suggest going back to the GP and asking (begging) for a swab .

[BluebellsGreenbells]

Try Olbas Oil in boiling water in his room an hour before bed and then add more boiling water

This helps release the pressure.

Works a treat

[Newhorizon21]

Oil in the ear canal won't usually help here (it's useful to soften hard wax a week or so pre ear syringing).

Check behind the ear, it's unlikely the mastoid is infected if there's no redness, swelling & pain there.

Viral was infections usually settle in 2-3 days, paracetamol &/or ibuprofen, & hot water bottles held against the ear-side of the head are recommended for comfort during this time. If pain not settling, pus or fluid drains from the ear, then make another appointment for review

This is helpful & covers complications www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/ears-nose-and-throat/middle-ear-infection-otitis-media

[user1000000000009]

I would go back.

[Suzi888]

It’s called mastoiditis. If you feel behind your ear, there’s a bone. If that area swells go to A&E.

My GP couldn’t see anything either, my ear drum was in the way. My ear wasn’t red initially, it did go red and swell slightly in hospital. I was dizzy and vomiting when I was admitted. Worst pain of my life!
I would NOT put urine in his ear

[FannyFifer]

I had a horrific earache that led to a perforated eardrum, which then relieved the pressure & agonizing pain.
If the Dr cld see redness behind eardrum maybe that will happen as well.
Earache is really sore, poor child.
Are you alternating the calpol & ibuprofen?