DD has ear infection, do I need to take her to the doctor today?

[onlysomany]

DD has a painful ear. She's not in agony, but she says it hurts. It started yesterday and is worse this morning. She's had a cold for about a week, (not too bad, lots of sniffles) it seemed to be getting better.

Can this wait till our doctor is open tomorrow?

I'm assuming it can but neither of my DC have had ear infections before, I'm suddenly feeling very unsure of myself!

[1AngelicFruitCake]

Ok thank you for explaining and the tip 😊

[hashbrownsandwich]

@1AngelicFruitCake

I’m really interested in this as my husband struggles with Eustachian tube problems, why would her daughter suddenly hear a loud noise then relief just like that?

If there was a blockage/air in the Eustachian tube it can be that when this decides to move there is a loud noise and then it clears.

One tip would be to hold the nose and close the mouth and gently 'blow'. I know it sounds like a wind up but it does help. Also, if a perforation is present you actually can feel the air coming out of the ear!

[freeingNora]

It's going around DD ended up
at the out of hours last week having popped her ear drum with a sneeze. Let the gp have a look just to be sure

[1AngelicFruitCake]

That’s good, it’s awful when they’re ill.

[Endeavormorse]

I’ve had a perforated eardrum twice from a very bad cold. The pain is horrendous with the build up of fluid. Eardrum bursts, pain goes then everything sounds really loud. Best to keep a bit of cotton wool in it until it heals up.
The relief from the pain was immense.

[onlysomany]

I'm curious too! I'll ask her about it again and see if she can tell me anything else about it.

She's been fine the rest of the day. Still sniffly, but no ear ache.

[1AngelicFruitCake]

I’m really interested in this as my husband struggles with Eustachian tube problems, why would her daughter suddenly hear a loud noise then relief just like that?

[hashbrownsandwich]

Without sounding arrogant, I have audiology qualifications. A perforation would normally be due to either a trauma (injury or sudden loud noise) but can't rule out that it could be. Again, most heal within a few months. It shouldn't cause any problems even if she does have it unless she gets further pain. Sounds to me like it could have been a Eustachian tube blockage which has finally found relief.

[onlysomany]

@sexesam

Ok, slightly creepy cos my DD is exactly the same. Went to pharmacist as GP closed today which is what 111 website suggested. Pharmacist said ibuprofen today and tomorrow and if no improvement think about contacting GP.

I hope your DD feels better soon.

[sexesam]

Ok, slightly creepy cos my DD is exactly the same. Went to pharmacist as GP closed today which is what 111 website suggested. Pharmacist said ibuprofen today and tomorrow and if no improvement think about contacting GP.

[onlysomany]

The doctor diagnosed her with glue ear a while back and suggested she tries blowing up balloons to try to help with the pressure and hopefully make a difference.

I'm not sure if it's made a difference but maybe as she's stopped complaining her ears hurt. They used to hurt a bit, and if she went underwater. Nothing like this acute pain though. It affected her hearing.

This seems to be to do with her cold, but I'm hoping it's somehow cleared the glue ear as she says she can hear everything loudly all of a sudden.

[icedcoffees]

It sounds like a blocked ear - maybe impacted wax? That can be very painful.

[onlysomany]

No, no liquid at all.

Wouldn't a perforated eardrum hurt?

[LIZS]

I would just check her eardrum has not perforated, as that can give relief from pressure, is there any fluid?

[ADreadedSunnyDay]

Hi OP, I would go with Calpol and monitor. GP tomorrow although I believe antibiotics don't actually do much good, GP told me latest research shows antibiotics lessening the infection by on average half a day. They now only usually prescribe if both ears affected or a severe infection.

[onlysomany]

I've given calpol, a hot compress and she's been lying on the good ear.

[onlysomany]

Good news, DD's ear is better!

She's been on the sofa under a duvet all morning, grumbling about the pain and playing with my phone. Then, she said she heard a high pitched noise and all of a sudden the pain went. And she can now hear everything much louder than normal.

I'm daring to hope that the underlying glue ear has been fixed, just like that!

[onlysomany]

Cery useful RagzReturnsRebooted thanks !

[wendz86]

My youngest kept getting sore ears so took her to gp but they said was just because she was getting colds and there wasn’t much they could do . Is horrible when they are in agony with it .

[Sleepyblueocean]

It depends on the pain. Ds has had some where he is on max pain relief and still very distressed and in those cases we class it as urgent and would 111 at weekends. At other times there appears to be something going on but pain relief seems to be managing the pain so we leave it till the next day as 111 is always hard work/ try to prescribe the non usual antibiotic.

[LawnFever]

@Pyewackect

Ear infections need to be treated ASAP. If you can’t get an appt with your GP call 111.

She’s said her dd isn’t in agony, there’s seriously no need to call 111 for a slight ear pain.

Pain killers, some ear drops from a chemist and call your GP tomorrow.

[Mummydoctor]

I would give her simple pain relief today and if she develops fever, ear discharge or increasing pain then contact your GP surgery tomorrow. Most ear infections will clear on their own.

[AtomHeartMotherOfGod]

A very bad infection would probably be oozing pus (this happened to my son a few times when he developed ear infections- he also had glue ear). His affected ear would also be hot and red and tender to the touch.

From what you've described I'd give Ibuprofen for the pain and book an appointment tomorrow.

[LIZS]

Try a pharmacist. They can either treat or refer you on.

[name532]

He had a lot of pain, high fever and a lot of discharge running down his face, for context. I wasn't happy waiting until the Monday (Saturday).