Ear pain so bad I’m in floods of tears - what can I do?

[severeearache]

I’m sobbing with it, I’m a grown adult for God sake but never felt pain like it, I could scream - it’s absolute agony, throbbing and feels like it’s going to burst inside or something . I’ve taken ibuprofen and paramol (the dihydrocodeine one) and tried a heat pad . It’s all I can think about is how much agony I’m in .

I can’t swallow or talk - can’t open my mouth fully - it’s so sore .

Tried 111 and got a message saying they’re closed for maintenance until 5.30, I don’t know if I can cope until then, stupid as it sounds .

I’ve even tried blocking the ear with ear plugs to see if that helps in case it was the air getting in making it worse but that’s not helping at all .

I’m even dithering over going to A&E but that seems ridiculous for a sore ear surely they’ll laugh me out of the building, and I’m due to go on uni placement at 9 anyway …

Really hope you've found some relief and have got some sleep!

Just a wee update;

GP rang at 7ish, said they were 99% satisfied it wouldn’t be mastoiditis and they going out in cold up to minor injuries unit might make it worse again and at that point I wasn’t so horrendously sore … she said the Otomize should start making a difference but might take 24-48 hours for any obvious change . She said shouldn’t really need to isolate either as almost certainly isn’t COVID!

Anyway fell asleep after she phoned, woke up at 3am ish in a bit of pain and then slept through til 9ish .

Have used Otomize four times now and in a routine of naproxen at midnight and 12 noon and cocodamol regularly, which is working mostly over the last 12 hours - not in howling agony any more .

Have managed to eat a proper breakfast, got a decent Tesco shop in and have found a novelty pain relief - friend suggested sticking those cold migraine patches you get on the back of my ear, which is helping a bit and bringing a bit of the heat out .

Going to nip for a shower and then try and get a bit of uni work done, am just relieved I can think about something else other than pain!

So pleased you are starting to feel better

So pleased for you. Great news. I like your friend's tip about the patch!

Oh op you've had an awful few days. Take it easy now and hopefully it continues to improve

No updates from op, meaning - sleeping!

oh @severeearache you poor thing.

My strapping athlete tough as nails DS was brought to his knees with earache.

Please update-so hoping you are feeling better.

And ppl like that taxi restore my faith in humanity!!

Still having - shorter - episodes where the pain relief wears off and I’m very sore but not as bad - for example woke up very sore about half an hour ago but it’s already faded away . Getting a lot of pus from it now which must be a good thing . Can smile, raise eyebrows and teeth feel almost back to normal (they were numb on front and left side) .

NHS24/OOH GP said it must have been that ear swelled up enough to compress nerves in my face a bit and that what’s causing so much pain - it’s been like an electric shock pain going from my ear across my face and down into my shoulder/neck. Used to see patients with trigeminal neuralgia and did think what I’ve been feeling wasn’t a million miles from what they used to describe .

Otomize is fantastic stuff!

Just to warn you,even after the initial infection died down with me I was properly wiped out and needed tons of sleep and energy levels were zero.

Really pleased to see your update!

Please see your update @severeearache I have been suffering with toothache and it was almost unbearable before the antibiotics started working so I can relate.
Hope it continues to improve,

Have GP appt at 12 so they can be certain it’s clearing up they said, am getting patient transport as been told have to isolate now until I get a negative PCR result . The GP on the phone said she was half wondering if it wasn’t shingles but said that would normally come with facial paralysis and not just numbness/pain so not sure . Pain a lot better this morning, they’ve said they’ll probably give me something stronger at appointment so I can get a full nights sleep .

30/500 cocodamol and to start gentamicin drops if no change by this time tomorrow, also being referred to ENT for review and said hearing might be dulled for a while . Definitely not shingles or mastoiditis thankfully . Eczema in the right so said probably linked to that .

30/500 cocodamol will hopefully help you sleep too - I've had it for knee injuries and post operatively, it's good stuff. Keep taking the anti-inflammatories too though (as long as it's safe to do so - there are no contraindications with the cocodamol, just in case with anything else).

I would say, and I apologise in advance, but if you're prone to constipation, be sure to make sure you're drinking enough water and eating some fruit/fibre, as codeine can be constipating.

Hopefully you're on the upswing now 🤞🏻, and that ENT can shed light on any factors that may have caused such a horrid infection.

Watch out for gentimicin, my mum had her ears damaged by that - Google gentimicin ototoxicity... she's walked with a stick ever since being prescribed it and her balance is shot to bits

@Eechuffingnuff

Watch out for gentimicin, my mum had her ears damaged by that - Google gentimicin ototoxicity... she's walked with a stick ever since being prescribed it and her balance is shot to bits

Oh no, your poor mum ❤️

That’s what I’m worried about with what I’m on (neomycin), pack says it causes hearing loss if drum is burst and they couldn’t confirm that mine wasn’t, but couldn’t get the non toxic antibiotics . My ear clicked earlier and I could hear relatively well for about half an hour so hoping that’s a promising sign but …

Thankfully the pain hasn’t really come back, but I’m beyond tired - had 3 hour zoom lecture and then slept all afternoon . Away to try do laundry ..:

Hi @severeearache how are you now?

It is my turn to have earache. Had it for a few days, it got worse on Thursday so started Amoxicillin antibiotics on Friday morning after GP prescribed them over the phone.
It seems to be getting worse! I can hear my heartbeat in my ear all the time.
I am not allergic to penicillin; but it always makes me feel rough. I feel achey and weak tonight. PCR test was negative, so it isn’t covid.
Can’t sleep at the moment as I feel too much in pain. Ibuprofen not really helping so may have to get some more help tomorrow, if antibiotics don’t kick in.

@KloppsTeeth

Hi *@severeearache* how are you now?

It is my turn to have earache. Had it for a few days, it got worse on Thursday so started Amoxicillin antibiotics on Friday morning after GP prescribed them over the phone.
It seems to be getting worse! I can hear my heartbeat in my ear all the time.
I am not allergic to penicillin; but it always makes me feel rough. I feel achey and weak tonight. PCR test was negative, so it isn’t covid.
Can’t sleep at the moment as I feel too much in pain. Ibuprofen not really helping so may have to get some more help tomorrow, if antibiotics don’t kick in.

Oh God I’m so sorry you’re in the same boat , if it’s any consolation once the Otomize started working the pain did start to go . It’s a horrible horrible pain though, you have my every sympathy . The only thing that helped me was migraine patches (look and soothe) cut up and stuck around my ear, alternated with a cloth soaked in boiling water; naproxen every 12 hours and codeine/paracetomal every 6 . Sugary drinks and very soft food as I couldn’t bite down for three days . It is hell though, I lost most of last week to it so you have my every sympathy .

I’m still deaf on my left side - get a lovely crunch/click every time I swallow, and still have a horrible discharge/pus as well . Stopped the Otomize on Friday . Have to go see ENT as they’re concerned it might be something more complex - choleostatoma or something - and said it shouldn’t have gotten so bad so quickly .

Thanks @severeearache. I will try the cold and hot patches on my ear. It’s not any better and I have now had 3 full days of amoxicillin. They didn’t give me any drops, I am going to call tomorrow to ask if there is something I can take.
I can’t hear anything not out of that ear and can only eat very soft things as my jaw is tender.
Hope we are both totally free of it soon.