Ear infection - what helps?!

[BettyOBarley]

Been really unwell with an ear infection all week following a cold, so I presume viral.
Just finished 5 days of antibiotic ear drops with no real change.
The pain/pressure in my ear has gone off a little but I'm still totally deaf in that ear, it feels totally blocked & ringing like mad with fluid running out of it for days. Now got stabbing pains in my head/temple - gahh I'm so miserable!!

I'll be calling GP again tomorrow but I don't know what else they could do, does anyone please have any tips for anything else that helps get rid, preferably in time for Christmas?!

Taking ibuprofen & co-codomol but been taking that for 5 days now which isn't ideal.

Lie with your bad ear on a hot water bottle (with a towel on the hot water bottle so it isn’t too hot).

I second what Downwhichoflate above has said, it really helps me when I’m suffering with ear pain.

Yes thirding the advice for a hot water bottle. Hope you feel better soon, it’s miserable!

Chewing.

Gum might help. It moves the ear canal and helps to drain any rubbish out.

And lying on that side as has been suggested.

Hot water bottle and ibuprofen. Ear ache is miserable.

Had this last year - horrific. I iced my ear, wrapped a pack of frozen peas in a clean tea towel and pressed it against my ear. Also got codeine.

Thank you, should have said I've had a hot water bottle glued to my ear all week and it really has probably been the only thing to help. Wasn't sure if it was contributing to these stabbing pains in my head though so I've given it a rest today.

Gum is a good shout, I'll try that thanks.

Otovent might be worth a try.

Could actually be blocked. GPs tend to not look at blocked ears but Specsavers (yep) will. Phone them in the morning and see if they will have a look in your ear to see if it’s blocked. If so they can suction them. For a ridiculous amount of money (think it’s about £50 per ear or thereabouts).

You may have this patient.info/ears-nose-throat-mouth/earache-ear-pain/eustachian-tube-dysfunction

It's fine to take adult doses of pain killers and anti-inflammatories, over the counter decongestants may, or may not, help too

I’m prone to ear infections following a cold and my GP said as soon as I get a cold to start taking decongestants to help prevent them. As a result I haven’t had one for years(not that this helps you at the moment).

Could still be a bacterial infection even though your cold was viral. Bacteria are opportunistic little buggers and will strike when you’re down.

Decongestants might help a bit now - worth a go. Earache is awful.

The last ear infection I had didn’t shift properly with antibiotic ear drops, only did when I had a course of oral antibiotics.