Ear infection agony please help

[Nakam]

I’’m in absolute agony with an ear infection, this is the second night of being woken from my sleep with horrendous pain.

My ear hurts so much it I touch it, it’s swollen, feels wet inside, leaking yellow liquid, is itchy and one of the worst pains I’ve experienced,

I was first given amoxicillin but no improvement after 4 days, yesterday nurse changed it to flucloxacillin. I asked about getting antibiotic or steroid ear drops and was told I can’t have any because my temp was 37.7 but everything I’m reading online says drops will work better than oral abs.

i feel like no one is listening to me and the pain is making me desperate. Please can someone help and give me some advice- shall I try GP again tomorrow or I’m even willing to pay online, I just need the pain to go!

For some temporary relief, try massaging the back of your ear. Run your finger down from about half way behind your ear down into your jaw a few times. It might be quite sore but I've often had great relief from it.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen together will give you relief for a while. Bit on an empty tummy though

Do you have any hot water bottles? Holding a warmish/ hot one against the bad ear can give some relief. The last time I had ear pain in the night and lay against it to sleep I woke up to find the pain gone and my ear had drained in the night.

Massage your ear under the lobe and circle around up to the back of your ear. Then repeat in the opposite direction.

See if it feels better to lay on the ear.

Do you have one of those wheat bags you can warm in the microwave?

💐

Thank you everyone for your replies and advice.

I have been alternating 1000mg paracetamol and 400mg ibuprofen and am currently in bed with a hot water bottle on my ear. I’ve been trying to sleep on the good ear but that’s not my normal sleeping side so I’m finding it all a bit hard and uncomfortable to be honest. I will try the massages now.

I’m also really fed up that I haven’t been able to see a doctor, first time I was sent by my GP to see a pharmacist and second time had an appointment with a nurse. Not knocking their medical expertise but I just feel like I wish they would give me the drops and now I have to spend another morning trying to get seen again. Sorry for sounding ungrateful.

You shouldn't apologise for sounding ungrateful??

We pay billions into the NHS and yes, you should be able to see a bloody doctor!

I would be asking for some stronger painkillers or you could try co codamol from the pharmacist? Obvs the antibiotics need a bit of time to work but you must be worn out with it keeping you awake and that also lowers your pain tolerance and also won't be helping your immune system. Give the antibiotics 48/72 hours to start working and if you are no better go back again and I think probably you'd not be unreasonable to ask to see a doctor at that point. Good luck! Must be utterly horrid!

Can you sleep sitting up? Sleep upright in the sofa for tonight with the warmth in your ear.
The pressure from lying down is likely making it worse.
Sounds awful I’m sorry and hope you feel better soon.

The flucox should kick in by tomorrow

A hot bath with your head under the water might be soothing and it will help you sleep. I remember the pain of a similar experience. You will feel better soon.x

Thank you everyone for your replies, been off MN trying to recuperate. The antibiotics have helped to reduce the pain a lot, still get some shooting pains and ear is still blocked and muffled with whooshing sounds but pain is much more manageable now thank God. I have noticed a small lump right under my ear lobe of the affected ear, it doesn’t hurt and is quite hard- I have never had an ear infection before so not sure what this is?

Bumping this thread because the horrible pain, discharge and itchiness and returned the last two days and I’m feeling really fed up now, can someone tell me if I’d be able to get the steroid drops online easily as the GPs dont seem to want to prescribe them to me….

To me this seems that the infection hasn't gone away completely or you have a new infection.
Will the GP not see you? You may need a longer or different antibiotic.

Speaking from experience, I had a severe fungal infection/ infected eczema and a perforated eardrum - oral antibiotics from gp didn’t touch it. I paid privately to see an ear doctor - it needed the (pitch black) gunk micro suctioning out and then I was given antibiotic ear drops and steroids. Plus referred for a CT scan to check the damage caused as the fungus had been spreading dangerously .
Left me with a permanent perforation
You need expert treatment . It’s hideously painful xx
Only highly qualified ear specialists should be diagnosing ear issues .
Good luck xxx

My DH used to really suffer with ear infections - when he finally saw a specialist, the specialist was amazed that he’d been prescribed oral antibiotics by the GP. He said they wouldn’t work and it needed antibiotic drops to be placed in the ear to clear it plus steroid drops. Finally this cleared it and it’s never happened since.
Hope you feel better soon, go to A&E if you can’t see your doctor, being in this much pain is an emergency or if you can’t afford it, go to a private doctor at your local Bupa hospital.

Call the GP in the morning and insist on seeing a doctor this time, GP or ear specialist?

You poor thing, it is terribly painful. Have they swabbed your ear? It sounds like the antibiotics haven’t fully cleared the infection, it could be a drug resistant strain that won’t respond to first line antibiotics. Definitely get yourself seen today if you can. Feel better soon!

Also why should you be grateful for not seeing a doctor?!

I would make up a warm salt solution and dribble it into your ear to help flush it out and kill off the bacteria. The warmth should be soothing.

Is it the outer ear canal that's infected? Sounds like you need urgent ent review and possible packing of the ear canal with a wick delivering antibiotics and steroid to the location directly and I don't know what the nurse was not wanting to give steroids there would have been no problem.

You need different antibiotics and for longer as it hasn’t cleared.

This is not a new infection it’s the same one.

OP, as this has gone on for so long now, I would phone '111' explain that you are in pain, have taken pain relief medication and been prescribed antibiotics that aren't working. They will get you a local appointment today or tomorrow.

I hope you feel better soon x

Thank you very much for all the replies and advice, and so so sorry to those of you who have suffered this pain.

I’ve just been to see the GP and on top of the outer ear infection which hasn’t cleared, I also have a perforated ear drum! Finally got the prescription for the drops! I’m really praying they clear this infection out.

Thanks again for making me feel less alone in the middle of the night.

Well done for getting yourself sorted when you’re in so much pain. The drops should work very quickly, unless you need some stuff dug out of your ear first 😱 So, if you’ll still haven’t had any relief in the next 24 hours, go back again as it may need a clear out. Keep us posted, thinking of you, ear ache is the absolute worst.

Oh bless ya ear pain is miserable I hope this sorts it for you.