To have a bloody good rummage in my ear with a cotton bud?

[Cheesyslice]

I'm going insane. It is SO. FUCKING. ITCHY. I'm climbing the walls.

I've had an ear infection since Tuesday. It's crippling. Been to GP twice and on anti b's plus nurofen / codeine / paracetamol. The left side of my face is swollen. Even hurts to bloody eat.

Obviously advice is to not stick anything in the ear but if I was gentle would I get away with a little ninja scratching session or would it make it worse?

my love of ear digging is absolutely not the reason I am in this situation in the first place

[GoodbyeRubyTuesday]

Sorry ClayDavis my post about the hydrogen peroxide wasn't directed at you! :)

[Minky66]

Hi cheesyslice.

My ear is aching in sympathy. Sounds like you need oral antibiotics as well as drops, you should be getting some reduction in your symptoms by now.

Don't stick anything in your ears again. I had an ear infection a few years ago that did not respond to initial treatment, was awake for days with the pain and swelling.

I ended up in hospital for a week on IV antibiotics and steroids and unfortunately the swelling compressed my facial nerve and paralysed one side of my face for 6 weeks, had to have 2 months off work! I looked delightful and cried like a baby quite regularly!

My ENT surgeon described ear buds as 'the work of the devil!'

Hope you feel better soon (goes off to find cotton buds for a covert ear delve)!

[GoodbyeRubyTuesday]

LunaticFringe I think TCP would be a very bad idea! It could reeeeally hurt. Plus probably not good for all the delicate bits in there.

[Littlegreyauditor]

If you have an abcess holding a warm hot water bottle to the affected side might bring it up to a head for you. It will then burst and release cottage cheese pus everywhere. Lovely, and a relief from all the hideous pain.

Alternatively, my mum used to send me to bed with an onion poultice (slice of onion between two bits of gauze held against ear).

I hate ear infections

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

HighBrows Sat 03-Aug-13 22:37:11
OMG I love Hopi Ear Candling... it is the best thing ever.Get someone to do this for you. Bliss..

It's also a complete placebo effect. Candles do not magically suction up ear wax.

I'm an ENT nurse and will repeat the mantra of never sticking anything smaller then your elbow in your ear.

Plus you don't actually need to put cotton buds in your ear. Ears are self cleaning and the lining migrates outward taking the dirt with it. Cotton buds can just push the debris down further and cause infections. Plus, wax is there for a reason.

[MyBaby1day]

YADNBU, I ADORE scratching my ear with a cotton bud!. I remember a good few years ago now, I used to use one often but then I got more lazy and started not doing. This went on for about 6 weeks, then one day, while I was cleaning my teeth I got a real mad itch and the wax that came off them was amazing!!, it must have all built-up. It was heavenly and I like that feeling, think it's one of the best in the world

[kickassangel]

This thread is bringing back fond memories of the time dd had an abscess. 3 lots of anti bs reduced it but didn't completely clear it, then one day I gently wiped the surface and pop! A 2 foot spray pattern of cottage cheese, followed by copious amounts of yellow goo when I gently stroked upwards along her neck.

The doctor promised said that it would probably recur, but it never has.

[Wellwobbly]

"hair clips" - you don't mean hair grips?

Honestly Runes, if you are at kirby grips, think about it!

They are slim, much less bulky than ear buds (so bad for ears), and have a built-in scoop that you can get behind some offending thing and hook it out!

Brilliant, nice and blunt, for a little scratch too.

can I confess to using a matchstick sometimes

[GettingVerySleepy]

Pobble serious question, what are people with psoriasis in their ears whose ears are not self-cleaning meant to do? I admit its a bad idea to stick anything in your ear but when you're miserable with constantly blocked ears, the doctors refuse to keep syringing them because you've had them syringed "too often" and none of the drops are helping.... And Hopi ear candle don't work either. What are you meant to do?

[Cheesyslice]

So if I suffer from recurring ear infections is it a good idea to look into syringing? I always thought it was just the elderly who required this

Reassured that hydrogen peroxide in this context is special medical stuff and not just some MNetters having a cheeky squirt of Domestos.

Thankfully ear pain appears to be easing this morning. I'm going to throw away the cotton buds when I get home.

[Whothefuckfarted]

Don't stick anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.

[CerealMom]

clearearclinic.com/

One day I will book...

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

GettingVerySleepy, I don't know I'm afraid. I'm a children's nurse so it's not really something I've come across.

[MissTweed]

What are cotton buds designed for if not for having a good rummage in your ear?

[GettingVerySleepy]

Probable, thanks for replying, glad to hear children don't tend to suffer from this problem, its bad enough for an adult!

Cereal thanks for e link, looks brilliant and I think we'll save up and go as they look like they could really help. Plus I'll get a trip to London out of it !

[GettingVerySleepy]

Pobble I mean! Damn autocorrect.

[Wellwobbly]

"What are cotton buds designed for"

to give Johnson & Johnson hugely fantastic profit margins.

The medical profession battle in vain to get people to STOP using them for what they were ADVERTISED for.

[Wellwobbly]

"Reassured that hydrogen peroxide in this context is special medical stuff and not just some MNetters having a cheeky squirt of Domestos. " - arf!

[ThreeMusketeers]

Never put olive oil or anything similar in your ear if you have an ear infection. Will make things a lot worse.

[HighBrows]

Cheesyslice I'm glad the pain is easing this morning hopefully you are on the road to recovery.

I'm very giddy at this thread the big debate - those that put stuff in their ears and those that don't!

Reassured that hydrogen peroxide in this context is special medical stuff and not just some MNetters having a cheeky squirt of Domestos.

So funny!

[GoodbyeRubyTuesday]

CheesySlice I used to have lots of ear infections and my ears produce quite a lot of very sticky wax so they often get blocked. I've had them syringed a couple of times and that has massively improved my hearing and I haven't had an infection since. Could just be a happy coincidence though! :) now when I feel wax building up I put olive oil in every day and it gradually works it way out to outer ear so I can wipe it off with a tissue. Or if they suddenly get completely blocked I use the hydrogen peroxide drops to clear a little path through the wax!

As an aside it was actually my childhood GP who told my mum the advice was nonsense and she should use cotton buds to clean my ears!

[Cheesyslice]

There is a definite divide here highbrows

I've been using a warm compress (hot water bottle) against it this morning and it does feel like there is some increased 'leakage' going on in there. Also some popping. Not sure if this is normal but to be honest there ain't anything normal about my bloody ear at the moment.

Resisting any further digging with cotton buds. I was bought up in a household at refers to them as 'ear diggers' so I blame my parents for my addiction.

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

Use one of your little fingers and give it a good jiggle. This is the only way to get a good safe scratch going!
Eating a nice big bowl of ice cream is also great for easing ear infection itch!
The popping is probably because you are all swollen in there, and your eustacian tubes aren't working properly.