To think many people overeact to minor illness and injury?

[Ihaveabloodyheadache]

Friday I woke up with some loss of hearing in one ear and a feeling that it's 'blocked' somehow. It's itchy inside and a bit red/swollen and a bit painful, with a 'wet' feeling inside to though no discharge, my balance has been knocked off a bit but nothing major and I feel under par and a bit snotty and grotty.
Considering it's gone on 3 days and got progressively worse, I'm going to give Dr a call later for a routine appointment. I'm not comfortable, but I've been to work and am coping with paracetamol and ibuprofen for now.
But according to a couple of friends and relatives, I'm courting absolute disaster by not either going to the local minor injury unit over the weekend, or demanding an emergency appointment this morning.
I'm not dying, I'm not in agony, I can wait.
Would anyone go to a minor injury unit for this or have an emergency appointment?
My personal opinion is that if everyone rushes to the on call services, or gets an emergency appointment for something like this it's hardly going to help an already struggling NHS is it? And it's not an emergency.
AIBU to think that people overreacting to minor problems like this are a strain on the NHS and people should be prepared to wait when it's not an emergency?

I think that's slightly unreasonable! The walk in centre and 111 service aren't purely for 'emergencies' as that is why you would go to A&E. what do you think they should be used for?

I went to a walk in centre this weekend as I had tonsillitis causing me a lot of pain, was this unreasonable, should I have waited until today suffering?

I agree a lot of people go for issues that are unimportant but in your situation I think I would have gone or called 111. However I can only take paracetamol as am pregnant so if I could have managed the pain with more drugs then I may not have done!

You have an ear infection. You need some antibiotics - you could try a pharmacy if the doctors are closed. Why would you want to prolong the infection?

YABU my dad did this, ended up at A&E eventually after a few days with an inner ear infection which has spread. He had severe vertigo for weeks, permanent hearing loss and now wears a hearing aid in 1 ear and wishes he'd got it looked at sooner. From personal family experience GO TO THE BLOODY HOSPITAL/MINOR INJURIES NOW STOP BEING A MARTYR

I always tell my mum there's no prize for suffering.

At some point you've got to be realistic and seek medical attention before you end up on an IV and taking up a scarce bed.

Worsening ear infection with balance problems could turn nasty quickly.

The NHS is not struggling due to people uaing the service, but because of Tory cuts.

It would be rare for this to end up with severe complications though

Maybe your doctor could prescribe you a medal to wear too?

Julia

Yanbu. Most ear infections clear up without antibiotics. If you're not in agony, it makes perfect sense to wait a while.
Try putting drops of vinegar in your ear. It helps make it less hospitable to bacteria.

Minor outer ear infections are nothing more than an annoyance, but inner ear infections or labyrinthitis can leave you with long-term complications. Personally I treat ears in much the same way as eyes and see a doctor promptly.

I'm also suffering with an ear infection right now, have been for nearly a week now (before I get told off, I'm mostly deaf in the infected ear anyway so my symptoms are pretty minimal) but I also think YABU.

It's not like they're suggesting you ring an ambulance, they're just suggesting you utilise a service for what it's intended (not sure that sentence makes sense )

I'm with the OP, to be honest. Can't stand fuss.

Please don't pour vinegar into an inflamed and irritated ear.

But as the op states, she's going to get a routine appointment after waiting for 3 days. I agree with you in this instance op. I've had a swollen tonsil for nearly 3 weeks now. It's not desperately bad and it's going now. Mind you my GP would have sent me away in order to give "mother nature a chance" rather than prescribe antibiotics!
I've seen people in walk in centres with things that a trip to the chemist would have sorted.

You're right, OP, the NHS would have no problems if only everyone was as good as you.

In all seriousness... I think you've misunderstood what an 'emergency' GP appointment is for. It's not for life threatening emergencies - that's what A&E is for. It's for time sensitive things, and an ear infection falls into that category.

From experience, ear infections take a few days to clear up with antibiotics. If you want to prolong that unnecessarily then that's up to you, but it's unfair to claim that everyone else should do the same.

It sounds to be like the ear is blocked with wax rather than it being an infection. In which case the usual treatment is olive oil. But I think OP judging by the different responses it would be useful to see someone to find out the best course of action.

Define 'minor', you are happy to ignore/live with an ear and balance problem others won't be. OOH and minor injury units are a brilliant resource and there is no shame in using them. The NHS is struggling because of funding cuts not people using the facilities.
By ignoring your ear infection you could end up costing the NHS a lot more, many issues are minor because they are caught early.

Going to be harsh here: Go to your GP or a walk in centre. This martyr nonsense may be just an attempt to hide that you are afraid. Ok to be afraid but effectively saying you have superior values by not going seeking medical attention is just silly.
You will get worse if you have an ear infection and will end up putting more of a strain on the NHS.

Maybe your doctor could prescribe you a medal to wear too?

This

I agree with the OP. I don't know if its just my workplace but the amount of time some people (especially the younger ones, not being goady, but IME in my workplace this is the case) take off for sniffles or being 'too tired' to work is baffling. Some of them barely work full time and all of them live at home with parents still. All of them are at the doctors every other week.
'Presenteeism' is sort of a given in my industry I'll admit but some people take the utter piss.

In some surgeries you can only get a routine appt for some weeks in advance, which means that if you need antibiotics you kind of have to take the emergency appts given out on the day. It's just the way the surgery organises itself.
I agree that you should see the dr asap - you are just as entitled to help as anyone else.

I'm with the OP, to be honest. Can't stand fuss.

There's nothing fussier - or more annoying - than the person who won't go to the doctor about a minor ailment to actually get it sorted but who just moans about it instead and makes a show of their stoicism. Note that both friends and relatives know about OP's ear infection!

Depends what a routine appointment at your surgery means. At some surgeries that could mean an appointment in about two weeks time.
You say your balance is affected. I hope you're not driving to work.

Eatdessert, your post is quite contradictory, so you agree that people waste time by using these services but you also think people are off work too easily?

Maybe if those people had used the available services over the weekend then they wouldn't be off work? By going to an emergency doctor this weekend I have been prescribed antibiotics much quicker then I would have meaning I won't need to take too much time off work as they'll kick in, if I had waited until today then that would be more time off?

Although again, on saying that, I agree people call in sick far too easily!!