Is cutting my own head off the only answer?

[TheMustressMhor]

I have had unbearable pain in one ear, for several days now.

It started gradually about three weeks ago.

Yesterday I saw my GP who said there was a fungal infection and gave me drops.

It is much, much worse in the evenings - to the point where I am now considering chopping off my own head.

Has anyone got any advice? I have taken (variously) co-codamol, diclofenac and just paracetamol.

AIBU too cut off my head in these circumstances?

I had something vaguely similar and was worse at night. In end I had a mouth wash that worked. Peculiar but it must have been throat x

Hope you got some sleep. Give us a shout of you want one of us to help with the head cutting off.

Are you sure it's not teeth related? I had a tooth abscess that gave me the worst pain in my ear

Presumably it is better in the morning as you have been lying down for several hours overnight? Try lying down.

Can’t you use iodine? A few drops would work wonders

Oh op, I felt similar with sinus pain when pregnant.
I have a high pain threshold but this was so bad it made me cry.
Are you taking painkillers as well as the drops?

Thanks to all.

This morning it is no longer painful.

I think it will be painful again by this evening.

I would not go to A & E for this, but if I did want to, the nearest one is 100 miles away so not really practicable.

I am going to see my GP again today and get some better pain killers and (hopefully) different advice.

I am not surprised by the people who have suggested that GPs are not very good with ear-related stuff. I have the same impression.

Lying down on a covered hot water bottle works best but I can't do that 24/7. Well, I could, I suppose. I would rather find out what's wrong and get it treated.

I did wonder if it was teeth-related but the pain is definitely in the ear (I know pain can be referred) and two GPs have seen redness with the auriscope.

Get dissolvable paracetamol and gargle with it as you take it. Sounds gross but does help.

I do pity you, I’ve had some bad ear infections and the pain was unbearable. I prop myself up in pillows, and weirdly found chewing very helpful to manage the pain. My husband bought my some hard chewy sweets and this with pain relief and antibiotic cleared it.

You live 100 miles from an A&E?! What would happen if you actually did have an A or E?

I live miles from one too!

like labour then it just stops - read up on trigeminal neuralgia and see if the symptoms match. that can present as ear pain (though sometimes in other parts of the head). consider getting an appointment with a different GP for a second opinion.

You probably already know that paracetamol and ibuprofen work differently and you can toggle between at two-hourly intervals or take both at once if you need to.

You've got a predictable pain pattern there, so you could double up half an hour before bedtime. Poor you, it sounds grim. I had an abscess in the ear canal once after a holiday with a pool in Spain where I was teaching DD2 to dive. I was in so much pain I just wanted to be dead instead.

I hope tonight is the night it eases and you can sleep.

Morning mustress, I know this seems odd , but last night I had some relief when I used one of those vicks sinus sticks! .
My (crap unsympathetic new doctor) recommended one of those hayfever nasel sprays , sort of worked , But could of been a coincidence?

We live in a remote area of Scotland. If A & E is needed there is a village helicopter - or the local ambulance takes us by road.

There is a small A & E about fifteen miles away which probably houses the OOH GP. It isn't a major trauma centre and doesn't have any actual A & E doctors in it. So that would be a waste of time WRT getting an ENT doctor on board.

Bah.

We moved here from London three years ago so I know it seems unlikely that there isn't an A & E nearer than 100 miles away, but that is the truth.

My ear is getting much more painful now. Fuck this.

The old remedy of gently warmed olive oil dribbled into the ear and held in by cotton wool might be appropriate here, as olive oil has fungicidal properties too.
I used to get appalling earaches as a child. I sympathise deeply.

Have you tried towel over head and bowl of steaming water filled with olbus oil?
Sometimes helps!
(Can you tell , over the years I've tried everything!)

Do you live where I live OP??

Have you tried using a neti pot?
might seem like a tangential solution but could clear out some of the tubes and provide some relief from pressure and pain?

Well, ifeeldone I live in Argyll.

Me too!!!

First: put some rice in an old sock, heat in microwave and use to sooth ear.
Ibuprofen is better for ear pain than paracetamol, as it reduces inflammation rather than just kills pain.
And get a referral for a specialist.

I would also see if a bowl of hot water with Vicks in it, and inhalation (towel over head) helps at all too.

You have my absolute sympathies OP. Definitely get heat on it. Paracetamol with ibuprofen is very good & you can add codeine to that combination too. I hope it eases very soon 💐

We moved here from London three years ago so I know it seems unlikely that there isn't an A & E nearer than 100 miles away, but that is the truth

I wasn't suggesting you were lying, I just find the idea really terrifying.
I'm a born and bred londoner and get palpitations if I'm more than a mile from a shop or public transport. I couldnt cope with that sort of isolation.

Sorry you're in so much pain.and I hope.you feel better soon

Thanks for all your suggestions.

ScarlettBlaize we live in a village so there are shops. I buy a lot of stuff from Amazon. There are no supermarkets nearby which will deliver.

Having lived in London all my life it was such a delight to come here, where things go more slowly.