To drive myself to A&e in now? Ear infection

[Giveitarestlove]

I've had a ear infection since Wednesday doctor prescribed me amoxicillin. My ear has got worse tonight has been the first night I can't sleep my ear and jaw is pulsating. I start my new job Tuesday I need it sorting i can't function with no sleep.

I'm in so much pain

That's NOT an accident or an emergency. Call 111 or call your GP. My BFF works in an A&E and the ear ache people are the ones they HATE the most - you've not got some rare disease, you won't go deaf. Ear aches really, really hurt.
use the out of hours service, call 111.

There are lots of doctors in my family, including one who works in a&e and I’ve never heard them say they hate anyone.

I really doubt the list of people a&e staff are frustrated by includes patients with a extremely painful infection that hasn’t responded to abx for >48 hrs.

Not sure if you went but next time ring 111. In my area 111 would Have got a doctor to ring you back and they will see you if needed at a specific place - not always a&e!

There are often people on here claiming to work in A&E with opposing views on whether a health problem necessitates A&E . I think you have to judge for yourself and not worry about a complete strangers opinion not to go if you feel the symptoms are severe enough .

@Heffersclub

I doubt the healthcare professionals dsis saw hated her being there considering they were extremely concerned, was triaged immediately and ended up being admitted within hours.

@marmite79

Not sure if you went but next time ring 111. In my area 111 would Have got a doctor to ring you back and they will see you if needed at a specific place - not always a&e!

She did ring 111. She says this in her 2nd post, shortly after the first.

I would think if any A&E staff hate patients who turn up in obvious genuine distress then they're in the wrong job. Being in so much pain that you can't function and trying to get relief from that is nowhere near the same as turning up at A&E with some sort of minor ailment that a pharmacist could deal with.

You have my upmost sympathy OP, I suffer with earache/infections and have most of my life. They are absolutely agony! I have spent many nights with frozen peas against my ears to numb the pain!

I hope you got sorted!

Do people not realise how serious ear infections can be?!

I'm sure the OP can judge the severity of the pain.

And if someone who works for the NHS hates a person who has turned up in sever pain and distressed then they need to leave the job.

I definitely wouldn't go to a and e for an ear infection. It's neither an accident or an emergency. Waste of NHS resource and money, let alone taking up space for... Accidents and emergencies!

@Giveitarestlove so sorry you're in so much pain, I've been there and it's utterly horrendous. Really feel for you. However, A&E very likely to send you away.

I had an ear infection that was so bad after 2 weeks I was referred to the urgent clinic at my nearest ENT hospital, where they cleaned it out and packed it with steroid cream. Oral antibiotics did nothing whatsoever, and the ENT hospital said they don't normally bother prescribing them. They prescribe antibiotic drops, I think Sofradex from memory. Your GP can prescribe these too, keep pushing them. Let them know that the pain is so bad you can't function normally.

Really hope you get some relief soon.

I’ve been hospitalised with an ear infection before. It spread into my cheek/jaw. Rare but dangerous if left untreated

Google malignant otitis externa!

I had similar earlier this year and it is not something you can wait to get better—when OP says extreme pain, it’s not uncomfortable it’s causing a visceral reaction in her whole body! I could barley stand up, would pass out and had vomiting from the pain, it is NOT a case of just sit down and let it pass.

I called 111 and they managed to get me an out of hours appointment at a hospital, next to an a&e who had me sorted in a few hours. Luckily in my case it was not medically serious, but in these casss when the pain is so extreme it can also be something really bad.

People who have had a serious ear infection (like me - blood coming out of your ears anyone, narrowly avoiding needing iv antibiotics?) = "go to A&E"

People who haven't had a serious ear infection = "you're a time waster".

Charming. Hope you get sorted op. If your hospital has an ent emergency department go there

A friend of mine collapsed and fell unconscious due to an ear infection. Five minutes earlier she had been driving on the motorway. She was in hospital for several days.

If someone is taking antibiotics, but still cannot sleep and pain has spread to the jaw, she needs seeing urgently. It's not just a bit of earache.

Hope you’re doing Ok, OP

I went to A&E with an ear infection - one side of my face had swollen up, I could barely open the eye on that side of my face and was barely coherent.

I had previously been to my GP and he had given my ear drops - the problem was that my ear canal had completely swollen shut and the drops were having no impact (which was obvious when he prescribed them).

The swelling came on very suddenly and a GP friend advised A&E as soon as possible - it turned out the infection had spread to my middle ear (it can spread to the bones in your ear and your brain) and they wanted to admit me for IV antibiotics.

In the end they inserted a wick in my ear with strong antibiotics and an appointment to come back the following day to make sure that it was improving (and then it would have been admission). I had to bite my hand to stop me from screaming when they were inserting the wick the pain was so severe. It is possible to have a serious ear infection. Trust your own instincts.

This week's 24Hrs in A&E showed a man who had an abscess under a tooth develop a swollen jaw which was on the verge of obstructing his airways. If he or his family had read this thread he'd have prob never made it to A&E, let alone out the other side after major surgery to correct the damage to his jaw from one knackered tooth. Sometimes it is the right place to go to.

Crikey. Scary stories. Any news OP?

And if you do go to A&E with a broken ankle, you have to hop there, according to some competitive fruitbat on another thread.

Good luck, OP. Don't mess around with your hearing and health

No infection he said I have TMJ never heard off it until today but he said that's why my face is swollen.

Nothing I can do but exercise my jaw and drug myself up on ibuprofen.

I was advised to go by 111 doctor because he was worried that I might have a serious diabetic condition called malignant otitis externa as I had all the symptoms. I have never experienced such pain, and I've been through childbirth and had gallstones.

The sofradex has been discontinued, which is a bigger. They use Otomize spray now.

TMJ - is your temporamandibular joint that opens and closes your mouth. You do not usually get any swelling with this, so it might actually be your wisdom teeth... have you had them removed? Pain from both radiates causing you to think that you might have earache or tooth ache.

From what you are describing, I think the doctor may have misdiagnosed. Next if it is a TMJ problem, there are a number of causes, stress and bruxism being two of them or even a recent filling which is high. Doctors don't usually see TMJ issues that often, so can I suggest you try and talk to you dentist to exclude it and to check where your wisdom teeth are.

TMJ can be very painful, but it's a very different diagnosis to an infection. What symptoms do you have? Is your dentist seeing patients?