A&E? Or what do I do?

[storyofus]

I had a slightly blocked ear on Saturday so I bought some hydrogen(?) otex ear drops.

Ever since I'm completely deaf in that ear, it's ringing and very painful.

Doctors can't get me in.
What do I do? A&E? Has anyone had anything similar?

The last time I had a painful blocked ear I laid in a hot bath for half an hour with my ears back in the water, the wax drained out 🤮 but it was such a relief.

Thanks everyone.. I'm booked in for 1.30 at an ear clinic. I really hope they can give me some relief today and I won't have to wait I work behind a till in a busy cafe and won't be able to hear the customers!

Good luck. Ear pain/blocking is the worst as you just can't escape from it.

You need an emergency appointment, they should be able to prescribe you antibiotics over the phone.

Good Luck at your appointment.

I had this years ago, I couldn't believe it was just blocked wax, the agony! But the relief immediately was incredible.

I have very waxy ears. I usually wash my long hair every day/second day. I have noticed over the years that if I haven't for some reason this is when it builds up. I'm not sure if it's the warmth from the shower or the water (though I'd swear I don't get water in my ears when washing my hair) ?!

that first time I was wild camping & bathing in an incredibly cold river, so I guess that's why it happened then.

let us know how you get on

I've had this before. Now I go to a private audiologist. The GP wasn't interested and I was in absolute agony. It isn't something A&E do. Best £100 quid I spent. If someone had said it will cost a grand, I'd have happily paid it, as it was excruciating.

My dd had a blocked ear for years, no real pain but definitely loss of hearing. We tried drops on and off which never helped. She booked into Specsavers for their ear service and they took out a huge dark lump of wax. They said the drops would never have helped with the lump as it was so hard. She could hear everything when she came out! Worth the £60 odd that it cost.
Hope your appointment is going well and is not too painful

Thanks all.. here's one for sporners corner! My ear was completely blocked with wax and the lady said the same as @TheSnailAndTheWaaaail that the otex will have blocked what gap there was.
It took a bit of time but she got out 2 large lumps with micro suction, my right ear is now surround sound!
Best £60 ever spent!

I think I'd persevere with the drops a little longer, it's going to take more than 2 days to work. It can take a couple of weeks.

Unless you are in the kind of pain that normal painkillers won't reach, then of course you must get medical advice. But I wouldn't go to A&E - a phone call to you GP would be the way to go.

Putting drops into your ears is going to make your hearing muffled but it won't harm you. And the ringing is probably due to the pressure caused by the blockage. It's not very pleasant and it can be unsettling but keep going with it.

No one is going to syringe your ears if you haven't softened the wax for a few days at least. My GP wouldn't syringe my ears until I'd used drops for 7 days.

My GP doesn't do it anymore. My local pharmacy does it now - for a fee.
I hope you feel better soon 💐

Glad the hear (!) yours is sorted. Hoping for similar result later.

No not an emergency at all, where did you hear that?

I had exactly the same thing a few years back, the drops went behind the blockage and it was awful, I was so dizzy as well. Managed to get an appt the next day with a local ear specialist and she suctioned it out, the relief was immense. I remember being annoyed that it looked like something I’d have to pay for privately though.

Glad you got sorted! Honestly we see people all the time with exactly the same symptoms as you, it's completely run of the mill in our line of work! It's good you could get seen today, microsuction appointments are like hens teeth where I am, we are usually booked up several weeks in advance!

And @ShiteInNiningArmour I've seen enough perforated eardrums and blood filled ear canals to confirm what I already knew about wax removal tools bought online...that the untrained general public shouldn't be anywhere near them! It's always fine until it isn't.

I just bought an ear syringe kit from amazon which squirts warm water unto the ear. If save dme during lockdown. I come from a family of people with waxy ear canals and syringed my Aunts, two cousins and parents. I can't afford to have mine syringed. I can do my own for free.

I would urge you to be careful. There are contraindications to syringing and there's the potential to cause a lot of irreversible damage. It can also induce vertigo in some people.

I absolutely understand that people who need regular de-waxing have been massively disadvantaged by the removal of services on the NHS, but doing it yourself when untrained with equipment bought online can and does cause major issues for lots of people.

You’re right. We have to refer to ENT urgent services and it’s usually a few days before they call to for you in.

I’m on an NHS ear clinic where they see me every 3-4 months for micro suction. Before that I was paying £90 a time privately so it’s fantastic. This was after years of infection though and the last one before I got into this clinic was my most severe, I went to a&e and the emergency ent clinician helped me And got me on the books!

You can get microsuction done privately/on the high street so I’d got for that. Btw sudden complete deafness in one ear without wax is def an a&e job. Happened to a friend of mine & there’s a small window to restore hearing - they’d give you an emergency mri.