Google says I should go to the doctor. I don’t want to. AIBU?

[BarbaraVineFan]

I have had a nasty lingering virus thing for a while with, variously, a lost voice, cold symptoms, exhaustion, aches and even an upset stomach. Yay :/

This now seems to have gone into my sinuses and into my ear. Last night I was awake for most of the night with very bad earache. Today the pain has pretty much gone, thankfully, but my ear feels blocked and as though it needs popping, and is also leaking discharge (sorry, I know this is horrible).

Google says that if you have discharge from your ear it means that you have an ear infection and should see a doctor. But I really don’t want to!! I have so much to do before Christmas, guests coming, I just don’t want to waste time at the GP (if I could even get an appointment!) AIBU? Do I really have to go to the doctor or can I just wait for it to clear up on its own?

Covid, had it again end October and still coughing and ears/sinuses fuzzy.......I'm the same op not been to GP for 30 years.........it clears up or it doesn't 🤷‍♂️🤣

Pharmacies can't treat ear infections in adults - you need to see your GP.

OP you really need to get some antibiotics for that ear infection. I speak as someone who had a perforated ear drum after ear infection - you really do not want that.

If you are in Wales some pharmacies can treat this. It's different to the scheme in England.

Sometimes the discharge can mean the drum is burst, which will relieve pain but is also more likely a deeper infection could take hold as the drum protects the inner ear.

Hello, please read this post to save you time. A pharmacy can only prescribe medication for ear infections for people under 18. If you are an adult, they will not be able to give you antibiotics. You need an emergency GP appointment.

I have repeat ear infections. It is very misleading on the website. It is for people under age 18. I have been twice and been turned down. Different pharmacies. Both times I left crying, and I had to wait another 24 hours for a GP appointment. Don’t bother going to a pharmacy.

Please get medical attention. I had a horrendous ear infection, ended up in A and E due to the pain. Never known anything like it. Dr said it was the worst one he'd seen and asked if it hurt when he touched certain areas of my neck/jawline as he was concerned (I later found out) that the infection could spread to the brain and I'd be dead. GO TO GET MEDICAL ATTENTION

What do you want from this thread exactly? Of course you need to go to the doctors.

I have an urgent treatment centre near me . Would I be ok to go there?

Yes I would go there if it were open now.

I don’t know what your GP is like but mine is excellent and I’ve never had to wait long to be seen for something like this,

Ok I am at the urgent treatment centre now! Thanks for all your advice everyone :)

Go to the pharmacy but you probably need antibiotics

Good, I'm glad.
It can be sortd out now. If you'd left it, it would have got worse and ruined Christmas.

Try that line with TB and see how you get on.

Last year I had a very painful sinus infection the couple of weeks before Xmas. I rang drs in desperation the Friday before Xmas got a triage telephone appointment . Nurse practitioner said she would prescribe antibiotics I collected them later that day by Xmas eve I felt so much better

I shook off TB with a bit of honey and lemon.

Update- I have an outer ear infection and have been given some antibiotic spray to use for the next 7 days, although apparently there is still a risk of the infection spreading and perforating my ear drum :/ Thanks everyone for giving me the push I needed- very glad I went now!

That’s good to hear. (Sorry couldn’t help myself).

Haha @JamesWebbSpaceTelescope that made me laugh!

Imagine Christmas with constant ear pain !!

try and get an appointment, antibiotics work quite quickly and it will be better than waiting until after when you’re in a acute pain.

I was hospitalised for an ear infection that went too far and infected not only the eardrum but the ear canal skin …it was the worse pain ever…. I now have significant hearing loss…I too hung on and hung on until it was too late….don’t be me !!!!

Yes - ears are really dodgy. Go.