In agony with earache!

[ProfessorPickles]

It started about 4 hours ago where my ear was a bit painful and now I can barely hear out of it and can't sleep at all

In a lot of pain and can't keeps still and I'd consider myself as someone with a reasonably high pain threshold.

Just rang 111 for some advice as paracetamol hasn't helped with the pain and I'm worried about my hearing.
Waiting for a call back.

Feeling very fed up!!

You have sympathies, I'm awake for the same reason, blasted sinuses making my ears hurt.

Isn't it an awful feeling!
Any pain relief tips?
I'm desperate for it to go away! Hoping they call me in to see someone in the next few hours cause the past hour has felt like ten!

Heated pad on the ear? Just trying that myself and hoping it works.

I know this will sound insane but it was recommended by my GP when my DCs were small and it works well.

Finely chop an onion and pop it into a muslin or similar lightweight cloth.

Hold it against your ear - I find that lying with it under the bad ear with a hot water bottle underneath the onion poultice works.

The finer chopped, the better, as lumps will be uncomfortable.

Oh, thanks, I have some left over chopped raw onion in the fridge, I'll get some muslin cloths later and try it. Thanks.

I've just spoken to a nurse on the phone and he's recommended to the doctors that they see me within the next 6 hours which is good.

I wasn't sure if I was over reacting but as the symptoms have got worse over the past 4 hours he said he seems to be progressing quickly so needs to be seen!

Definitely going to try the hot towel, and even the onions as I'm willing to try anything! Interesting that that works though, I wonder why!

Hope you get some relief soon, earache is the worst. I had a bad infection over the summer and ended up on steroids and antibiotics for 20 days.....

If you can take ibuprofen, I would. The anti inflammatory will help with the pain.

Wow that's a long time is 20 days. Were you in a lot of pain over that time or was it manageable?

I keep worrying I'm being dramatic to have rang but I'm glad they seemed worried because it means I'm not being daft

I have narrow ear canals and swim so get a bad infection about once a year. I had a 10 day course of medication. It it didn't completely clear up so was prescribed another 10 day course, plus super strength sinus decongestants and pain killers as I had to fly on about day 17. I'm in the USA.

It's funny how I need to be at deaths door before I call a gp in the UK, but here people tell you that you shouldn't hesitate to make an appointment, no prizes for suffering etc. Hope you feel better soon, earache is really horrible.

Sorry, didn't answer your question. Not so much pain after the first day or so as I was on painkillers but very annoying to not be able to hear!