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Original poster

Anyone know of anything my dp can do to ease a bad ear infection until he hears back from the dr?

30 replies

bodiddly · 29/04/2007 20:28

My dp is taking antibiotics and ear drops and has already taken his day's allowance of paracetamol and ibuprofen .... can anyone think of anything he can do to ease the pain until he can see a dr. We are waiting for the emergency dr to call back with an appointment or some suggestions but it could take hours and he is going up the wall! When I was little and had infections my mum used to give me a hot water bottle to put on it but he seems to want ice .. does anyone know whether either of these would help/harm?

OP posts:
Jackaroo · 29/04/2007 20:34

A hot water bottle wrapped in a baby blanket would be great, I wouldn't recommend ice as he could end up with that horrible shooting neuralgia pain you can get int he winter... he might find that either lying on it, or lying on his other side helps, either pressure or complete lack of it. Mine have responded to both in the past....

When did he last have paracetemol - if it was more than 4 hours ago, have you got any solpadeine/paracodol/co-codamol etc etc.. that you know he has taken before/is OK with?

It's not much better for the pain, but you just don't care as much! god I feel for him.. will keep thinking......

Scootergirl · 29/04/2007 20:35

The dr told us to keep DD sipping water when she had one - the pressure builds up more when you don't swallow so the pain gets worse.
You could try distracting him with something.....

brimfull · 29/04/2007 20:35

hair dryer on low can relieve the pain

Original poster
bodiddly · 29/04/2007 20:37

Thanks Jackaroo ... unfortunately he has had more than the amount he is allowed in 24 hours of paracetamol/cocodamol and ibuprofen! He has just had a stern lecture from the NHS Direct woman too! I think I will give the hot water bottle a try (if I can find one that is!)

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wrinklytum · 29/04/2007 20:37

Not sure if you can get it over the counter but if you ring emergency chemists they could tell you but maybe something that is codiene based minus the paracetomol i.e codiene phosphate.Poor dh,ear pain is awful.Hope he gets some abs soon.

Jackaroo · 29/04/2007 20:38

PS More along the lines of spacing him out.. if it's something he's happy to try, I'd go for some calms type tablets if you've got anything, a bath with lavender, a small shot of booze.. pretty much anything that will relax him to some extent, as it really makes a difference. Obviously with the caveat that you have to be sensible/not try something he hasn't had before. I wouldn't recommend alcohol with codeine containing drugs unless he's had that combination before

pickledpear · 29/04/2007 20:39

nhs direct nurse should of given you help not lecture as if he has had full dose today it must have got worse and doctor needs to see it

KerryMum · 29/04/2007 20:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jackaroo · 29/04/2007 20:43

I'm not getting through my supper very fast, I keep thinking of things! Hot drink, as hot as poss. can be great - doesn't matter what, although if it was me, I'd keep away from anything with milk in it...

Oh, and sod the NHS person - they take all their stuff from pre-designed flow charts which work in theory, but don't help when the pain makes you want to throw yourself out a window ......... I spoke to an NHS direct nurse once when DS was really sick, and told her what I'd done to try and help, and she said it wasn't what they woudl recommend but if it had helped then great!! You need a human being on the phone really..

Jackaroo · 29/04/2007 20:44

OMG, please don't pop your ears, if the pain is as bad as it sounds you could easily perforate an ear drum... sorry Kerry's mum, to disagree......... not personal

wrinklytum · 29/04/2007 20:46

Ooh,sorry just read thread and he has had co-codamol so extra codiene probably not good idea!Thought it was just paracetomol and ibuprofen!

KerryMum · 29/04/2007 20:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AitchTwoOh · 29/04/2007 20:48

i second the hairdryer and the hot water bottle. also slodge some tea tree oil onto cotton wool and rub around ear with it. i'm bold so i actually use a cotton wool bud to put it in but someone on here dripped some into her ear and really didn't like it (i'd meant drip it onto cotton wool bud but something got lost in translation).
ime (and i get about one ear infection a year and have been hospitalised and on morphine for 'em) the tea trea oil works better than anti-bs. plus, if the anit-bs don't start working soon get them to doa swab for pseudomonas bug as that can be antib resistant.
also, i'm pretty sure that brufen isn't a good painkiller for an ear infection (but can't remember why) and if you take anything codeine-y remember to take a laxative as they totally bung you up. and sympathy to your dh, i'd rather have another baby than a bad ear infection. no joke.

Original poster
bodiddly · 29/04/2007 20:56

I've got him settled on the sofa with a hot water bottle but I am not sure if it is doing any good as yet. He has been told that he cant take anything for the pain until 5am tomorrow .. basically 24 hrs from when he started taking it today! That is a long way off .. hence he is desperately waiting for the dr to call and hopefully get him an appointment for some stronger pain relief. He was taking the ibuprofen in an attempt to try and reduce the swelling slightly as his ear is almost swollen shut! What do we do with the tea tree oil then? I think I have some in the cupboard!

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Original poster
bodiddly · 29/04/2007 20:56

Unfortunately I havent got any calms or lavender etc ... and wouldnt you know it sunday so tesco isnt even open! Grrrrr

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Jackaroo · 29/04/2007 21:02

Um, I know there's another wait involved and it's not the best place to be btbh, I'd send him in a cab to A&E. If it's that bad, it's not just painkillers he needs...
When my ear was that swollen they had to set up a kind of wick into the ear to drop stuff onto, and it still took a while to sort. Also, if he's in hospital they can give him a jab of some sort of diclofenac (ah, have you any of that??? !!!).... or similar.. or at least make a medical decision about more codeine etc ... and at least someone would be looking after him.
Tea tree sounds excellent, but I think tonight you need to get help. Once the ear has opened up again, then start the TTOil...

Jackaroo · 29/04/2007 21:04

BTW, what tablets and drops are they? if you have time...

Original poster
bodiddly · 29/04/2007 21:04

I had some diclofenac left over from a back injury ... but that is basically a stronger form of ibuprofen .. so he cant have that either! I am pushing him to go to A&E to be honest but he doesnt seem keen.

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Original poster
bodiddly · 29/04/2007 21:06

The tablets are flucloxacillin and the drops are Otosporin .... stupid man thought that it had gone away the other day and stopped taking them so its noone's fault but his own. Men!

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Original poster
bodiddly · 29/04/2007 21:08

I dont mean to sound so unsympathetic ... but he just doesnt seem to use his head and think sometimes. He is very much in the here and now without thinking about why it says "always finish the course"! This is the third ear infection he has had in last few months.

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AitchTwoOh · 29/04/2007 21:08

on one particualrly marvellous occasion both my ears wer completely shut, and it was anti-b resistant, i had od'd on teh codeine and the night doc just came out and shot me up with morphine. i was then taken to hospital the next day and the only thing they could do to bring the swelling down was pack out my ears with coal tar. it was amazing. stinky, but amazing.

if i was you, i'd start by putting some on a piece of cotton wool and wiping around the inside of the ear, and don't worry if it goes into what's left of the opening of the ear. it feels a bit coldy-burny-nippy, but it seems to dry out the swelling a bit. at least that's how i head off my ear infections these days. i told my doc about it and he said it was as good as anything he could do at teh time.

AitchTwoOh · 29/04/2007 21:11

he is an idiot not to finish the course.
you could try A&E like jackaroo suggests but they didn't do anything for me until the next day, just got pissed off at me that i was bothering them.

Original poster
bodiddly · 29/04/2007 21:37

Well the dr has just phoned back and booked him an appointment with the out of hours dr at the hospital so his dad has just come to drive him as its quite far away. I have to say credit where credit is due the dr was great. She thinks he has perforated the ear drum ... hopefully the dr will be able to give him something to ease the pain so he can get some sleep at least. Thanks for all your advice everyone!

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Original poster
bodiddly · 29/04/2007 21:38

You are right AitchTwoOh he is a complete idiot! This was probably avoidable if he had just taken the blasted tablets! Now he is going to have to have time off work (he is self employed!) and has been a grump all weekend. God I sound horrible!

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Jackaroo · 29/04/2007 21:48

Bloody men! They'll sort him out (even if it's sedate him for a day :-)

Hope you get some sleep - night.