Ear infection or perforated ear drum? In agony :(

[Xxhannah]

Hi all new to this sight so hoping for some advise yesterday say around 4am in the morning I had a hurrendous ear ache were I couldn’t get back to sleep took a few pain killers they didn’t work and I was sobbing for a good couple of hours I rang out of hours doctors around 6:00am and they had me up there at 9. Doctor said I had a hole in my ear drum it will heal sent me away with strong painkillers and off I went. As the hours went on the pain killers were not touching my pain I started getting a leaking ear which was like fluid ... first was orange then turned pink ... I couldn’t take no more so I rang bk and they sent me to A&E ...
The emergency doctor never mentioned the hole said I had a ear infection gave me some drops n off I went .... well I’m still in agony ! I cannot got out of bed got awful ringing in my ear ... I’m still having pink fluid leaking unless I take a load of pain killers I’m in agony ... it’s starting to get me really down I can’t look after my one year old as I’m in agony luckily his dad has been brilliant but I’m in so much pain. Does this even sound like a ear infection :( any advise or other ppls story’s would be much appreciated feeling so low here

Usually the intense pain means the ear HASN'T burst yet - its the pressure and gunk building up behind the drum which is causing the pain.

But if your ear is now leaking fluid, that likely means it has burst. Are you also a bit deaf on that side?

You can use hot (hot as you can bear) wrung out flannels and hot water bottles to help with the pain, but will need antibiotics if infected.

Yes I am slightly deaf on the side .. the drops the second doctor gave me were anti biotic drops I believe but I feel no difference whatsoever but I only started yesterday so maybe it takes some time x

The deafness = your eardrum has burst and is not reverberating sound anymore. I had a course of 7 days of penicillin 3 x day and didn't start feeling better till about halfway through that. I am not sure how strong anti-b eardrops are? What does the packaging say?

I didn't get my hearing back fully for weeks though, as the hole needs to repair itself. Don't get it wet. Disposable earplugs are good for showering, but even then be quick and keep your head tilted so water can't drip in.

I used to get horrendous ear infections and be in dreadful pain. Antibiotics usually take a couple of days before you really notice the difference. I ended up in A&E sent by my GP and I had them packed out with special sort of thin bandages with some sort of lotion soaked in. I had to keep them in for a couple of weeks. Mind you this was years ago, they may not do that any more. It did the trick, I've never had an ear infection since. Ear ache is one of the worst pain I've ever had.

I had this 5 weeks ago and it is agony. I really feel for you.
My hearing went completely and is still muffled in the affected ear.
To my knowledge, it hadn’t burst though.
Are you taking paracetamol every 4 hours? I was religious about taking them on time. Unfortunately I couldn’t/didn’t want to take anything else as I am pregnant but I was prescribed codeine and Naproxin(as a last resort)... Might be worth going back to the doctor for some stronger painkillers.
I was told antibiotics would only shorten the infection by a day or so and it was really a case of letting it run it’s course.
Try a hot water bottle on the ear too.
It really is horrible. I hope you feel better soon!

Sorry to say it will take a few days to get better. I had an ear infection a few years back and it took a good couple of days for the pain to subside. Keep yourself dosed up x

Thanks guys for the reply’s iv literally spent the last 48 hours in tears. I’m not good with pain. Iv took a codine && hopefully the pain eases the ringing is just continuous that’s what’s really bugging me.. and how much fluid is coming out. I’m going to ride it out until tomorrow and if the pain is still servere I may give them a call. I’ve never experienced pain like this and iv had two children. Awful experience.. was anyone givin the anti biotic drops I doubt there very strong hopefully they do work tho x