Excruciating pain in ear

[Lottiebugz22]

Hi everyone my hearing has gone in my right ear and it feels blocked and the pain is excruciating.
I went to the doctors who looked inside and said he suspected an infection behind the wax but he couldn't see behind the wax so he gave me otomize ear spray. This spray has made it 10x worse and I ended up in a and e last night where another doctor looked and said he suspects the eardrum um is perforated he gave me antibiotics for infection and told me to take painkillers and that my hearing may not return for as long as 2 months. I'm in agony and I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm not using the spray now as the second doctor said it can make it worse if it is perforated. Has anyone had this because I need tips on how to handle it as it's the worst pain I've ever had including childbirth and severe migraine.

Go back to either the GP or A&E.

If you have ear wax blocking your ear I think you will need olive oil drops to soften them. But agree back to doc tomorrow.

You could get them microsuctioned to get rid of wax.

Do not use drops (unless Dr tells you to) if your eardrum maybe perforated

Ouch! Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in after 24 hrs. If it doesn't get better ask to be referred x

Agree with A&E doc don't put anything in your air fir the wax until the eardrum has repaired and the infection gone as it will just make it worse.

Keep your ear really dry, don't let any water get in during showers etc and that will help speed recovery up. Antibiotics usually start to kick in after about 3 days, so try and focus on getting through the next couple of days.

In the meantime can you go the pharmacy or GP tomorrow for better painkillers?

*don't put anything in your ear for the wax.

Sorry!

I’d phone 111.

Hi I've just been told to continue painkillers and antibiotics. I'm still in bad pain and my ear feels completely deaf now. I keep getting shooting pains in it. It really is awful. A hot water rwe bottle helps but it's making me feel really panicky and disorientated. Can't sleep hence the post this early on a morning.

What painkillers are you taking?

Stick with the antibiotic it will sort it but it takes time

Ear infections really are very painful and a perforated ear drum excruciating, I agree it's definitely up there with labour pain. When I had it, it left me crying and moaning on the bathroom floor like a baby.

Lying down makes it worse so try to sleep propped up and take a dose of painkillers before you fall asleep. Don't put anything in your ear, hot water bottle on it as often as you can, give the antibiotics 48hrs to kick in and keep taking painkillers every 4hrs and alternate ibuprofen and co-codomol.

It will pass eventually I promise!

Get some paramol from a pharmacy if you’ve got nothing stronger to take from the dr. It’s dihydrocodeine and paracetamol and stronger than co-codamol. You can take it alongside ibuprofen as well.

Thanks everyone. I've actually got an appointment with an audiologist today I've gone private. I'll update when I get back.

How did you get on?

Hope you are ok x

Hi everyone turns out all that pain was caused by impacted wax yuck! It's all out now and all the bad pain and pressure have gone. My ears are slightly infected so still on antibiotics and painkillers. My ear drums are absolutely fine he said. It's amazing what too much wax can do to your ears. I felt like I was losing my mind not being able to hear. I had microsuction and water irrigation.

Glad you are pain free now.

Good news op.

Fantastic! My son had ear problems they said oil oil more oil the oil then got stuck behind the wax so he couldnt hear anything! They said we cant syringe it he is too young stick with the oil...I stringed it myself the amount of wax I got out was most satisfying and he could hear me again!