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Original poster

Has anyone had an infection in their ear canal & did their head explode?

40 replies

Katymac · 15/11/2007 07:45

Because anything that will end this pain atm would be considered.

I seem to have spent a lot of time on 'health' recently & I accept that I am a bit run down.

But the Doctor gave me drops on Tuesday am & I have taken 2 full days worth; despite this I was up twice in the night to take painkillers.

Is it supposed to last this long; when will the drops start working; is there any chance my head will explode or my ear will fall off?

Please reassure me

TIA
KMc

OP posts:
lauzie · 15/11/2007 08:10

I can sympathise as I get this A LOT!

It depends on how far the infection got before the drops, on one occasion I had to go to ENT and get sponge things inserted into my ear canal to soak up the drops as my ears were so swollen that the drops were not getting to the infection.

I would make another appointment if it doesn't seem to be getting any better, the sponge things hurt at 1st but once the drops get to the problem its heaven!

And as painful as it is somehow your ear manages to stay attached?!

Hope this helps

Original poster
Katymac · 15/11/2007 08:13

Thanks Lauzie

ATM my ear, cheek, jaw and neck are all swollen and sore

I cannot move my head sideways or up & down

OP posts:
Flame · 15/11/2007 08:16

Oh sweetheart

Not since I was a child, but I remember the pain still. I remember things actually feeling better when my ear drum burst because all the pressure was relieved.

I have no advice, just oodles of sympathy.

Original poster
Katymac · 15/11/2007 08:18

Will my ear drum burst?

I thought cos it was the outside bit it wouldn't (if that makes sense) because the pressure would be on the wrong side?

OP posts:
Flame · 15/11/2007 08:24

Oops - added more worry now haven't I?

I have no idea why they burst sometimes tbh. Mine did fairly regularly as a child, DD's has once (tis very messy)... I don't know if it is where there is infection and the pressure is all uneven or something, or just the infection makes the drum weak. Or some much more biologically feasible explanation!!!

Mine always burst within about 48 hours though, DD's was in 12 hours so I think yours would have gone by now.

Original poster
Katymac · 15/11/2007 08:26

Actually Flame - you gave me hope that it might end when it burst (iyswim)

OP posts:
QuintessentialShadow · 15/11/2007 08:31

It is not going to happen. But if you can put yourself into trance and sit very very quietly in a comfy armchair without moving even a hair on your own head, you might be able to ride it out....

That is what I did, and that was AFTER getting antibiotics, took two days for the pain to subside. Lets just say, having experienced this, I no longer panick if one of my children put a hand to their ear and gently moan "auuu". If they really head an ear infection they would be beside themselves rolling on the floor with high pitched screams..... Thats what I nearly did.

Not helping, am I?

You have my sympathies...

Original poster
Katymac · 15/11/2007 08:33

high pitched screams - hmm that would hurt - noises do you know

Trance/quiet/comfy/without moving hmm - sounds lovely.....why am I at work?

At least I have reflexology later

OP posts:
Flame · 15/11/2007 08:34

Anti-B's to tend to take about 2 days to kick in, so hopefully today will be the turning point?

I know what you mean QS - when doctors ask me if DS has been "pulling at his ears" I wonder how they think that is more of an indicator than the usual screaming pain!

Original poster
Katymac · 15/11/2007 08:40

But I am on hydrocortizone drops not A/b's

OP posts:
lemonaid · 15/11/2007 08:41

Mind you, DS always manages to get to the eardrum-bursting stage without having done more than be a bit grouchy (his eardrum bursting is generally the first sign we get that he has an ear infection). No idea how he does it.

Original poster
Katymac · 15/11/2007 08:56

i wonder if I should go back to the Dr

Or maybe ask him to ring me to see if these drops should have started working yet

I am sure I shouldn't be waking up in pain

OP posts:
qjbtc · 15/11/2007 09:18

I had a similar thing about 3 months ago. Although I don't think mine was so bad. I had Gentisone drops from the dr. They contain hydrocortisone and gentamicin which is an antibacterial. They worked within a couple of days although as I said I don't think I was as bad as you as I wasn't in so much pain. Hope that helps and you're better soon.

Flame · 15/11/2007 09:21

It might be worth heading back

fakeblonde · 15/11/2007 11:17

I get this a lot.
I def found a warm wheat bag on my ear and side of face helps..Also warm drinks.Might be worth asking the nurse to swab your ears as i was on the wrong antibiotics for ages.

mrsmalumbas · 15/11/2007 11:34

Poor you - DD2 just got over this, she had some other kind of drops, can't recall the name but they had a steroid in them as well to reduce inflammation, took about 3 days to really make a difference. I found that alternating paracetamol and nurofen made the most difference in terms of pain - that and lots of cuddles and booby milk but obviously in your case that won't apply (well, maybe the cuddles...). Did they take a swab? Apparently sometimes there can be fungal infection, sometimes bacterial and without a swab they won't know. Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

dustystar · 15/11/2007 11:36

I'd go back to the GP. I had a really bad ear infection last year and was on A/Bs and drops. Unfortunately the A/Bs were the wrong ones for my particular infection (they only realised this when they got the results back from the hospital). Also I turned out to be allergic to the drops which just made things worse.

When I went back to the GP they changed the drops and that helped, plus I had to have the sponge things inserted as ears were so swollen. By the time the results were back and they could give me the correct A/Bs my ears had already started to get better.

Ask for stronger pain killers too as i found the usual stuff didn't touch the pain at all.

You have my sympathy

dustystar · 15/11/2007 11:38

Sorry that was supposed to be a face

Original poster
Katymac · 15/11/2007 12:48

Gentisone drops is what I am on

I spoke to the pharmacist earlier & she reckons it will take 3/4 days to work

I am taking co-codamol - the prescription one which is stronger, paracetamol wasn't working at all

I need to go to bed - but I have to work 'til 6 - then I have to work tomorrow morning & DD's birthday party is on Saturday

OP posts:
PenelopePitstops · 15/11/2007 12:54

katymac you have my sympathy this bloody hurts, i get ear nfections all the time due to glue ear and various other ear associated crap.

Cant reccoment much except warm hot water bottle on theear, lots of painkillers and plenty of fluids.

Hope you feel better sooon

havalina · 15/11/2007 13:05

Ooh poor you I hate bloody ear infections, maybe you need oral AB's, the Dr always fobs me off with the drops at first but they never work for me. Actually the first lot made it worse, only cleared up eith oral AB's and some other drops (not much help lol).
I used to cry with the pain and the only thing that helped was filling a glass bottle with boiling water, wrapping a towel round it and holding it against my head (didn't have a hot water bottle)

Original poster
Katymac · 15/11/2007 13:20

I've just eaten for the first time since Tuesday

I had soup in a cup as I can't open my mouth to eat or even chew

OP posts:
dustystar · 15/11/2007 13:21

poor you

I was the same - my face was all swollen too.

I hope you start to feel better soon

LadyOfTheFlowers · 15/11/2007 13:22

I had one for ages thru my preg with DS1. i couldn't have any decent anti-bs so ended up with an ear infection AND thrush.
Had to labour and birth with my head feeling like someone was twisting a knife in it.
I really feel for you.
Nothing I did helped and I had to sleep sitting up.

Brangelina · 15/11/2007 13:30

I had this a couple of years ago and got prescribed v. strong painkillers for it (the same stuff as my friend with multiple fractures was taking) and it was heaven for 3 of the 4 hours before you could take the next one.

IME the ABs in either drops or oral form don't speed up recovery (used to suffer from them a lot since childhood), but anti inflammatory drops or drugs help a lot more. Can you not ask your GP to prescribe you some painkillers a bit stronger than the over the counter stuff?

You do have my sympathy, it's the worst pain ever. On the plus side my last bout did cure my caffeine habit .