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Ear ache - when to go to the GP?

2 replies

earowwww · 30/09/2021 19:47

Today I woke up with ear ache, it started as just a mild annoying kind of ache but it's gotten more painful throughout the day. It hurts when I tug on my ear lobe or touch my tragus. The pain is a constant ache but feels quite intense, the pain seems to cover quite a large area (my whole ear and side of my face, I think I can also feel it slightly near my wisdom teeth on that side (upper and lower). The main kind of focal point of the pain is just inside my ear canal. It also feels like there is pressure and sometimes my ear seems to rumble a little bit which eases the pressure a bit. It feels blocked, like the feeling when you take off on an airplane. I have had a slight headache on and off today but otherwise feel fine.

I have tried it with a hairdryer and leant on that side to see if there is any water trapped but that hasn't given any relief.

I did have an ear ache last winter and I went to my GP about it but it felt like by the time I got to my appointment the pain had really eased and the GP said my ear was a bit red but no sign of infection.

I don't know whether to contact my GP tomorrow if it's still as bad or whether to wait it out? It is really painful. I'm going to take some ibuprofen and try and get an early night.

OP posts:
DedalusBloom · 30/09/2021 20:02

Could it be toothache related? I've had pain like that on two occasions - one ended up being an infected tooth and the other was a migraine that lasted 3 days. Both had symptoms that led me to be convinced I had an ear infection. Try taking soluble Solpadeine tomorrow and if the pain subsides it could be a tooth abscess. I'd get to the GP as soon as you can anyway as neither ear or tooth infection should be ignored.

Morningstar66 · 30/09/2021 20:07

Sounds a little like what my oh used to get. his whole outer ear (the shell)used to ache really badly. A little googling and i found out that you can get cramp in your ear cartilage and you can pop the gas bubbles like cracking you knuckles by tugging your ear gently outwards.

Sounds mad but it worked, so if it sounds similar, could be this.

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