If my ear is bunged up and hurts periodically...

[SoupDragon]

... does it mean that I have an ear infection and need antibiotics?

I want the answer to be "no" since I don't want to go to my GP surgery and come out having caught something worse in the waiting room!

tis probably a build up of wax - that can give you the bunged up feeling and can definitely hurt sometimes.

Pop to the chemist and get some earex or otex or whatever, and if you're no better in a week or so, then maybe visit the doc.

Sadly I'm just getting over flu so it's the other kind of bunged up ear, not wax. [sigh]

I had this before Christmas, it was AWFUL. It was a build up of wax rather than an infection, sodium bicarbonate drops helped, as did paracetemol and nurofen. I went to the GP but he said if no discharge or redness then no infection. It did ease off after a few days with the drops.

I'm hoping it'll just vanish now i'm able to be upright for more than 15 minutes

I've had similar on and off since Christmas. Try nurofen and some decongestant nasal drops.

Olive oil rather than ear drops (well according to our practice nurse anyway). Warmed. Whenever I have earache I do this along with copious amounts of painkillers (I don't do pain very well!) and it will ease it eventually. Upright will be better than lying down as you said, less pressure. Hope it improves soon .

Thanks.

I don't do pain terribly well either, which is why I have only 1 ibuprofen tablet left and a couple of paracetamol...

Oh forgot - dd1 had the most dreadful earache just before xmas (it did turn out to need antibiotics, but diff for children I think) anyhow the doc told me to give her co-codamol as the ibuprofen and paracetamol weren't strong enough and I still alternated it with ibuprofen until it improved. You could try them - they made a difference for dd1.

Could be sinusitis... I had similar after flu just the other week. Gave me jaw ache as well as earache and nasty cough etc as well as bad headache and blocked up feeling. Get to dox for some antibiotics. Or if it is just wax they can sort u out with a good old syringing!! Try warm olive oil in ear at night first to see if it makes a diff. Don't do Otex, completely useless.

and try lie down with your ear on a hot water bottle