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Original poster

Blocked ears driving me mad

28 replies

bryceQ · 27/12/2023 15:39

I had a horrible 2 week cold. At some point my ears ended up blocked. For 3 days i used sodium bicarb drops and now I'm using olive oil. They aren't getting better it's driving me mad it's so disorientating and they are a bit sore too ☹️ Trying to avoid GP as it seems like such a silly thing. Anything else I can do?

OP posts:
Shf · 27/12/2023 15:42

Do you know which side of the eardrum is blocked? If it’s not wax then drops aren’t going to help. I’ve had a lot of problems with sinuses and blocked ears recently and the ear doctor told me to use the nose balloon to unblock them, you feel a tit using it but it has worked within a day or so two

LadyLeei · 27/12/2023 15:45

I think you need to see a GP. I struggled with this for weeks last year and like you I did not want to bother the GP/ could not get an appointment. In the end I could not hear much and kept losing my balance. Turned out to be an ear infection and antibiotics cleared it up once I was desperate enough to see the GP.

Original poster
bryceQ · 27/12/2023 15:46

Never heard of a nose balloon, I'll Google that.

Guess I'm putting off gp as I'm embarrassed it's wax and they need to flush them out or something.....

OP posts:
Grazyna80 · 27/12/2023 15:47

I’ve had one blocked ear for weeks now, plus cold , eventually I’ve been given antibiotics and nasal spray ,it was sinus infection. What is a nose balloon?

ANightmareBeforeChristmas · 27/12/2023 15:49

It took a good two weeks for mine to clear, after the rest of the cold had cleared up. I don't think it was wax because they did clear eventually.

kitsuneghost · 27/12/2023 15:50

Hydrogen peroxide

hamsterchump · 27/12/2023 15:52

Otex has always worked for me after a few days, get a bulb syringe too and syringe them with warm water over the sink.

Cheeesus · 27/12/2023 15:53

I’d try Otex for a week
https://amzn.to/3v9oHSO

and then the balloon thing.

movingstars · 27/12/2023 16:02

Same here… I had Covid 2 weeks ago and think this is the aftermath….

Will investigate a nose balloon!

Shf · 27/12/2023 16:54

I nearly laughed when she suggested the nose balloon but it equalises the pressure inside or something, it really did work!

CyberCritical · 27/12/2023 17:13

Stop putting random drops in your ears based on your guess of what might be causing your symptoms and go to the GP. I have also once in an act of desperation because I couldn't get a GP appt been to an opticians where they do ear tests and asked them just to take a look and see if anything looks off. They were able to confirm they could see pus so a GP would be needed which helped bump me up the list when I spoke to my GP receptionist.

It could be wax but you've said it feels sore too so could be an outer or inner ear infection. Outer ear would need spray/drops, inner would need oral antibiotics. For either of these olive oil and bicarbonate would do nothing except increase moisture and potentially exacerbate an infection.

Original poster
bryceQ · 27/12/2023 17:13

I don't think it's wax actually as it seems to be getting worse. I have some antibiotics left over from tonsillitis, would it be silly to take for a few days and see if it eases?

OP posts:
Original poster
bryceQ · 27/12/2023 17:14

I have been putting random drops in 🫣

OP posts:
CyberCritical · 27/12/2023 17:14

bryceQ · 27/12/2023 17:13

I don't think it's wax actually as it seems to be getting worse. I have some antibiotics left over from tonsillitis, would it be silly to take for a few days and see if it eases?

Don't do this, you need the right antibiotics, not just any you have in the house.

dudsville · 27/12/2023 17:16

I had blocked ears for 3 weeks. It did end on it's own, but this was the longest cold. 4 weeks in total and I was still lehtargic 5 weeks in. Just saying to give you hope for the futre!

Helenahandkart · 27/12/2023 17:22

Don’t take random antibiotics. And in future, if you’re prescribed antibiotics, always finish the course. Otherwise you are contributing to antibiotic resistance, which ultimately will cause us all to die!

Original poster
bryceQ · 27/12/2023 17:25

Okay I'll call GP tomorrow 😞 I'm convinced by methods so far have been far from optimum lol

OP posts:
PostOfficeInTheCoop · 27/12/2023 18:03

Let us know how you get on please bryce, watching with interest as suffering with similar!

PTSDBarbiegirl · 27/12/2023 18:15

I had this for months, was in the end really painful. GP recommended Otrivine ear spray, in chemist's, cleared it up completely in 3 days. Olive oil made it worse.

Original poster
bryceQ · 27/12/2023 18:22

PTSDBarbiegirl · 27/12/2023 18:15

I had this for months, was in the end really painful. GP recommended Otrivine ear spray, in chemist's, cleared it up completely in 3 days. Olive oil made it worse.

What is in this?

OP posts:
PTSDBarbiegirl · 27/12/2023 18:46

bryceQ · 27/12/2023 18:22

What is in this?

Show quote history

Couldn't tell you but Google will know.

CyberCritical · 27/12/2023 19:36

Otto one is for ear wax, it has chemicals that break down the wax and is really effective if that's the problem (plus kind of satisfying hearing the fizz) but it will do nothing for an infection.

If you have an outer ear infection you'll probably be advised to get Ear calm/otimize which you can buy from the chemist, it's behind the counter. It contains acetic acid which is a topical antibiotic and effective for minor ear infections.

NearlyMonday · 27/12/2023 19:59

if It’s not an infection, heat helps a lot. 10mins in the steam room at the gym makes my ears start to crackle and pop, which then leads to them draining

Original poster
bryceQ · 28/12/2023 14:33

Embarrassingly it's impacted wax. No appointments anywhere to clear till next week. I'm demented as I can barely hear

OP posts:
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