Please help diagnose me!

[alwayslemons]

I’m struggling to get a GP appointment, and would like to have some idea of what it might be for when I do eventually go in. I think I may need to see an ENT specialist, but don’t think I can book this without referral from GP.

I feel like the following symptoms may be related (and apologies in advance, it’s a bit gross)

1. I’ve had an ongoing problem in both my inner ears since about November. It started with some small lumpy scabbing (I thought was just dried earwax or something so picked it off). Then it went really weepy and itchy. I tried EarCalm spray from the pharmacy but no luck. Then thought if I just kept them dry and didn’t touch them, they’d get better on their own – no luck… weeping has stopped but they still get really itchy and scabby. I get terrible stabbing earache every few weeks in one side or the other (tends to alternate, but left has been slightly worse). When I go through the earache phase I get a swelling/lump in my neck just below my ear. When I go to bed at night, I can hear my blood pumping in my ears which I’ve never had before. I don’t use earpods or cotton buds or anything FYI. I thought it might be impacted earwax so went to get microsuction from this private place – they said there was no blockage, but that the ear canals were very red and inflamed. It has affected my hearing; I feel a bit like I’m underwater and am always having to get people to repeat themselves.

2. My sinuses have been inflamed more or less constantly for months. I’ve had the odd cold, and a brief chest infection, but even when I’m otherwise healthy they feel blocked, painful and inflamed. It’s not a blocked nose as such (as in, there’s nothing to blow and I’m not sniffly). I can feel the pressure inside my sinuses. It does make it difficult to breathe.

3. The skin behind my left ear (in my hairline) has been weird and itchy since September/October. Again, I try not to touch it but it’s not going away. It’s worse when wet, and it feels like there’s an itch underneath the skin that I can’t get to. It’s not painful, but skin is now constantly peeling. I’ve never had eczema or anything like that so can’t compare.

Mercifully none of it this visible, but it’s driving me up the wall – please help!

Also - and I know this is awful so please don't shout at me! - I found a packet of antibiotics in my medicine drawer (flucloxacillin). From an old illness I guess, I don't remember, but for some reason I never took any of them. I took the full course as per the instructions. Noticed later they were out of date 🙃though not by much. Anyway, it made zero difference. And yes I know it was silly.

Have you tried antihistamines? Itchy ears, blocked sinuses... Could be hayfever.

I haven’t. I’ve never had hayfever or any kind of allergy so I didn’t consider it tbh, but worth a go I guess.

Definitely try antihistamines. My mum has lots of issues with her skin and ears, she takes a daily antihistamine prescribed by the doctor. It's helped a lot.

You have struggled this long so you might as well struggle a bit longer whilst you’re waiting to see a GP. They will hopefully refer you to ENT. This sounds like more than antihistamine tablets are going to help with.
Ring up today. Get it done!

Skin itch - I'd buy hydrocortisone cream at the pharmacy and apply it as per the instructions.

Try antihistamines and look at a sinus rinse as well - I do that before bed as it reduces my snoring....

Might not be hayfever but certainly sounds like an allergic response to me. I have chronic rhinitis so have these issues all year round.

I have Psoriasis in my ear canals and scalp and what you are describing sounds very similar. The ears then get easily infected due to scratching the itchy inflamed skin.

Wouldn’t account for the sinus symptoms but that could be a separate issue of hayfever/allergies?

I’ve moved house relatively recently but there’s such a backlog that registration is taking forever. Prior to that I was calling at 8 o’clock every morning and getting absolutely nowhere.

Does anyone know if there’s a walk-in clinic in London who would see me? Or if there’s a way of doing an online consultation? NHS app is useless but a zoom call could work, I just can’t find anything online to direct me.

I’d almost go private but am assuming that would be a huge chunk of money.

Are you still registered with your old surgery? Some surgeries provide access to an app called LIVI for video appointments with an NHS GP working remotely.

I never managed to complete registration with my old GP. I was only living in that area for a few months, and the doctors insisted on me coming in person with ID and I just couldn't get the time off. Have since left nightmare employer who prevented that but I'm fairly sure my GP from a year ago will at least have got the notice that I've moved away. It's always such a battle 😭

If you can peirce open an Evening Primrose Oil capsule and add the oil to the ear each day it could improve before you get a GP appointment if it's anything like my surgery.

Antihistamines can help.
Don't put anything in your ears though.
You could have a sinus infection as a complication of inflammation due to allergies and that can, in turn, spread and cause an ear infection. The external itching could be connected to allergies.
Are you doing steam inhalations for your sinuses?
If you can do an e- consult you might get an appt more quickly.

Have you got the nhs app? Google it. It is really simple to do on phone or laptop/ other device. You can do e- consult via that as long as whichever gp you are registered with accepts them.
Failing that 111 can advise you where to access a walk in centre or gp as a temporary resident.

Agree you could have a sinus infection that has aggravated things but it also sounds like allergies. I would for a week or so take something like loratadine antihistamine, steam inhalation with Vicks, a beckonase nasal spray, and ordering some Otomize ear spray from an online chemist to use for a week. Or you could fill out an e-consult but from my vast experience they aren’t very interested in this sort of thing unless it’s an infection sadly. Hydrocortisone will sort out the itch above your ear.

Like pps I have this sort of thing all the time and not really sure what causes it but allergies make it worse. The ear itching and weeping is probably otitis externa that results in a mild ear infection (which can make you feel rubbish). Keeping your ear dry eg in the shower helps. I am rubbish at this and so it is a vicious cycle.

I would go to the Urgent Care Centre at Guy's Hospital, it's amazing:
https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/our-services/emergency-care/urgent-care-centre

It's walk in and for some reason rarely busy, they treat all kinds of things, and they're really nice

I do think it's a bit urgent if your hearing is affected, it could be an infection.