Anyone here dealt with an outer ear infection?

[Lewis22]

Hi, back in November I started to get really bad itchiness in my right ear, then discharge ( which smelt awful) i visited the doctor around mid November and he diagnosed Otitis Externa & prescribed Betamethasone & Neomycin drops which I dutifully used for the recommended 10 days, there seemed to be some improvement, but then a couple of weeks ago, the whole thing started again.

I did not have a swab taken atthat time and have been unable to return yet as been having a lot of dental surgery & struggling with that.

Obviously I need to go back and will deal with that when the surgery opens in the morning.

I just wanted to ask if anybody else struggled to get this condition sorted and been in a similar situation, any questions I need to ask the dr? I was already talking amoxicillin around the time it started for a dental abcess, so obviously that had no effect on the ear infection either.

Thank you

I use Otomize spray, it's prescribed but you can buy it on line. Magic stuff. If I get it in time then a small amount of hydrocortisone cream works too .

I got prescribed otomise last time too but the doctor did say that if it came back they would swab it in case it was fungal and needed a different treatment so I would ask for a swab to be taken just to be sure!

Thank you for your reply

Hi
Thank you for your message, I will get an appointment sorted and discuss the swab with the Dr. I think he should have cleaned my ear first, it may be the drops didn't get through enough ( Betamethasone)

I have chronic otitis external...I use ear calm which is NICE recommended first line treatment.
I use that most days once a day.
If it's not holding it at bay I use otomise and if really bad infection...pain +++ and my parotid gland involved I get co -amoxiclav antibiotics.
I keep my ears dry, ear plugs for swimming and showers but no ear pods etc.
If your discharge smelt it's more likely fungal infection and that needs an anti fungal treatment so ask you GP to swab it.
(I am a GP- I wouldn't swab on first episode necessarily but if not getting better with treatment and good ear hygiene then I'd swab)

Hi,
Thank you so much for your reply. I am 64 years old and never had an outer ear infection before, don't even know how it happened. Had 2 lots of oral antibiotics around the same time this started, for a dental abcess, I wouldn't be at all surprised if that had something to do with it.
I don't think it ever went away after using the Betamethasone drops, although the doctor didn't clean the ear and it was pretty gunged up

And yes, the smell, it is horrible

HCP here.

Irrigation cleaning would be contraindicated if you have indications of an infection so the 'cleaning' wouldn't be possible or needed.

Earcalm normally does the trick but I would personally recommend a swab from what you say, but deffo get an appointment with relevant HCP.

I use Earol Swim. It's the only thing I found that kept it at bay. My ears are now clear. It's a horrible thing, itchy ears drive you nuts.

Hi,
Thank you, hope to sort an appointment this week & will mention the swab.
The itching is awful, as is the smell

I had this repeatedly a few years ago. Otomize didn’t get rid of it so GP did a swab and prescribed ciprodex ear drops which did the job. Ask your gp if they can prescribe these.

Hi,
Thank you, will hopefully sort an appointment this week 🤞