Adult Ear Infection - What's Normal?

[Zebraa]

I've had a really wicked cold for over a week now and this morning my GP confirmed an ear infection. She has given me amoxicillin but I've gone deaf in that ear and can't smell anything and have very little taste going on. I feel so much pressure it feels like my head/face is going to explode!!

1. Is this normal?

1. How long before the medicine kicks in and I start to feel better and get my hearing back?

[cookiesmom]

Still have feeling that im under water muffled hearing im on new antibiotics which is Augmenten 875mg 2 x a day. First was prescribed amoxicillin it cleared ear infection in right ear then my left ear got infected. Have a lot of pressure behind my ears they fill like they are gonna burst. Im taking tylenol and ibuprofen 800 im taking sudafed PE as well as steroid nose spray Flonase. This all started from a sinus infection and ear infection and this was not this past monday but the monday before. No fever a little pain on the right side none of the left side nose is a bit stuffed but not bad. Clear nasal drainage nothing of color when i blow my nose. Just muffled hearing in my left ear and cracking and popping noises when i swallow in both ears and pressure in my ears its driving me nuts and causing my anxiety to be high because of this i feel like its never gonna go away. Im scared and dont know what else to do at this point. Someone please help any suggestions?

[cookiesmom]

Went back into the ER because the ear pain and pressure woild not go away dr said right ear looked good but now it was my left ear so she put me on Augmentin antibiotics took first dose at the hospital its been 24 hours now and i still dont have any relief is this gonna go away soon as this is driving me crazy. I cant even sleep comfortable at night because i dont want to lay my head all the way down because of the pressure and fullness and clogged up feeling in my ears. I just want this to go away and never come back again. I also have loud cracking noise in my ear when i swallow and my throat seems to be a little irritated as well today. Im gonna see how this new antibiotic goes and go from there hopefully i will be feeling better in no time. Praying to God this goes away its causing my anxiety to rise.

[QueenOfOversharing]

I get a lot of sinus & ear infections & for me, sometime amoxicillin doesn't work effectively. If you're not better, esp if have fever too, go back to doctor. They may prescribe a different antibiotic - in my experience co-amoxiclav (Augmentin), doxycycline, erethromycin / clarithromycin

[cookiesmom]

I know this forum is old but im having some issues and need some help. Ive been sick since monday 10/28/2019 today is 11/02/2019 went to the Dr on 10/30/2019 because ive been really congested,sneezing,right ear was hurting throat was hurting. So dr said i have a sinus infection and that my right ear was angry red inside and prescribed amoxicillin 1000mg every 12 hours for 10days. I started the AB on Wednesday and here it is Saturday and i still feel like crap and doesnt seem like im improving. My right ear hurts and my left ear is muffled up no drainage coming from my ears that i know of lots of pressure and cracking and popping when i swallow. Please help why isnt the Antibiotics helping i dont like it when my ears hurt at all.

[shazzadoodle]

My 93 year old dad has an ear infection after having them shringed. I hope it gets better soon,he's hazd anibiotics,an ear spray and is now on ear drops.He said ' nothing helps'.

[Rottontomato]

Hi to you all
I know these posts were all from a while back but I'm desperate for a little advice and reassurance.
Following a cold I started with an ear infection in left ear which led to my eardrum rupturing. I've had loss of hearing which is quite bad, I can hardly hear from left ear and I've had ringing which comes and goes. This happened 11 days ago and after 2 courses of amoxicillin I'm still not over it. I no longer have ear pain or fluid leaking but I am still no better in terms of my hearing. I can barely hear anything from the affected ear apart from the most awful screeching ringing which started today... it is driving me crazy, making me feel sick and giving me a headache. Please somebody help..... I need to know that my hearing will return soon and the ringing will stop. I'm considering paying to see an ENT privately but I really cannot afford to do this but I'm getting desperate. Please help.

[Karen123456]

Hi, I know you posted this some time ago but wondered what your outcome was pls? I too have had 90% hearing loss and pain for 10 days. Drops and abs seen no improvement. Booked to see a private ENT in 2 days but I’m having panic attacks to . It’s like I’m being suffocated and it’s really horrible and upsetting. I’m never ill really so this is hitting me hard. I just want my hearing to improve or show signs of getting better. Any reassurance please? Thanku

[Rebeckie1994]

Hi BringMeCoffeePlease, your whooshing and ringing sounds all too familiar, lots of popping and cracking too... Please see the two comments above yours for my experience on this if you havent already. Yours and my ear problems even seem to have started in a similar way. i wouldnt worry too much about your ear being perforated, my ears were so infected and swollen that my nurse and doctor couldnt even see my eardrums and they were both fine. And yes, i regained my full hearing. You should see your doctor after you have finished your course of tablets, even if you feel better. Better to check and be safe.

Unfortunately as i said in my last message, it takes a while for them to clear up, maybe a couple of weeks... Have a day or two off in the meantime if you can and try to get some rest. I hope they sort themselves out soon 😊 keep us updated xxx

[BringMeCoffeePlease]

I know this is an old thread but wondered if anyone could help...please, I'm desperate:
I've had a cold and sore throat for about a week and they're almost gone now. On Thursday night, I couldn't sleep and at around midnight my right ear suddenly started ringing. I could hear a wushing sound too like waves and my ear would crack randomly. I finally slept for about two hours that night. I woke up on Friday and the ringing stopped at around 10am but then moved to my left ear. It would crack when I yawned or sneezed. I went to the doctors and I was told it was a pressure build-up and my right ear looked a bit red and angry and infected. I was prescribed amoxicillin and have been taking those. The ringing quikly went back to right ear and here I am now...it's still ringing. I'm exhausted. I can't stand it. I just want to hear properly again. It's like I'm in a bubble all the time. I've been taking some cold and flu tablets and cocodomol to help me sleep.

Is my ear drum perforated, or does there have to be puss for it to be perforated? Will my ear get better and will I ever be able to hear again? When should I see a doctor again, if I've used all amoxcillin and the ringing is still there? It's a bit itchy now.

[Rebeckie1994]

Hi all, back again.

So as stated in my last comment i promised an update and here it goes. Had a doctors appt booked on the Thursday morning (11 Jan) , cancelled it because by Wednesday midday (10 jan) i found my hearing was loads better. Still not 100% even now but i would say 90% back to normal. Lots of popping and crackling in my ears still when i talk, yawn, and lay my head down to sleep - even getting odd 'whump' noises in my ear every now and again, but as i said last time i think its just my ear clearing, and the fact i can hear well again means I'm more than likely OK.

To anyone new reading this who looking for answers, the sad fact is it will take time for your ears to sort themselves out. Just get yourselves to the docs asap, rest, and don't panic! Xxx

[Rebeckie1994]

Hi guys, just wanted to post my own experience here cause as it was stated earlier in the thread, not a lot of people tend to come back to this to post results.

I started with a nasty chest infection a few days before new years (around 28/12/17 as i remember). On new years eve both of my ears suddenly became very painful and i felt an enormous amount of pressure in both ears, couldn't get comfortable and felt like my head was going to explode.

I took an ibuprofen and that eased the pain so that i could sleep. (Please don't take ibuprofen if u are allergic and always read the label for ingredients you may be allergic to.)

New years day and 2nd of Jan i had loads of clear and yellowy watery mucus run out of my ears. Still loads of pain and pressure and i thought i could hear something moving in my ears too (which was just my ear canals trying to open and close to get rid of the mucus stuff). My head felt like it was in a bubble, i was very dizzy and disorientated. If you have ever gone swimming and got water clogged in your ear, imagine that in both ears, all the time, for days on end with quite a bit of pain and dizziness.

Please do not put cotton buds or cotton balls in your ears if this happens to you!! You could push the mucus back down and cause more pressure and problems as well as push the germs back down which could make the infection worse!

I saw a nurse at my local doctors on 3rd of Jan who prescribed amoxicillin for a week. I have taken 6 days worth of the tabs and while my hearing isn't perfect, it is a hell of a lot better than it was and my ears are no longer painful.

Voices and sounds are still a bit tinny, and i am going back for a check up on Thursday 11th Jan, so i will.post another update then x

[stot1]

i know some of these are old posts but i have my first earache in 45 years at the back end of a very nasty cold, also perforated ear drum.
i have just been told to come off the antibiotics trimethoprim as i was experiencing extreme sickness and dizziness can't get out of bed with out being sick.
i have no pain in the ear now just blocked and still horrible discharge coming out of it. Does anyone know how long this could go on for as its nearly christmas i have no urge to do anything. Don't know if the ab interacted with my anti depressants.

[Kerry149]

Hi I Know this happened a few years ago to you but I'm experiencing the same now and it's very worrying had it 7 days ago prescribed Amoxacillin for inner ear infection but didn't work just been prescribed clarithromycin for a further 7 days. I'm deaf dizzy and have bad tinnitus. Pain eased and fluid stopped leaking out of it. How long did it take to go in the end just want this to go away

[jillzr]

Hi - I am at a loss. This is the 13th day of total hearing loss both ears, from ear infection. I am beside myself. I have had several antibiotics now. I gave up on nhs when A&E and local docs told me to grin and bear it. Have seen a private ENT specialist who said hearing would be back this week with new antibiotics - but its not. I havent seen this mentioned but I am having major panic attacks ( never had one ever before), as I feel as if I am drowning. Just do not know what to do......

[JerryFerry]

Sorry but it does sound normal. You should notice some improvement in the next 24-36 hrs but it may take days or longer to clear.

I've had many ear infections, the worst was when both ear drums burst and I woke up to blood trickling down from my ears ugh. But I've always made full recoveries!

Do whatever it takes to relieve the pain. painkillers, wheatbags etc

Hope you feel better soon.

[Becki6498]

I've had an ear infection for about 5 days now but no money to buy antibiotics, it's only in the left ear and I'm almost completely deaf, my ear was popping and crackling but now it's stopped. What do I do?

[Maggiecat]

I have vowed to come back to these forums and post the outcome of my ear infections so whoever is searching for answers might find some. Having had a bad sinus cold and a week later suffering from excruciating ear infection in both ears, I scoured the net looking for answers only to conclude from all the comments that I would be permanently deaf 😩. It seems there were not many who returned to forums to post the outcome of their illness and treatment. However, I am pleased to say, two weeks later and my hearing is almost back. This is how it panned out:
Day 1 - ear pain started in evening
Day 2- woke up with ear ache in right ear, felt deaf in ear as if it was stuffed, after a few hours I visited the walk in centre, was seen for about 2 seconds and told it was red and had wax in it. I was not prescribed antibiotics and told it would take 2-3 days for the pain to stop and up to 6 weeks for the hearing to come back!!! That evening pain started in my left ear.
Day 3 - deafness in second ear (left) worsened and had that stuffed feeling. Could barely hear at all. It was awful. Decided to ride it out as the walk in centre suggested. Some watery leakage from ears
Day 4 - first ear (right) started to feel less painful but still almost completely deaf Left ear continued being very painful
Day 6 - left ear still in so much pain, visited doctors, still almost completely deaf. From symptoms I described, pain, deafness, leaking ears etc she described antibiotics, she wasn't able to see past the wax blockage in my ear so had to go by my description. Started Amoxicillin that afternoon.
Day 7 - pain almost completely gone and some improvement on hearing but very slight
Day 8 - almost completely deaf again, pain gone, sharp shabby pains which I think was fluid moving.
Day 13 - still blocked in left ear but right no longer felt stuffed but still could not hear very well, would say 20% hearing returned.
Day 14 - both ears no longer stuffed but still feel fluid with popping and crackling, hearing vastly improved say 50%
Day 15 - 80% hearing, still popping and crackling but another couple of days and I reckon it will be much better.

[angel2001]

well a week on and still hurting. antibiotics run out tomorrow and steroids run out on weds. will have to go back Mon I think. at least i can lay down on it now.

[magso]

Good! Hope you are soon better.

[angel2001]

nope hve decided to go back to the gp today and see hat he says

[magso]

Angel, you sound quite unwell ( not a wimp at all)- are you any better today?

[angel2001]

i have infection in both ears too. my right on is worse feels like its going to explode and it has started swelling on the outside, my left ear is really sore all over but not got the pressure feeling. was put on ab yesterday now feeling sick, felt dizzy yesterday ad still feel really dizzy to the point i have spent day in bed. feel really poorly. might sound like a wimp and i feel its only a ear infection why am i suffering so much. never had one before and never want one again. been using a lavender wheat bag which eases it for a bit. a 36 year old in bed with bloody ear ache sounds like a child thing to do lol. oh well if not better tomro going ring gp as 3rd day on ab should see some improvement i would have though not getting worse ie swelling

[oneyummymummy]

Thats what I got before my ear infections, a 'wet' ear, and it kept leaking a little, just clear fluid, but eventually started to hurt etc etc....

[LucyJones]

thanks everyone, it seems to have unblocked itself today and I can hear again and haven't got that horrid ringing
other ear fills a bit liquidy though