Is it possible for an ear infection to cause short-term deafness?

[Katymac]

It's an infection in my outer ear & I have had it twice now in 3 weeks

I really can't hear much in that ear (I tried blocking each one & it sounds like I am underwater - with sea sounds & everything)

So what do I do?

Sit it out & keep my fingers crossed?
See the GP again?
Panic (very good at this)?

I don't know i[m battling an inner ear due to possible Meniere's it's a nightmare.

I'd go back to your gp.

arghhh deleted load of my post meant to say i'm battling an inner ear thing and am on second course of antibiotics and have been referred to ENT due to possibility of meniere's.

It is horrid

I keep hearing things that aren't there & not hearing things which are

I keep losing sensation in my cheek & neck like before you get pins & needles

I can't do anything until Monday as it is DD's birthday tomorrow

Meniere's doesn't sound good - but tbh I know nothing about it

Make sure you go back on Monday. Not worth taking any chances with ears. x

Go to the doctors on Monday, it won't take long and you can get an early appointment, rather than be miserable all day.
If you are really struggling between now and then phone NHS24. I did this when my ear infection was driving me mad a doctor from a nearby hospital phoned back was happy to prescribe antibiotics based on the duration of the ear infection.
It can make you deaf in the affected ear and can take quite a long time to return to normal.
If the infection is very bad, make sure you get a reasonably strong prescription for a reasonable length of time, say 7 days. I had to go back after one (very weak) course for a second course, at which point the doctor added an ear spray to the prescription. Wish I had had the stronger prescription AND the ear spray from day one, perhaps I wouldn't have gone on to develop sinusitus if that had been the case.
I hope you are feeling better soon and your daughter has a lovely birthday.

Could do. I get funny ears on often (though I'm a paddler and work with little kids, which causes a lot of the problems!) and ear infections are common; sometimes I lose some/most of my hearing and it makes my tinnitus a hell of a lot worse. I avoid anti-biotics and other drugs though and it usually goes away of it's own accord after a week or two

This is about day 14 of my current one plus I had about 12 days of the one before that - with a gap of maybe 8 days

I am fed up with it

Oh how horrible Katy. It really is a miserable thing to have to endure.
I'm still not right and the ear infection started almost two months ago, but then developed into sinusitus.
Things which have helped are tea tree steam baths and nasal irrigation (neti pot type of thing) both improve the flow of mucous and help move the congestion away from the ear.
Ibuprofen helps reduce the inflammation and cider apple vinegar on a cotton bud helps fight the infection. You put a little in your ear a couple of times a day.
Have you tried taking echinacea or golden seal? I'm off to buy some tomorrow at Holland and Barrett, they do a tincture containing both.
Are you sleeping OK. It doesn't help if you have trouble sleeping with the horrible swooshing noises.

Sorry, was about to add night nurse capsules help knock you out enough to get a few hours if you aren't sleeping. I found one capsule was enough.

It isn't exactly sore now just itchy in the extreme & if I touch it I go through the roof

I have codeine so I can sleep (fortunately)

But I have had enough

I knooow it's awful. I'm still up because I can't go to bed until I am absolutely dog-tired.
Hope you feel a bit better tomorrow.

How are you feeling today Rowingboat?

Not too bad thanks!
How are your ears?
I went and bought echinacea and golden seal tincture yesterday, from Holland and Barrett, so hope that will get rid of the remnants.
My sinus/ear thing is definitely improving every day so there is hope.

Very little pain (only when I touch it....so I don't)

But the deafness if fairly ropey

I've just seen your post and it made me wince. Is it that thing where your ear feels a bit itchy and you want to scratch it, but if you do it is oooow!!?
My lovely son has atchooed on me once to many times and my congestion is returning. Think I'll just settle in for the long haul.
If I see anyone coughing I'm going to run away from them.
How are you feeling?

That is it exactly - you describe it so well

It is so .....actually I can't think of a word to describe it

That does go, especially with anti-bs.
Did you go to the doctor and how did the birthday go?
If you can steer clear of people with colds - hard I know and keep popping sudafed and ibuprofen it will go down.
Are you finding time to do any steambaths?

I haven't seen the GP again - but I am still using the drops

The birthday was fine except poor DD was a bit poorly (chest infection)

I'm not congested at all - no sinuses, no nosedripping, nothing

Hi Katy - up late again.
Did you have anything before the ear infection, like a cold?
The week before my ear infection I had a cold or something worse and lost my voice, then one day I had a really sore sinus pain which cleared the following day, so I thought I was almost better then wham, the ear infection.
The sinus infection followed the ear infection, so I think the congestion just built up, it didn't really come out, just stayed at the back of my head.
Can you feel any pain in your glands at the back of your head?

which drops are you using? is it genticin HC

Gentisome - I think

did doc say not to use them long term...mine told my DS to only use it for 5 days as the steroid can make more bugs grow if use for too long...bit scary really.

No & I have been using them for about 2 weeks

check with doc or pharmacist. are they the ones with HC on the label as in Gentisone HC.