Help me with my ear problem!!

[MooMoo!]

I have this problem with my ear, whereby after ive been in the bath, water will go into my right ear, and im pretty sure, though the eardrum somehow. I can hear ok, and I know for sure theres no water in the outer ear, but it stil feels like there is, and theres always a feeling of pressure. (it hurts like hell when I sneeze too )
I went to the doctor and was told to eat loads of menthol sweets as it was probably cattarh. But that was in september, and it hasnt gone away. Ive tried decongestion tablets too, but to no avail.

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH MY EAR?!!?!

And before you say "go back to the doctor" id like to point out I was once given anti depressants as sleeping tablets. I dare say if I went back id be handed out tic tacs as magic pills. they arnt too good at diagnosis, my mum was seriously ill a while ago and it had been a good half year, and they still havent given a clear reason as to what was wrong with her, yet i looked up the symtoms on the web and im pretty sure I found the problem within 5 minutes.

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

It sounds like you have swimmer's ear, a type of ear infection. I went through a period awhile back where I had it almost constantly for an entire autumn. I finally got rid of it with drops I received from a doctor.

http://health.yahoo.com/topic/other...ise/hw87616;_ylt=AmShqCgYF8gMzsna2ILqNGJLvs8F

You really do need to go back to the doctor, because OTC drops aren't going to be strong enough to clear up the infection, especially if you've had it since September. Don't screw around--these things can lead to permanent hearing damage if you don't treat them. Your previous doctor sounds like a quack, so I'd try another one.

To keep the symptoms from getting worse or coming back once you get this cleared up, use earplugs when you swim, and don't put your head underwater in the bath--use a cup or something to rinse your hair.

I hope you feel better soon.

 

[Laura M]

And before you say "go back to the doctor" id like to point out I was once given anti depressants as sleeping tablets. I dare say if I went back id be handed out tic tacs as magic pills. they arnt too good at diagnosis, my mum was seriously ill a while ago and it had been a good half year, and they still havent given a clear reason as to what was wrong with her, yet i looked up the symtoms on the web and im pretty sure I found the problem within 5 minutes.

If your doctor is that bad, why haven't you found a new one?

 

[MooMoo!]

yea, I had a look at that but wasnt too sure, but it says "fullness of ear" so it may well be. I keep meaning to wear earplugs in the bath but I keep forgetting. plus I lost them. but there seems to be an endless supply of them in my house, my dad keeps bringing them home so ill nick some of his.

thanks for help.

 

[MooMoo!]

Re: Re: Help me with my ear problem!!

If your doctor is that bad, why haven't you found a new one?

There arnt any. believe me, getting an appointment is hard enough, never mind choosing doctors.

 

[Laura M]

It's like that here with the dentist. Waiting two months with half a tooth for an appointment after having to get treatment for an infection that goes into your jaw, only for the appointment to be cancelled and having to arrange a new one and no doubt the infection is back again.



I'd fight to get registered with a new doctor or surgery, your health is something you don't want to take risks with.

 

[MooMoo!]

Yea, its convienient that its up the road from where I live, but they really dont have a clue what theyre doing. Theres only one hostpital here, and although its pretty new, its the same case. As well as what happened with my mum, my boss' husband had an operation at the hospital to (what I think was) to removea tumor. they left surgical sponge inside of him which subsequently turned septic and cancerous, and unfortunately died as a result. I know its a rare thing and people make mistakes but ive heard a simmilar thing more than once. and only 75,000 live here.

 

[Liesje]

I have a similar problem, I think. If I don't swab my ears good with Q-tips after every single time they get wet, my ears feel awful. Anytime I go to the beach and don't swab my ears, I feel/hear the water moving around for days. As a kid, I got chronic ear infections until middle school (children are supposed to stop getting them around age 4). I was supposed to have tubes put in my ears, but my parents couldn't really afford it and we swam a LOT so it would've been impossible to be careful with ear plugs and such. As an adult, I've had many dental problems with tooth decay as a result of how often I was on liquid oral antibiotics for ear infections.

In middle school, my friends and I would go to the pool at the park a lot, so to keep from getting swimmer's ear I used prescription ear drops. Basically, it was a high concentration of alcohol that would instantly dry up my ear when I put the drops in. I would look into something like this. It may be over the counter these days.

If you don't swab your ears a lot, you may have a big ball of wax that the Dr. will have to remove. It sounds nasty, but this actually happened to a friend of mine.

 

[Caroni]

I had the same symptoms and my ears itched it was an infection , didn´t hurt in my case


edit to say: Of course I´m telling you this to help you because pronbably you have a infection too, and the drops wont be enough like they say here, take action quickly because it can reach your midle ear and that is very dangerous I spent 2 months refusing to go to the doctor, finally I decided to go

 

[MooMoo!]

I dont think its wax, as the nurse said there was very little to none when she looked...


Ill try and go the doctor again, and if that doesnt work ill buy every ear treatment known to man an stick them down my ears..¬_¬


Also, I dont mind it being moved, but how is this a confession?

 

[MooMoo!]

Ok, went back to the doctors this morning. He told me what I was feeling was "just a sensation" and I should stick vaseline coated cottonballs down my ear when I have a bath.


Discuss.

 

[VertigoGal]

I didn't think you were supposed to stick such large things into your actual ear.

I guess I'm not the one with the medical degree, but...

 

[MooMoo!]

Im really kind of pissed of about this, as he didnt seem to be listening to me. The fact its been there nearly half a year would suggest its a bit more than "a sensation." Plus my mum went in with me as we had appointments 10 minutes between each other and long story short, she thinks shes getting back a stomach ulcer she had last year, and he tried to prescribe the same drugs that made her ill in the first place.


Ill ask the chemist, they seem to know what theyre doing.

 

[cnelson]

Hey Moo,

You may want to try some Extra Strenght Claritin that will help drain the ear and you may want to try ear candeling as well to help get any build up out of the inner ear. Has worked for me as well. I've recently started using oregano oil, St. Francis Oreganum Plus 1:1 brand and a probiotic taken with meals. I take the oregano oil like 2 hours after I've had a probiotic. Oregano oil is supposed to be even better than any antibiotic. I usually put 3 drops in a glass of water and swig it back. I used to have ear problems and colds like 4 to 6 times a year and I haven't had a cold since I started the probiotic and oregano oil.

 

[MooMoo!]

Asked in a chemist today if they had anything that would help, and I told her how ive been going the doctors and what they prescribed, and she pretty much looked at me as if to say:

"they prescribed THAT?"
"they havent cured it yet?"
"you go to THAT doctor?"

anyway,she seemed generally concerned at the fact they havent helped me, and after telling her which doctors surgery I went to she pretty much looked as if to say "well im not suprised you're still ill", which doesnt bode well for another appointment.

I might try getting an appointment at the ear, nose and throat clinic at the hospital, as everyone I ask seems pretty suprised at the fact its still going on.

 

[cell]

forget the doctors. go to an audiologist.

 

[absintheminded]

Treatment for the early stages of swimmer’s ear includes careful cleaning of the ear canal and eardrops that inhibit bacterial growth. Mild acid solutions such as boric or acetic acid are effective for early infections.

For more severe infections, if you do not have a perforated ear drum, ear cleaning may be helped by antibiotics. If the ear canal is swollen shut, a sponge or wick may be placed in the ear canal so that the antibiotic drops will be effective. Pain medication may also be prescribed.

Follow-up appointments with your physician are very important to monitor progress of the infection, to repeat ear cleaning, and to replace the ear wick as needed. Your otolaryngologist has specialized equipment and expertise to effectively clean the ear canal and treat swimmer’s ear.

A dry ear is unlikely to become infected, so it is important to keep the ears free of moisture after swimming or bathing. Removable earplugs, sometimes worn for hearing protection, can be used to keep moisture out of the ear canal. Q-tips should not be used for this purpose, because they may pack material deeper into the ear canal, remove protective earwax, and irritate the thin skin of the ear canal creating the perfect environment for infection.

The safest way to dry your ears is with a hair dryer. If you do not have a perforated eardrum, rubbing alcohol or a 50:50 mixture of alcohol and vinegar used as eardrops will evaporate excess water and keep your ears dry.

Before using any drops in the ear, it is important to verify that you do not have a perforated eardrum. Check with your otolaryngologist if you have ever had a perforated, punctured, or injured eardrum, or if you have had ear surgery.



FYI: If you were prescribed anti-depressants for a sleeping pill, it is called "Trazadone" and it does work as a sleeping pill as well as an anti-depressant, yet with lesser risk of dependency that most sleeping aids possess.

 

[MooMoo!]

FYI: If you were prescribed anti-depressants for a sleeping pill, it is called "Trazadone" and it does work as a sleeping pill as well as an anti-depressant, yet with lesser risk of dependency that most sleeping aids possess.

Im pretty sure it wasnt that, think it began with an "a", plus it didnt mention anything to do with sleeping in the leaflet apart from the fact they made you drowsy.


Im not entirely sure I DO have swimmers ear, as (after looking at a medical website) I dont have very many of the symptoms. There's not really any swelling or discharge, but there is pain and a feeling of pressure.

Icelle:By audiologist do you mean like a hearing test place? as my optitians also do that, so being a student I can get that free.

 

[cell]

well they specialise more in hearing, balance, and also related disorders. so they may be able to look into your ear and tell you something more specific, im hoping.

 

[Liesje]

Im not entirely sure I DO have swimmers ear, as (after looking at a medical website) I dont have very many of the symptoms. There's not really any swelling or discharge, but there is pain and a feeling of pressure.

Have you ruled out a sinus infection? When I get a bad one (I get like one a year and once every three years is the BAD one) I feel pressure in my ears and pain like an ear infection. Sometimes it even itches way deep inside.

 

[MooMoo!]

Well it could be i spose, Im just finding it incredably strange that I can feel the water going inside, and past my eardrum, yet everyones been saying theres no holes etc.

Its very odd.