My ear hurts

Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 4:30 pm
It makes like a squishy sound when I push behind it, and when I lay my head down on that side. I get dizzy sometimes. I have a headache. It hurts when I hold a phone to it, and it's my 'dominant' ear (my other ear likes to be chained up and whipped.)

Everything I read online says that inner ear infections are rare in adults, and I haven't been swimming since last summer.

Home remedies anyone? I don't have time to take off to get to the doctor, if I don't absolutely need to.

Thanks!

The Bionic Woman sans bionic ear (Shaw)
classicman • Jun 11, 2009 4:34 pm
Its Gods way of telling you to stop talking to yourself
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 4:37 pm
Oh fine, when I die from worms burrowing into my brain won't YOU be sorry, Mr Smarty Pants.


[COLOR="Silver"]I'se gots no one else to talk to. :([/COLOR]
Clodfobble • Jun 11, 2009 4:39 pm
Shawnee123 wrote:
Everything I read online says that inner ear infections are rare in adults


I'd guess middle ear, not inner ear. Much more common. I've had two in the last 7 years. Then again, when I get them the pain is immediate and completely unbearable, so I went to the emergency room in tears both times. If it only hurts when you mess with it, I'd say just leave it alone and it'll clear up.
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 4:46 pm
Thank you Clod...that's kind of what I was thinking, good to hear it from someone who has experienced it.
Aliantha • Jun 11, 2009 6:27 pm
I had a nasty ear infection not long after Max was born.

If youre in pain I'd recommend going to the doctor and getting some penicillin. I was so glad when I finally went.
monster • Jun 11, 2009 6:28 pm
take a decongestant.
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 6:32 pm
It was like I was having a mild headache a lot, which I don't really often do, then when I noticed the squishy sound I thought maybe that was why. Then I was on the phone today for an extended period of time at work and it was really bothering me.

I was just worried I might hear a story from someone about somebody someone knows who had the same thing, and died. ;)

Since it isn't too alarming, I might give it a few more days and see what happens.

Thanks!
Aliantha • Jun 11, 2009 6:34 pm
It could be that you've got a bunch of wax stuck in there and need to have it flushed out. That can happen even if you haven't been swimming or anything.
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 6:37 pm
I thought about that, and since I have the aforementioned teeny tiny bathtub I don't take hot baths like I used to. In all seriousness, if you get your head under really hot water and move it from side to side, I think it melts any wax out. I've never had problems with wax in my ears in my life.

However, the toilet broke and HG is working on it and the water is shut off, because, of course, I have the only toilet on earth with no shut off valve.

Sigh...Ali, can I use your big giant bathtub?

:)
Aliantha • Jun 11, 2009 6:43 pm
You can use my bathtub if you like. :)

Seriously though, I have a friend who gets wax build up in her ears fairly regularly and she has to have it syringed out.

In any case, if it's still bothering you in a few days, I think you should go to the doc...just to be safe. You don't want to cause any lasting damage.
DanaC • Jun 11, 2009 6:45 pm
Sounds a bit like what my mum had. Which was an ear infection. Go to a doctor.

*hugs* and do not under any circumstances do the old thing of dripping warmed olive oil into your ear. It can prevent healing and lead to perforated ear drum
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 6:45 pm
Huh?

;)

Yeah, as I said...I've never had a problem before. I knew a girl in HS who had some serious problems and needed the syringing often.

If it still hurts this weekend maybe I'll pop into urgent care. I can't possibly take off to go to the doc tomorrow. Unless, of course, I'm dead.

edit: Dana, I had never heard of the olive oil thing... I have put peroxide in my ears before, but I don't think I have any here anyway.
DanaC • Jun 11, 2009 7:02 pm
When I was a kid I used to get a lot of ear infections. The doctor used to tell my mum to drip a little warmed olive oil into it to soothe it. (back when olive oil was a medical supply bougt from the chemist :P) Bout five or six years ago I had an ear infection and did the warm oil thing (which is very soothing) and told my doctor and she said if there's a little tear in the drum the oil can prevent it healing and lead to permanent damage.
monster • Jun 11, 2009 8:11 pm
decongestant can help. Until you get to the doc.
jinx • Jun 11, 2009 8:28 pm
Decongestant will help. So will pain meds.
If the drum is perforated, putting oil in will hurt like a mf'er and could make any infection worse, if it's not, the counter pressure will relieve the pain immediately.
Ear infections treated with antibiotics typically last 7 days, untreated they last about a week.
monster • Jun 11, 2009 8:32 pm
heehee. effect of antibiotics.

Decongestant. Try it. any one should do. Pain meds, I forget to suggest that because i hate them, but they should work too.
Clodfobble • Jun 11, 2009 8:35 pm
On the subject of pain meds, both times they gave me numbing ear drops. That was the good stuff.

Edit to add: Ah, found the bottle. It's called "A/B otic drops." Prescription only, it seems.
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 9:17 pm
I don't have any decongestants. Or pain meds.

Bummer.
monster • Jun 11, 2009 10:35 pm
24hr drugstore, honey. You're in america. in collegeville.
classicman • Jun 11, 2009 10:36 pm
monnie - just like a mom - trample that weak ass excuse
Undertoad • Jun 11, 2009 10:41 pm
monster;573171 wrote:
You're in america. in collegeville.

what what what?
(mailing address collegeville, pa)
monster • Jun 11, 2009 10:43 pm
Undertoad;573178 wrote:
what what what?
(mailing address collegeville, pa)


she works with students and lives close to work. but not necessarilly next to work (=collegetown). but still 24hr drugstores within reach.
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 10:43 pm
Hahaha

I was home, had my jammies on, I wasn't going anywhere! If I bitch about the pain tomorrow just smack me. :)
monster • Jun 11, 2009 10:45 pm
Jammies on -that's what drive thru is for. sheesh Call yersel a 'merkin? bah.
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 10:46 pm
You can get decongestants at a drive thru? Wait, are talking about beer?
monster • Jun 11, 2009 10:48 pm
that works too. but you can get them using the rx drive-thru
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 10:49 pm
Oh...I thought that was just to pick up scripts. I didn't know you could order stuff.

Anyway, too late now. I'm going to bed. Lonnnggggg day tomorrow (graduation ceremony) and I'll probably wish I had gone to the drugstore.

:zzz:
monster • Jun 11, 2009 10:50 pm
sort of seriously, beer can work pretty well, actually. depends on the cause of the nastiness, but if it's a drainage issue, it can sometmes allow enough relaxation to resolve the issue. Plus it has "pain relief properties" Did that sound technical enough? :lol:
monster • Jun 11, 2009 10:51 pm
If you can sleep, you didn't need to take anything anyway
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2009 10:53 pm
Yeah, and I don't have any beer either!
Shawnee123 • Jun 12, 2009 9:47 am
And, it feels better today! :)
glatt • Jun 12, 2009 9:49 am
Nice!

All better, or a little better?
Shawnee123 • Jun 12, 2009 9:50 am
No squishy noises and no pain or headache...so I think all better.

Thanks for all the advice! I think you all scared it into submission!