Dr Hive . . . exceptional ear pain

[Sweetpeach]

Dr Hive,

 

For approximately three months, I've been suffering from beyond normal ear pain. When I swallow, my ear throbs but my throat doesn't hurt.

 

Just after Christmas, my fam doc prescribed a run of antibiotics, and then another but it didn't bring any relief. Another dr told me I may have allergies, causing p-n drip and that was causing the pain. He gave me some potent allergy pills, but no luck with that either.

 

This ear pain is so severe that it wakes me up in the middle of the night. I'm embarassed to say that I need Advil and Tylenol to get through the day. I can usually suck it up and deal with pain, but I haven't been able to manage this ear pain. I have an appointment with a naturopathic dr. but her schedule is booked and I can't see her until mid-May.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions about what I might be able to do to help myself. This is ridiculous.

 

Warmly, Tricia

[Reflections]

I would think that you need to see an ENT - Ear Nose Throat doctor and not a general practitioner.

 

It's not much advice. Sorry. I hope you feel better soon. :grouphug:

[fhjmom]

I would think that you need to see an ENT - Ear Nose Throat doctor and not a general practitioner.

 

It's not much advice. Sorry. I hope you feel better soon. :grouphug:

 

:iagree: I would ask for a referral to an ENT as soon as possible!

[Lara in Colo]

This happens to me every time I get congested. My ear canals fill with snot and I am in pain (I need higher powered meds than tylenol to sleep).

Usually this means that the snot is stuck in my sinus/ear canal and putting pressure on the drum.

 

I do several things.

 

Keep yourself well watered. Drink lots of water, use a humidifier at night.

 

Use decongestants (Sudafed from the pharmacy counter that you have to sign for) do not let up.

 

Use a neti-pot daily.

 

Use moist heat packs (the rice/beans type). Put these on your sinus cavity (under your eyes) and along the ear canal.

 

 

***this is important**** sleep with the painful ear up.

 

 

Fill a large bowl with boiling water and vicks vaporizer stuff and put towel on your head and breathe deeply.

 

Take long baths and keep your ears under water. or take long showers with the spray on your sinus area.

 

For pain relief, put campho phonique in your ear canal and lay so the medicine runs to the ear canal. This works WONDERS!!!! Get the liquid type. You only need about three or so drops at a time.

 

http://www.campho-phenique.com/pain_liquid.html

 

 

Once the mucus starts to move, you should feel better, but stay with this for at least a week longer than the pain.

I probably get this way 2-3 times a year. Every time its because I didn't do all these things when I first got a cold.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Lara

Edited April 22, 2012 by Lara in Colo

[EKS]

I would think that you need to see an ENT - Ear Nose Throat doctor and not a general practitioner.

 

 

:iagree:

[Tap]

:iagree: I would ask for a referral to an ENT as soon as possible!

 

:iagree:

[laundrycrisis]

Go to an ENT as soon as possible.

 

I once had intermittent ear pain that was very severe - I would actually scream, and I have a high pain tolerance - and the regular doctor could not see anything wrong at all. I went to an ENT. They did a pressure survey of the surface of my eardrum and found that my eustachian tube was clogged and it had actually pulled a vacuum behind my ear drum. I had to take a course of steroids to unclog it. If that hadn't worked, I was going to have a tube inserted - but the steroids worked. The pain from this simple problem was awful - like someone driving a red hot nail into my ear. But only an ENT could figure out the cause.

[Sweetpeach]

My Mr told me to book that ENT appointment ages ago but I was too stubborn.

 

I will obey the Hive . . . and also look into the natural suggestions that Lara offered.

 

Thank you.

Tricia

[Tap]

Have you tried a hair dryer for the pain? Blowing the warm air into the ear, at a tolerable level, can relieve some pai. Odd, but the warm air can help. (works similar to having someone blow cigarette smoke in your ear, if your family used to do that LOL)

[Slipper]

I wanted to mention that I've also had excruciating ear pain when dental work has gone wrong.

[misidawnrn]

Have your dentist perform a panoramic xray and look at your TMJ joint. It could be that. Just a thought.

[AuntieM]

I developed allergies a few years ago when we moved to this area. One of the symptoms was TERRIBLE ear pain! It wouldnt start as ear pain, it started as a little sniffle which I ignored (busy mom syndrome, ya know).

 

Once the ear got congested, nothing seemed able to stop it. No antibiotics, no antihistamines... Just round after round of Tylenol. It would ebb and flow is intensity, but I was starting to worry about hearing loss.

 

Finally a doc diagnosed allergies (after things escalated and I was treated for bronchitis a couple of times). I started using Veramyst, a nasal corticosteroid, and after about a week the fluid in my ear finally went away.

 

I agree that you should see an ENT if you can.

[Sweetpeach]

I developed allergies a few years ago when we moved to this area. One of the symptoms was TERRIBLE ear pain! It wouldnt start as ear pain, it started as a little sniffle which I ignored (busy mom syndrome, ya know).

 

Once the ear got congested, nothing seemed able to stop it. No antibiotics, no antihistamines... Just round after round of Tylenol. It would ebb and flow is intensity, but I was starting to worry about hearing loss.

 

Finally a doc diagnosed allergies (after things escalated and I was treated for bronchitis a couple of times). I started using Veramyst, a nasal corticosteroid, and after about a week the fluid in my ear finally went away.

 

I agree that you should see an ENT if you can.

 

I'm seeing the ENT specialist tomorrow and I'll let him know what the Hive has recommended. Did you worry about the amount of pain-relief you took while waiting for the ear to right itself? I'm not a pill popper by any stretch and I'm worried that taking 8 - 12 pills of Tylenol/Advil daily can't be great for my indoors?

 

Did your painful ears look infected or abnormal when the doc took a peek inside your ears? I was at the dr again this afternoon and he couldn't see anything odd about my ouch ear compared to my normal ear. So peculiar.

 

Thank you, all.

T

[HayesW]

You may have developed a fungal (yeast) infection in your ears. If you used antibiotics, it could have killed the good stuff as well, allowing for yeast to grow.

 

I hope the ENT has answers for you!

[Sweetpeach]

You may have developed a fungal (yeast) infection in your ears. If you used antibiotics, it could have killed the good stuff as well, allowing for yeast to grow.

 

I hope the ENT has answers for you!

 

Wow, I've never heard of yeast infection of the ear. I'll add this to the list of "possibilities" . . . this specialist is going to love me. Rolling down my list of all the Dr. Hive possibilities -- :)

[AuntieM]

I didn't worry, but I don't take meds unless I absolutely can't stand it. My dh says I am very stubborn this way.

 

I did have fluid it my ears. Interesting about yeast... Anytime we have someone on serious antibiotics, we add Culturelle (a probiotic).

 

Hope the doc has good answers for you!

[Sweetpeach]

So my update it this: after poking and prodding and looking, he couldn't see anything wrong with me and has sch'ed a neck ultrasound?????

 

Seeing that this dr taught at a local medical school for 35 years and has been in private practice for 45, I was too scared to give him any Hive opinions.

 

Guess it's more tylenol for me . . . but I am going to see if I can find Culturelle.

 

Thanks for all of the thoughts and suggestions -- I'll carry on from here.

 

Warmly, T

[Tap]

So my update it this: after poking and prodding and looking, he couldn't see anything wrong with me and has sch'ed a neck ultrasound?????

 

Seeing that this dr taught at a local medical school for 35 years and has been in private practice for 45, I was too scared to give him any Hive opinions.

 

Guess it's more tylenol for me . . . but I am going to see if I can find Culturelle.

 

Thanks for all of the thoughts and suggestions -- I'll carry on from here.

 

Warmly, T

 

Sorry, I was hoping you would come home with an answer!

 

A few random thoughts...

 

Have you talked to your dentist? Could it be dental inflammation?

Could it be TMJ?

Is the pain deep inside or is it in the outside structures of the ear?

Have you seen a chiropractor? Could it be a pinched nerve?

Have you tried acupuncture?

 

 

I still hope it is a simple solution! I sympathize with you!!! After many thousands of dollars in dental splints and various other appointments in my teen years to get it diagnosed, I finally figured out that my extreme ear pain was more of a 'Charlie horse' type pain that only happens if I get cold at night or eat a lot of dense chewy foods, hard chips (like doritos), or gum. I am technically diagnosed with TMJ. My pain feels like it is inside the ear but is actually a muscle spasm that is in the little rigid part that sticks out to cover the canal. Bazaar....but true. LOL

[CroppinIt]

I would think that you need to see an ENT - Ear Nose Throat doctor and not a general practitioner.

 

It's not much advice. Sorry. I hope you feel better soon. :grouphug:

 

Yep. Pain in your body's way of raising an alarm. Listen to it before you damage your hearing.