Middle ear infection, external ear infection and perforated eardrum

[geokonti]

Hello everybody!!!

Please read my post and help me if you can as I have been in a panick tryingto figure out whats happening and have a few important questions.

This is my second ear infection as an adult...the first one was external.

Its the seventh day of my ear infection and I am in a big dilemma to whether is it going to get better or no...
Visited the doctor the third day of the infection when I was sure it was an ear infection due to thr completely clogged ear and the presence of fluid which I could feel + the severe pain (strong pulsing). The doctor just gave me Clarithromycin 500 mg and Nurofen (painkiller) which on the first day made the situation worse because my second ear got also infected and totally clogged. The second day it got worse, I couldn' chew food, my jaws were hurting, my neck got stiff, but all these symptomps disappeared on 4th day. I was happy because my eares unclogged and fluid was discharging like crazy from both ears. As the stupid person I was, trying to clean the ears from the fluid with cotton buds the outer channel got completely shut as it was swollen and the right one started bleeding, sometimes blood mixed with another fluid would discharge and smell bad. Today I went to see the doctor again who told me to stop Clarithromycin as it gave me anxiety, sometimes panick attacks and from the first day of infection I have slept 2 hrs the longest. He checked both ears and took samples of the fluid for testing. He checked the ears but could notice if the eardrum was perforated or not because of the fluid. Prescribed me Augmentin 625mg co-amoxiclav and Gentisone HC ear drops + paracetamol to help me sleep. Why did he prescribe me Gentisone HC ear drops if he was not sure if my ear drum is perforated or not?? I could damage my ear if I use this and I could have a burst eardrum...besides the middle ear infection did I also get external infection?? I also hear a buzzing which never stops all day all night unless i talk to people and dont focus on it. When I lay down on the bed, from the ear which suspect has a perforated drum I hear like sounds of a strong wind...why is that?? Could it be the eardrum?? How can I test on my own of the eardrum is perforated or not and if it is how long does it take to heal itself?? And the other ear which is swollen shut doesn't allow any fluid to come out of the ear...I feel all the fluid remains in the ear canal. What can I do to get it out the canal?? The doctor told me dont use any more cotton buds so I wont.

I ask any expert to please help me out here. I am sorry for the long post but I felt it would be better to write all the details.

[Earproblemsinbaby]

Hi, just for anyone looking at this thread sofradex if often prescribed by ent specialist for perforated ear drum as it is apparently (according to our ent) the only affective way of getting antibiotic to the root of the problem, unlike oral antibiotics. It cleared up our babies perforated oozy ear when 3 courses of oral antibiotics did not. Apparently it’s only really dangerous after prolonged use (ie multiple ear infections). We are on our second lot this year (in a small baby) - he said this is fine.

[Hamloops]

I have had a swollen eardrum for approx. 2 weeks. My Dr. Prescribed Amoxilin. I have been taking it for 7 days, with no relief. Today my other plugged up. I have 3 more days of the medication. Is it normal to take this long for an infection like this to clear?

[Taree7]

Hi my son had a ear infection which he was given antibiotics for, after taking them for 4 days he started feeling sick so I took him to the dr.. He told me it was the ear infection that was making him sick and the antibiotics aren't clearing it up because it was an outer ear infection. He prescribed kenacomb ear drops.. A week later I took him to a ENT specialist who said his outer ear was clearing up but his middle ear was starting to flare up so he prescribed sofradex. 1week later he had another drs appointment and a hearing test to which I was gold he has 2 holes in his eardrum.. Then I was told that it was in the notes from the very 1st visit to the Drs about the holes in the eardrums.. Why would the ENT specialist have prescribed the sofradex and could that have caused more damage to his ear with the holes?? His hearing is out in that ear?? I'm really concerned that the specialist has made a mistake with prescribing the sofradex pls get back to me

[geokonti]

Hello again doctor!
I went to see another ENT during my holidays at home who said that I need to keep my ears dry and not use anymore antibiotics since the last two swabs were negative and there is no more infection. She gave me some vitamins which will probably help me with my tinnitus and Budesonide nasal spray since my nose gets blocked sometimes but with no catarrh. She said it might be eustachian tube blockage which is the main reason she gave me this. After I stopped the antibiotics (ear drops) my ears are discharging again, but a little bit. I feel liquid inside but never see it come outside.

Came back to the UK and the doctor here took another swab in order to finally determine if there is any bacteria or no. He also told me to do a Ear CT Scan which is on monday. He said my ears are wet and very red. What might be the cause of this?? What will the CT Scan show??

It has been exactly three months and I am very stressed since this condition is not going away.

Kind regards

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Please don't worry and continue with your medications. Some chronic conditions need prolonged therapy. As you are going for regular check ups, your doctor will be able to monitor your condition. If your symptoms persist then Eustachian  tubes dysfunction needs to be ruled out, which can cause fullness in the ears and tinnitus. Here the blockage can be intermittent.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[geokonti]

Hello again dear Docotor,
Here I am again worried about my ear. During the last two months I have been taking these eardrops: Gentisone HC (2 weeks), Sofradex (1 week), then again Gentisone HC (1 week), then the doctor took swabs from both my ears. Then he put for 10 days some antifungal, antibacterial and steroid cream in my ear. Yesterday the results said that there was no infection. Why do I still feel the symptoms like itching, tinnitus and sometimes fullnes, when I swallow my ears crack. He said the ears were a little red and dry so he prescribed my Sofradex for 2 weeks (2 drops 3 times a day). I am really worried since it seems like the symptoms are never going to disappear. Do you have any explanation for this? Is it dangerous for taking the same ototoxic antibiotics like in my case. The doctor never seems to say bad words and he is always saying don't worry which makes me doubt what he says!!!

Please answer me if you can!

Kind regards

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Its unlikely that any particles can go into the ear via the Eustachian  tubes. If there is persisting fluid in the middle ear it can cause the sensation of a foreign body in the ear. For the otitis externa gently rinse the ear using a bulb syringe and warm saline solution. To ease ear pain, apply a warm washcloth or a heating pad set on low. Follow the instructions for ear drops and complete your antibiotic course. You can use OTC Acetaminophen also for relief from pain.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[geokonti]

Hello Dr,
Thank you for the reply. Otitis externa hasn't cleared up after 2 weeks of Gentisone HC and 1 week of Sofradex prescribed by the ENT. Ringing goes on continuously, but what I am most concerned about is that when I eat I feel like there is a foreign object inside my ear, this symptom is not as bad as when I had middle ear infection which supposedly cleared up, but it still is there. Is there any chance that something is in my ear? I remember when I was eating grapes it started, is it possible that grape seeds can get to the middle ear throughthe estachian tubes or any other way? Please answer to me since I am not convinced that this is a symptom of externa otits and i am seriously thinking about a scan in order to see if there is a foreign object in my ear.

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Understand your predicament.
But if an otoscopy did not reveal an inner ear infection, its unlikely to be there. Your symptoms could be due to otitis externa. The infecting agents are bacteria, fungi and viral. For this gently rinse the ear using a bulb syringe and warm saline solution. To ease ear pain, apply a warm washcloth or a heating pad set on low. Follow the instructions for ear drops and complete your antibiotic course. You can use OTC Acetaminophen also for relief from pain. And follow up with your doctor.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[geokonti]

Thank you for your answer.

I finally got the referral to the ENT specialist who cleaned both my ears with a suction device. There was no perforation in both eardrums and he told me to use Gentisone HC for three weeks since besides the middle ear infection I have now bad externa otitis. Could it be dangerous to use it for such a long time. Its been 10 days now and there has been a slight improvement but not too much and i still get feelings of fullness, pressure and the Tinittus is constant all day long and wont go away. Today I can sometimes feel some bad smell from my ears which I felt during the middle ear infection which according to the specialist cleared up. Is it possible that it can reappear?? My face feels stiff as well. Are these normal symptoms of externa otitis??

Thanks very much for your help!!! I am really worried about this because in one month i have to submit three big assignments and write a master thesis proposal... This ear infection Its interfering with my studies. It is my second one as an adult, but the first one cleared up within 3-4 days afte taking some ear drops described by the doctor!!!

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

If the earache has been relieved with the bleeding, then most probably it an otitis interna (inner ear infection) and it has ruptured the tympanic membrane. This is all the more significant as there has been discharge. But it is difficult to self assess the status of the tympanic membrane. For now continue with your antibiotics, and as the infection resolves the membrane should heal. The ringing sound you hear is called Tinnitus, this can occur with middle ear infections, this will resolve with therapy for the infection.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.