recurring infection of the inner ear canal

[ffazniah]

In Jan 2008 I went to the doctors with nausea, pain in the right side of my head around my ear and what felt like eye strain and flu like aches in mu upper arms and back of neck.  After several attempts to clear what seemed like an ear infection  with sprays and anitbiotics i was referred to emergency ENT clinic.  They vaccumed out a lot of debris that had settled in my inner earcanal right next tomy ear drum.  It was very painful.  Then they put cream in it.  I felt generally very unwell, very flu like and lathargic.  They had to give  me a coctail of painkillers as nothing seemed to ease the head pain.  This went on for about 4 weeks, my ears were vaccumed about 4 times.  The doctors said it was escma of the inner ear and that it was one of the worse things you could get, very painful and very difficult to clear up.  I have been free from it since June 08.  This Christmas I caught the winter flu that has been going round, with the horrible cough and sore throat.  I have felt my right ear was not right and mentioned it to my doctor two wks ago.  Its has got worse and he said the outer ear canal was red and gave me a spray that had antibiotics in and steriods.  I have been using it for almost a week and my ear is feeling worse by the day.  I feel very sickly, slightly nauseated and have the eye strain feeling again, together with flue like aches.  I am extremely worried that I have got the same thing and will have to go through the whole process again.  I have never had any real ear problems prior to this.  My work is got annoyed with me having time off with it last year, I am now worried what they will say if I do have it again.  They blame me for getting it.  I never mess with my ears, not even with cotton buds.  Have you any idea what it is I have got.  I just feel so unwell.  Help, please.