mysterious ear infection

[cakechick]

3 weeks ago Monday- woke up with symptoms of 'swimmers' ear. began using neomycin/cortisone eardrops. 3 days later -thursday, severe pain in ear,  jaw and extreme pressure.went to Kaiser. Ear was thoroughly irrigated and some ' matter' came out. ear drum was dull and non transparant.Continue using drops, sinus irrigation, flonaise, sudaphed, ibuprofen.-Monday week 2- severe pain, pressure not getting better at all. diagnosis was middle ear infection with the eustachian tube affected. was given 10 days of 875mg augmentin, start 5 days 40mg prednisone if no improvement after 3 days into Augmentin.Started prednisone Thursday. Saturday intense itching in ear, tube/jaw area, audible  sloshing noise when rubbing neck/jaw area. Sunday morning during an ear irrigation at home i noticed a gray cloud like substance hanging out of my ear, rinsed it away.Week 3-  finished all meds, intense pressure and pain is unbearable. Yesterday(wednesday) back at Kaiser. Dr saw what he thought was a foreign body in the ear. He used forceps to pull out a long ear canal shaped 'thing' ( resembling a piece of chewed gum)comprised of the exact same 'gray matter' i had seen at home. He was still convinced it was foreign, even though it was fully irrigated the week before. he saw infection behind it and he place in a wick saturated with antibiotics. Wen back this morning to have the wick removed, dr still convinced it was foreign body, and to his shock and confusion the ' gray matter' was growing back!! Over night! Now finally convinced it wasn't foreign, could only come up with an unknown fungus. Got antifungal drops now and trying them. Have another apppointment Monday morning, unless i need to go in over the weekend.hearing is limited, pressure a bit better but building. Any ideas at all what this could be????

[mm010307]

Hi Prakant -

I was diagnosed w/a dual strain ear fungus in January/February after a biopsy of my eardrum which my ENT thought was going to be cancerous.  This started as an ear infection in October in which the Dr. I visited did not prescribe anything.  I had no other symptoms, just returned in the 12 weeks because it did not get better.  My ENT perforated the eardrum slightly to suction it and shortly after that I was in EXTREME pain and had to take percoset to be able to sleep.  Since then we've been treating w/vosal drops and cleaning the ear weekly.  It has "eaten" away all of my eardrum so as of right now I have no barrier to my inner ear.  It seemed to get better a few weeks ago so I was taken off the drops but in 3 days my ear started draining.  Went back in and it's shedding again, almost like it was during the early stages.  Now, we're doing antibiotic drops, vosal drops and oral antibiotcs.  This has been ongoing since January and she estimates we won't start talking about surgery (tympanoplasty) until at least fall.  It's a slow process according to my ENT.  My hearing is decreased as well - down to about 30 dB in most frequencies in that ear.  I hear you on frustrating so if you discover anything, do share!

Melissa

[marc007]

Hi,
I have been diagnosed with ear fungal infection 2 weeks back. I have had shots of amikacin injections, lizolac, augmentin, and loads of other antibiotics. The problem seemed to get solved day b4 yesterday untill today I experienced severe pain in my ear... I have been using tenaderm solution as recommended by the doc and have been taking strong painkillers like ultracet, pacer.
Can some one throw some light on what medical condition is it and why is it reappearing. Also if there's a permanent remedy as I am in real pain and its messing my work/domestic life.
Prakant    

[towie]

That definitely sounds like a fungal infection. I've had a sinus infection and ear infection for well over a month now. It was so bad that I was going to the doctor daily for IV antibiotics. I was sent to the ENT who suctioned my ear and found I had a fungal infection. My ear drum also had a small perforation which affected my hearing some.  He had me continue with the antibiotics and gave me eardrops. The eardrops smelled like vinegar and burned. After a week the ENT said it was like night and day. The IV antibiotics helped as well as the eardrops. I then continued with Augmentin for another 10 days. Next week I have to go for a ct scan of my sinuses and a follow up visit to the ENT the week after.

What I am surprised about is that your ENT did not realise that you had a fungal infection to begin with. I've had them several times and the ENT knew immediately that it was a fungal infection. Mine was caused by the fluid from the sinus infection however I was cautioned not to get water in my ear while showering. This too can cause a fungal infection.

Good luck and feel better!

[lybabash]

i work with someone who has an ear fungus. apparently there is no cure just treatment.