Ear Infection is NOT Improving...Any advice please?

[HeatherGurl84]

VanillaBean5230 posted:
On Friday, June 11th, I was diagnosed with otitis media (middle ear infection) and placed on Augmentin and pain reliving drops. I am still experiencing pain as if someone is stabbing me in the ear, it is keeping me awake, and my ear is completely blocked with what feels like fluid. I stil feel awful and cannot get comfortable at all.

Should I return to the doctor? My ear is hurting me a lot and I am having pain into my kneck and terrible headaches.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[ENTMD]

Hi Heather-

Well, Z-pack is pretty useless here.  Mucinex...probably not much help.  Ibuprofen is fine, but again, if it's not helping with the pain then your doctor is doing you a disservice by making you suffer.  

Augmentin was a better antibiotic choice.  There is a fair amount of resistance to Azithromycin (Z-pack) secondary to its popularity among providers...

[Blueberry1176]

Hi. My 2 year old had a bad ear infection with high fever, pain, lots of thick white phlegm in the sinuses which she was gagging on a lot.  She is allergic to amoxicillin so they gave her liquid azithromycin 200mg* per 5ml 4ml the 1st day & 2ml for 4 days after that [30lb baby 3 feet tall). Day 6 she woke with a bloody crust that ran from the ear onto her temple. No fever but still crying in pain saying it hurts. Would the medicine still be working 7 days later or should she be seen again? Is drainage a good sign, or does this mean the ear dumb ruptured? She said she hears bubbles in there. Calling her pcp in the morning

[OHNS2010]

Hi,

   are you taking steam inhalations along with the medicines? many a times it helps in relieving the ear block and pain. If the pain is not getting relieved, try changing the antibiotic. Any doubts you are welcome.

Regards
OHNS2010

[HeatherGurl84]

I went back to the doctor and he put me on Mucinex, 800mg Ibuprofen, and a Z-pack. My ear is still stopped up and painful :( Will it ever open? I have had 3 ear infections in my left year this year alone :(

[ENTMD]

Ear infections can indeed be very painful!  The treatment your doctor prescribed is right on - I wouldn't change it.  Certainly if the ear drops help with the pain, I would use them.  Otherwise, it's the antibiotic that will do the work for you.  While over the counter pain medicines should be effective, sometimes something even stronger is needed -- a prescription would be required.  Few people realize how painful these infections can be unless they have had one themselves.  Don't feel bad about asking your doctor for something stronger if you have tried over-the-counter medicines like Ibuprofen and Acetominophen (Tylenol) and they fail to help.

Good luck!

[OHNS2010]

Hi,

   If you are diagnosed as having Acute Otitis Media, then it would be better if you discontinue the ear drops and continue Augmentin. Apart from this, you can also take analgesics (like Ibuprofen) and antipyretics (like Paracetamol). If you are having any nasal problem then try taking decongestants and antihistaminics or else it is not required. But you need to do steam inhalations. Hope this would reduce your symptoms. If the pain does not subside please do consult an ENT specialist.

regards
OHNS2010

[Trish415]

My ear infection turned out to be caused by MRSA.