Severe ear pain.

[BenjiiOrginal]

Well. This is my first time posting so, I'm Ben, and i'm 15. :P The other week I got this extrmely badn itch in the inside of my ear. Being a typical guy I just slotted my finger in my ear and itched it. About an hour later, this discharge started coming out of my ear, followed by extremley sharp pains. I went to the GP, and was prescribed anti-biotics and ear drops. So I started taking them and a week later, the pain just got worse and worse, so I decided i'd ask my dad to take me to another GP. Same again "Take theese anti-biotics" So, now i'm stuck ina  situation where i'm finding it hard to eat/drink/sleep - Leaving me with generally no energy (And chapped lips >.<) My ear's still discharging this mucus like substance, then just to top it off, my left ear started to just generally hurt.

Now my main problem is, I don't know what it is, or how to cure it, if any of you do, please help me!

Yours truthly, Ben.

[BenjiiOrginal]

Well, the cold I just left out, 'cause I thought nothing of it. I've sorted an appointment with my ENT surgeon tommrow, to go over if it's anything else. It's most likley Acute Suppurative Otitis Media, but better safe then sorry.

Thanks, Benjii.

[OHNS2010]

Hi Ben,

          So, this time the history is different from the previous one. I think, this problem of yours goes in the favor of Acute Suppurative Otitis Media. This condition appears because of the closure of the eustachian tube following common cold. Due to which there is negative pressure created inside the middle ear and the inflammatory exudates get accumulated. Once this exceeds the pressure, the ear drum gives way and one experiences discharge from the ear.

           Even though, Clarithromycin is a good drug I, still prefer to use a combination of Amoxycillin and Clavulanic acid (popular brand is Augmentin) that will act against those organisms causing this problem.

           In case you are still suffering from the cold, please take steam inhalation 2-3 times/day, drink plenty of warm water and continue the medicines which I suggested to you in my first response. Rest will be managed by your ENT surgeon.

    Best regards
    OHNS2010

[BenjiiOrginal]

Hello, OHNS2010.

At the moment, my GP's said to just take Clarithromycin 250Mg tablets. (I have no idea what theese are - Just that there anti-biotics) I was also wondering, if this could of been bought on by anything else. I had a really bad cold, on the day this started happening. I'll be contacting a ENT surgeon asap tho. But, it'll probbablly have to wait till tommrow.

If there's anything else I can really say, is that it's starting to itch really badly aswell, to the point where I get close to putting my finger in my ear, then realise what it's doing. Also, I can hear this like.. "Boom, boom, boom" like footsteps, or bombs from a distance that appears in my ear every now and again.. If this is of any more help to what might be wrong.

Truthly, Ben.

[OHNS2010]

Hi Benji there are 2 causes for your earache
1. Otomycosis: this is accumulation of fungal debris inside your ear b'coz of moisture in the canal. It causes lots of irritation of the skin and discharge will follow next with severe pain.
2. Otitis externa: there was trauma to the skin after you had scratched the canal where in bacteria gets lodged and causes inflammation of the canal leading to the present problems.

My suggestion would be go to an ENT surgeon b'coz if its the first case then the fungal debris has to be cleared out and antifungal medications has to be applied,

If its the second case then an Icthamol+Glycerine apck has to be placed to reduce the inflammation.

Common to both avoid any drops and water into the ear.
Take Tab. Cetrizine 10 mg once a day x 7days
        Tab. Diclofenac sodium 50 mg twice daily x 5 days
        Tab. Paracetamol 500/650mg 3-4 times/day x 3days
Consult an ENT surgeon at the earliest. All the best.

[BenjiiOrginal]

Is anyone able to help? The pain's really starting to get unbearable. I'm also loosing my hearing.