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Bad ear infection...did I picture my eardrum?

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beth_08593
beth_08593

I have been sick with acute sinusitis now for about a week. All of my flu like symptoms are pretty much gone, but I am left with a very bad nagging ear infection in my left ear. I am on antibiotics. My left ear has been pretty much plugged up for the last week, and I am unable to hear anything. I have been using the Neti pot, I have taken some decongestants, all with very little success.

Today when I woke up, I used the netipot. I then did the Valsalva maneuver, & my ear started to pop and crack a lot. The thing is this time I started getting some really bad pain with the cracking and popping. It seems like some (20%?) hearing has come back but there is now weird difference in pitch from the right ear to the left ear. There has been no discharge from the left ear, but I am worried that I potentially ruptured my eardrum. One of my friends ruptured hers, and she said there was all kinds of blood and gross stuff that came out of it.

My question is does it sound to you like I ruptured and eardrum, or is it just the fluid in my eustachian tube's trying to drain?

Also worth noting: it seems like when I apply heat to the ear it just makes the pain worse, so I stopped doing that. Any thoughts or feelings are super welcome.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • beth_08593
    beth_08593

    Posted

    And of course I have a typo in the subject line. Sorry guys.
  • anne05078
    anne05078 beth_08593

    Posted

    Hi Beth,

    First of all let me say how sorry I am that you're suffering like this with ear problems.  It does sound as though you do in fact have a perforation in your eardrum and that it's draining all the muck out.  Sometimes the eardrum bulges so much that it ends up causing a perforation.  Unfortunately, this has happened to me on several occasions and it doesn't always drain fully.  That's when I see my ENT consultant and he uses microsuction to empty all the fluid, through the tiny hole.  Wonderful once it's all cleared out.  If yours is due to having a cold and flu it should get better.  At least you've protected yourself from any potential bacteria by taking antibiotics, because as I written before, mine turned into bacterial meningitis.  Have your tried pinching your nostrils together and gently blowing, sometimes that will open the eustachian tubes to allow drainage.  Be warned though, plugged ears can take ages to clear, so you may need a steriod based nasal spray to help.  I use one every day.  I suffer dysfunctional eustachian tubes all year round, with or without a cold.  Sinus issues can cause this problem too.

    Kind regards for a quick recovery

    Anne

    • beth_08593
      beth_08593 anne05078

      Posted

      Anne what are the signs of bacterial menengitis? I feel okay but last night my head started to hurt again, and again this morning woke up all stuffed up. 

      My ear no longer hurts at all, but I'm frustrated bc I still have tinnitis and the pitch in the left ear is far different than that of the right. 

      To answer your question, the ear infection was from a cold, not eustaction tube dysfunction. Could it be that my ear hurt yesterday because it was draining, not that it was perforated?

      Also I only have 2 days left of amox. Should i get more?

    • leila29439
      leila29439 beth_08593

      Posted

      Hi Beth

      I have same thing.  Blocked ears due to flu.

      I don't usually take antibiotic, I use honey as its natural antibiotic.

      I needed 2 rounds antibiotic (2 weeks), 2 rounds penicilin,

      (4 ? weeks).

      Then stopped. Ear started hurting again about 1 week later. 

      Now on antibiotic ear drops due to ruptured ear drum (now a scab).  Can't stop them for more than 2 days or pain comes back. 

      Its been 3 or 4 months since flu. Hearing all better now though. Still some popping, crackle but not that annoying.

      Hope yours aren't that bad, but keep annoying doc you don't want it to build up again.

      Good luck

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