Ear Infection

Posted , 3 users are following.

Have had a lot of problems with ear infections - headaches - sinuses - nose polyps etc over years and years. Original doctor kept giving me prednosole and antibiotics instead of lookikng to the cause. So it just carried on and on repeating. Now I have worked out it is probably caused by silent acid reflux. Taken control. Eat better etc and it is far far better. Could not get on with the medicatin for it, the side effects were far worse than the roblem. So tried bicarbonate of soda which helps as much without side effects. However,now have an ear infection - rght ear - it is always the right nostril or ear that gets worse. Doctor gave me an ear spray otomize which seemed to help for a bit and now does not. The bicarbonate helps with the pain but is just masking it.

Anyone else got any experiences of ear infections due to acid reflux?

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Carmel,

    I haven't any med issues...I presume this is self diagnosed? As such,

    the cause is unknown..could be pepsin, viral, or bacterial?

    Ear infections quite common in children..my youngest son 4 year old once had

    what we suspected was another ear infection...but he had just completed an

    antibiotic for throat? we were reluctant for more antibiotics..one of my students

    suggested a homepathic remedy....we had little to lose (Internet not invented yet)

    we tried it....workd...do not recall exactly what..but should you consider it an an option...check with a homepath...if it doesn't clear quickly, then please see an ENT ......my best..claudio

    • Posted

      Not how it works unfortunately donclaudio. No homeopaths around hedre and they are very expensive. And ENT is about 35 miles away and very expensive to get to and from with travelling and time off of work. This is why I posted. I know I have silent acid reflux and often have problems with that ear and that nostril in the past. Thanks for your reply. No need to be reluctant to take antibiotics if you also take probiotics and prebiotics regularly.
    • Posted

      Sorry that medical help is so expensive...I'm borderline homeless but when I judge the "need"....I pay out of pocket..have only been to one homepathic dr/also an MD 100 years ago...was only $90 for the office

      .totally agree about antibiotics and pre pro biotics...its a worthwhile protocol to do pre and pro biotics while on antibiotics..like killing them and then putting them back....a good idea to often take a boost of pre and pro biotics..especially if traveling. But under no circumstances would

      I consider antibiotics (without medical intervention) with a 4 year old who had just completed a full course of them for a throat infection....if it didn't clear quickly with the homeo remedy...would be off to an ENT...think we called for an appointment but cancelled it when the ear problem resolved..

      IMO......NOTHING WORSE THAN POOR HEALTH...3 years ago...

      My left ear was giving me some mild pain for nearly a week...GP did his examination, told me he saw some inflammation but , it could be something other than a bacterial infectiion...therefore he was referring me to an ENT, about 25 miles and an hour and 40 minutes each way due to the traffic, street lights, and constructions..

      $375..she asked me a million questions...peformed a few physical tests...told me she was ordering a CT scan of my noggin...next day..results...a small benign tumor pressing against my brain stem

      $750..had to borrow $ from my sister...yes...paid her back.took a while.

      Have MRI's done annually..hasn't grown...so "stable" next MRI due this December...now ins covered but I'd find a way to pay for it otherwise.

      So in summary, this is how it works with me...Claudio

    • Posted

      Hi Don. Sounds like your in the USA where things are very different to England.

      If you want to know which homeopathic medicines to take you can resarch that online.

      The homeopath wil only sugeset the things you can find on those sites.

      YOu can then get the actual medicines much cheaper. Most of what you pay the homoeopath is for the research and his time, which you can do yourself.

      What other questions did the ENT person ask you so that they knew to get a brain scan etc. Can see why you would go without other things to pay for this.

      Previiously I tried lots of different natural things and herbal things, often read about online or suggested, and mostly a waste of money. The only thing that has ever helped me was the bicarbonate of soda and multi vitamins.

    • Posted

      used common piano type tuning forks to determine loss of hearing..highs and lows. and perhaps something between.

      Claudio

      I rarely use homeopathic...much because I've been successful

      with prescriptive, supplement, diet and stuff like EECP...claudio

      Like mentioned..used one (??) over 30 years ago for number 1 son...since, perhaps in 1984 with an MD/Homeopath...saw him for a torn meniscus...

      claudio

  • Posted

    Have you tried a netti pot?  I cannot overstate how incredibly helpful it is.  That with ear drops has almost completely eradicated my issues  with ear infections.  Of course it always starts with sinus with me--once the ear infection is set in, the netti pot might not be the best because if your ear is plugged it can cause issues, but go to youtube and check out how the netti pot works.  You will be so happy you found this--it seems strange at first, but it is so awesome. It doesn't hurt if you do it right and as long as your ear isn't blocked.  The water gets poured into one nostril and goes right out the other nostril.  Keep your head tilted far forward(chin tucked in to the neck) over the sink. MAke the water good and warm, just not hot or it will burn.  test it on your finger first.  I take a mug full of cold refrigerated distilled water and put it in the microwave for 45-50 seconds. Be sure to use warmed distilled water with the PH perfect salt packs sold with the pots--if you don't use these--it will hurt a little--like inhaling pool water, but with the salt packet, there's no burn. The netti pot has changed my life! Then, also get on the supplement NAC--this is another lifesaver!!!  It is amazing.  It strengthens the immune system.  There is nothing better for these sinus issues.  It naturally helps your body destroy molds, viruses and bacterial infections that develps in the sinus cavities. This is just a pill--very easy to take. BTW Don't take the L-NAC pills(I don't think they are as good(L stands for lab manufactured).  I also take oregano oil pills, Olive leaf pills, and neem oil pills when I get sick--they all have excellent anti-viral properties.  I had had crazy ear infections, but I think it's reversed--the mucus seems to be causing the reflux, not the other way around.  I'd had reflux for years and not even known it.  Do you take any of the antihistimines like allegra, zyrtec or atarax?  Atarax in particular has helped me--especially with sleep when not feeling well. I still sometimes get sick, but it only lasts a day or two now, rather than weeks or months.  NAC and the netty pot are two things I highly, highly recommend!  Since starting the netti pot, I never get ear infections anymore.  At first sign of congestion or sinus issues, I do the netty pot and NAC.
    • Posted

      I dont have problems with my nose. I tried a netipot and I ALSO tried a syringe thing for the nose, both did not really help the nose at all. Whatever I use I end up with a problem with my ear now and then. I dont need antihistamines and not allergic to anything. And I get bad side effects from them. Not heard of NAC please tell me more about this. I take a multivitamin, garlic, omega 3, potassum and magnesium, as these are never included properly in a multi, and a few other things.
    • Posted

      The garlic is probably giving you reflux.  So be careful because many people with gastritis must avoid onion and garlic.  Try eliminating it and replacing with oregano oil which has same properties, and see if it helps.

      I copied and pasted the following from the webmd website.  I hope it's not a copyrite violation, but it's so much faster.  

       

      NAC is n-acetyl cysteine 

      N-acetyl cysteine comes from the amino acid L-cysteine. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. N-acetyl cysteine has many uses as medicine.  

      N-acetyl cysteine is used to counteract acetaminophen (Tylenol) and carbon monoxide poisoning. It is also used for chest pain (unstable angina), bile duct blockage in infants, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease),Alzheimer’s disease, allergic reactions to the anti-seizure drug phenytoin (Dilantin), and an eye infection called keratoconjunctivitis. It is also used for reducing levels of a type of cholesterol called lipoprotein (a), homocysteine levels (a possible risk factor for heart disease) and the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with seriouskidney disease.

      Some people use N-acetyl cysteine for chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hay fever, a lung condition called fibrosing alveolitis, head and neck cancer, and lung cancer. It is also used for treating some forms ofepilepsy; ear infections; complications of kidney dialysis; chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS); an autoimmune disorder called Sjogren’s syndrome; preventing sports injury complications; radiation treatment; increasing immunity to flu and H1N1 (swine) flu; and for detoxifying heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium.

    • Posted

      Hi Stomachgirl. I was not taking garlic at all before, it doesn not mater what I eat, tomatoes, coffee , oranges etc make no difedrence. My reflux is because of the loose muscle, not what I eat. Whether I eat garlic or not makes no diference. I looked at the NAC on the amazon website. I always find it helpful to go on there and read reviews.

      There are a lot of thigns which they say will help with this and that, tried many of them, all a waste of money. Not buying anymore. I stick to my multivitamins, omega 3,

      antioxidants, garlic and fibre. Other things give me horrible side effects or just dont help. It used to be that if my thing flared up both ears would be bad, I would get awful headaches, my nose would be awful and I would grow polyps in my nose over and over. Now I just get the problem in the ear, about 90% less problem than efore, The bicarbonate of soda is a huge help. It helps with any pains, it means I CAN cope with the pain my ear, it is like taking pain killers, and it is alkaline.,

    • Posted

      Very interesting.  Well you are lucky--As I can't touch all the things you mention.  I now have it bad--earlier in my life I had reflux and could eat those things.  I think it has gotten much worse as I have aged.  I did not know what was causing it or not, but see, I think I may have the loose muscle as well, possibly, but as it gets burned from the acid, acidic and troublesome foods make flare up even worse.
    • Posted

      There are herbs you can take that supposedly help the muscle to get stronger. You can google that. I found it before. Think you are either set off by the wrong foods OR the muscle weakness, not both.
  • Posted

    If Stomachgirl doesn't get back soon...sure she will when available...here is something that could be of some interest to you: its "aged" but still quite valid and much more has been learned thru technical advances and an accumulation of data...

    Extracted from our National Institutes of Health…PHD, Dr. Van Zandwijk, N

    "NAC….Clinically, it is a safe agent without major side effects and has been considered to have a place in cancer prevention, too. The antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties of NAC could be ascribed to multiple protective mechanisms, such as NAC nucleophilicity, antioxidant activity, its ability to act as a precursor of intracellular reduced GSH, modulation of detoxification, and DNA repair processes."

    claudio

    • Posted

      Thanks for this but what is NAC? Is it short for three words beginning with n a and c?

      I have read about curcumin/tumeric, garlic and many other things. They either make me worse or whatever. So this is of interest.

    • Posted

      Acetylcysteine rINN /əˌsɛtəlˈsɪstiːn/, also known as N-acetylcysteine or N-acetyl-L-cysteine (abbreviated NAC), is a pharmaceutical drug and nutritional supplement used primarily as a mucolytic agent and in the management of paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose. Other uses include sulfate repletion in conditions, such as autism, where cysteine and related sulfur amino acids may be depleted

      After 77 years of experience...one shoe does not nor does one suit fit everyone...one of the lessons learned...while there are but a very few major difference in gut flora from one culture to another..the individual microbia differ dramatically...if we are born "not" by C section, we will acquire our mothers digestive flora..but then it begins to evolve..can be affected by any number of good and bad stuffs.

      Some day, it will be great to walk into a dr office with a disorder, will be plugged into a scanner to deterine our genetics and other stuff...will diagnose probablites...suggest treatments..this is already tauted by some Stanford PHD post grad...forgot the name of the device but time will tell if its worth the investment...she has it programed like a cash register....I cannot any longer trouble shoot a vehicle's problem without a dianostic scanner...50 years ago...I could do it within non seconds...no mas...claudio

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