My EAr HURTS!!!!

[kittynh]

My ear really has been hurting for 2 days. No fever or other symptoms.
Decongestants help a bit, but I think it's the pain medication that's working.

What does one do? I'm not one of those that is going to go in and demand antibiotics for just an ouchy ear. Obviously full of fluid, as I'm listing a bit when I walk.

But it is getting really annoying!~

[AK-Dave]

My left ear hurt for a few days, with a bit of vertigo and a sensation of pressure on the inside of my ear. No other symptoms. This spread to my other ear after a few days. Then, it mostly went away, although I still have a feeling of something pressing against the inside of my left ear after about two weeks. I was thinking about going to the doctor once I can afford the co-pay.

[jj]

Doctor. Go. See.

[Amapola]

Hey, I hope you can get help in Outer Mongolia! :D

Mr. Amapola says: it could be an infection (you would not necessarily have a temp with this type of infection) which would require antibiotics, OR it could be a build up of wax, in which case the wax needs to be cleaned out. OR it could also be something else...... but only a doctor, actually looking at it, could tell. He says don't go to the Emergency Room!!! :D Go to a clinic, or whatever doctor you normally use. If it is beyond the scope of that Dr. they should tell you...... and send you to someone who can do something useful.

To encourage you to go to the Dr, I will tell you I once had a very bad earache but figured it was not worth going to a Dr. Well, the pressure in my ear built up and burst my eardrum and messed up the inside part of my ear. When it broke it was like how I imagine being shot in the head would be, except it kept hurting. My hearing was messed up for months. Go to the Dr.!!!

[HeyLeroy]

Insert elbow.

Joking aside, see a doc, it could be serious.

[shalomsteph]

GO SEE A DOCTOR. Or, if you can't afford a dr, then go to one of those nurse practitioners they have at the drug stores now. Antibiotics might be necessary, and it is NOT wimpy to get medication. Maybe if you are good, you can get some pain meds. :)

[Dogdoctor]

Just in case no one else said it go see a doctor. They will be able to prescribe you the proper treatment.

[Dymanic]

Once when my ear hurt and I toughed it out for a while (not being one of those that is going to go in and demand antibiotics for just an ouchy ear) but it kept getting worse and worse and I was sure I had an infection of some sort so I went to see my doctor (actually, I toughed it out for quite a few days, until that actually meant an ER doc) and he took one look in there and told the nurse to ...uh, I forget the fancy medical term he used but what she did was basically stick a little hose in there and run warm water through it for a while and then a lump of earwax about the size of a freakin lima bean popped out and the relief was so instantaneous and so overwhelming that it was better than sex, and I told her so.

[Genesius]

Definitely go see a doctor. My wife started out that way years ago - she's getting ready for her 12th operation on her ears next week. Recurrent bilateral cholesteatoma.

NOT (!!!) trying to say that's what you have. But it's much better to be safe than sorry.

[JLam]

I have some homeopathic stuff that works great.

:duck:

[Kiless]

Just in case no one else said it go see a doctor. They will be able to prescribe you the proper treatment.

http://conceptart.org/forums/images/ca_smilies/advanced/cheerleader.gif

[Hydrogen Cyanide]

Once upon a time my oldest child who was about 7 or 8 years old at the time came screaming from his bedroom in the middle of the night, all the time holding a hand to one ear. He had no fever.

I pretty much figured he had one horrible ear infection. So I gave him some pain meds, and called the family doctor first thing in the morning for a mid-morning appointment.

Turns out he had some kind of weird infection that caused a blister on his ear drum! He was in lots of pain.

The weird thing about it was... just earlier that day the doctor had seen the exact same type of infection in a middle aged woman. He was just shaking his head at seeing a farely rare thing twice in one day from two completely different patients.

The antibiotics cleared it up very quickly.

[ysabella]

Now, this is weird, but once when I had a horrible head cold and had painful ears, my doctor had me use a kind of decongestant nose drops and roll my head around to try to get the liquid to hit the opening to my Eustachian tube. Pretty tricky, but it did work a few times.
If you're suffering until you can see a doctor, you could try it. A nose spray might work, if you can't find those drops.

[Dymanic]

Now, this is weird, but once when I had a horrible head cold and had painful ears, my doctor had me use a kind of decongestant nose drops and roll my head around to try to get the liquid to hit the opening to my Eustachian tube. Pretty tricky, but it did work a few times.
If you're suffering until you can see a doctor, you could try it. A nose spray might work, if you can't find those drops.
Hey! I think that might have been you I saw on America's Funniest Home Videos!

[c4ts]

Ear wash.

But seriously, go see a doctor. Just a walk-in clinic or something.

[CFLarsen]

Now, this is weird, but once when I had a horrible head cold and had painful ears, my doctor had me use a kind of decongestant nose drops and roll my head around to try to get the liquid to hit the opening to my Eustachian tube. Pretty tricky, but it did work a few times.
If you're suffering until you can see a doctor, you could try it. A nose spray might work, if you can't find those drops.

I think your doctor is a Monty Python fan.... (http://orangecow.org/pythonet/sketches/mortuary.htm)

[ysabella]

Hey! I think that might have been you I saw on America's Funniest Home Videos!
Actually I was living in the Netherlands at the time. But those Dutch doctors are notorious pranksters...:eek:

Pretty much all there is when you have a cold in NL is aspirin and nose spray, so I guess one has to get creative with it.

[Mojo]

To repeat: go see a doctor.

But also: do not poke anything into the ear!

[HeyLeroy]

Except your elbow. Or an aspirin.

[El Greco]

Don't go see a doctor

Go see an ENT doctor

[NeilC]

They hand out antibiotics for all sorts of stupid things. An ear infection is well worth going to the doc for. I had a series of them last year and the pain was excrutiating. They don't always just get better on their own without causing some damage first.

[Blue Bubble]

With amazing regularity, I seem to get excruciating earaches every nine years. Each time (3 in total), it requires my ears to be "syringed". This involves someone squirting water (as hot as one can bear) into the ear, whereupon (as someone else has posted) you get a lump of earwax out. It's not as unpleasant as it sounds, and the relief is immense.

As has already been pointed out, you need to go visit a doctor.

[Mojo]

With amazing regularity, I seem to get excruciating earaches every nine years. Each time (3 in total), it requires my ears to be "syringed". This involves someone squirting water (as hot as one can bear) into the ear, whereupon (as someone else has posted) you get a lump of earwax out. It's not as unpleasant as it sounds, and the relief is immense. I have to have this done about every 3 years (not because of earaches, I just find I can't hear properly because the ears are blocked).

If you have your ears syringed, I strongly urge caution when trying to stand up again afterwards. It tends to affect my balance for a few minutes. Make sure you're holding onto something!

[fsol]

I have some homeopathic stuff that works great.

:duck:
Ear Candles!:woo

[Mojo]

Four Candles (http://www.angelfire.com/me/tvcomedy/fourcandles.html)! :D

[kittynh]

Hey, it isn't easy to see a doctor. I call my doctor, the person answering the phone says, "no openings" I ask, when the next opening is, her answer, next WEDNESDAY! I guess the clinic lost 2 doctors, and my doctor is trying to cover. I ask to see ANYONE, the lady says, "maybe MOnday."

At this point, now that I can't see a doctor it begins to REALLY HURT!

I say, "I cannot afford to go to the emergency room, give me the appointment for next Wed and if I die I'll try to have the funeral then as I know my doctor would like to attend".

(It's $100 every ER visit).

I get a call back from my doctor and she arranged for a pediatrician to see me! Yeah. Boo boo infection. No fever or anything else, but when the nice doctor in the Winnie the Pooh smock looked in my ear she went "oh poopsies". I did get a sticker that said I was good, and a lollipop.

I got drops and antibiotics. Let's hope it clears it up...I'm known to go through several anitbiotics before things get fixed...and IT STILL HURTS!

I hate living in the country where they do NOT have walk in clinincs.

[JLam]

I hate living in the country where they do NOT have walk in clinincs.
The obvious solution here is to become a Reiki healer so you can just heal yourself and not have to worry about going to the doctor.



What? Why the funny look?

[Jon.]

I say, "I cannot afford to go to the emergency room, give me the appointment for next Wed and if I die I'll try to have the funeral then as I know my doctor would like to attend".

(It's $100 every ER visit).


Everytime I read something like this, I am so glad I live in Canada.

Long live socialized medicine!

:wave1

:can:

[Hydrogen Cyanide]

Hey, it isn't easy to see a doctor. I call my doctor, the person answering the phone says, "no openings" I ask, when the next opening is, her answer, next WEDNESDAY! I guess the clinic lost 2 doctors, and my doctor is trying to cover. I ask to see ANYONE, the lady says, "maybe MOnday." ....

:eek: Another reason to appreciate the family practice we go to. They keep slots open during the day for these types of issues, PLUS... they do cover each other when another is out of town, attending to a birth or whatever.

Other than getting a particular cranky doctor on weekends (they combine about a half dozen offices for the "on call" times)... I've never had a problem getting an appointment on the day I call if it is urgent. I

[CFLarsen]

Hey, it isn't easy to see a doctor. I call my doctor, the person answering the phone says, "no openings" I ask, when the next opening is, her answer, next WEDNESDAY! I guess the clinic lost 2 doctors, and my doctor is trying to cover. I ask to see ANYONE, the lady says, "maybe MOnday."

At this point, now that I can't see a doctor it begins to REALLY HURT!

I say, "I cannot afford to go to the emergency room, give me the appointment for next Wed and if I die I'll try to have the funeral then as I know my doctor would like to attend".

(It's $100 every ER visit).

I get a call back from my doctor and she arranged for a pediatrician to see me! Yeah. Boo boo infection. No fever or anything else, but when the nice doctor in the Winnie the Pooh smock looked in my ear she went "oh poopsies". I did get a sticker that said I was good, and a lollipop.

I got drops and antibiotics. Let's hope it clears it up...I'm known to go through several anitbiotics before things get fixed...and IT STILL HURTS!

I hate living in the country where they do NOT have walk in clinincs.

I won't say anything. Nuh-huh.

[Dymanic]

I'm wondering what the risks would be of giving the warm water irrigation trick a try on one's own. Have to say, after my first experience, I'd be tempted, especially if I couldn't get a doctor to look at it. (Guess I'm lucky there; there's a clinic not 2 miles from my house, and I can get seen as a walk-in without expecting to wait more than an hour; two if they're busy -- plus, I'll usually see the same Doc every time).

If it wasn't impacted, but infected, would a little warm water make it much worse? Hmmm... yeah, I can see how it might. I'm thinking I'd use maybe a turkey baster -- but just the thought of squeezing too hard and generating too much pressure... especially if it was infected after all... OW.

Doctor. ER if nothing else. And SOON.

[strathmeyer]

Alternatingly pressing the roof of your mouth with your thumb and your brow between your eyebrows can move the bones in your skull enough to clear your sinuses. Not sure how much help it will be for your ears, though.

Be sure to keep properly hydrated!

[a_unique_person]

You don't clean your ears with cotton buds, do you?

[HeyLeroy]

Everytime I read something like this, I am so glad I live in Canada.

Long live socialized medicine!

:wave1

:can:


I dunno where you are, but here in Windsor we have a really critical shortage of doctors.

Had a family friend with ALS die in the waiting room. Everyone thought he was sleeping. He'd been there for eight hours.

[Roboramma]

I had a bad ear infection when I was young that I didn't tell anyone about. It was very painful, and eventually the pressure built up to the point that (according to the doctor I saw after it happened) my ear drum burst. I had blood and pus pouring out of my ear for a week afterwards. Luckily I was young and it was able to heal okay. He said I was lucky that I didn't go deaf in that ear. The good news is I missed two weeks of school. :)

So, yeah, seeing a doctor before these things happen is usually a good idea. I'm notoriously bad about that.

[Blue Bubble]

I'm wondering what the risks would be of giving the warm water irrigation trick a try on one's own. Have to say, after my first experience, I'd be tempted, especially if I couldn't get a doctor to look at it. (Guess I'm lucky there; there's a clinic not 2 miles from my house, and I can get seen as a walk-in without expecting to wait more than an hour; two if they're busy -- plus, I'll usually see the same Doc every time).
I've actually done this ! It was after coming home from a holiday which involved much swimming in swimming pools.

I took the shower head off the shower, and connected a "Bic" ball-point pen without the actual pen bit. The stream of quite hot water was then concentrated as a fairly powerful jet, and yep, the effect was exactly as desired. The lump of earwax came out, and the relief was immense.

I wouldn't, however, recommend it to anyone who hadn't already experienced a proper ear-syringing.


If it wasn't impacted, but infected, would a little warm water make it much worse? Hmmm... yeah, I can see how it might. I'm thinking I'd use maybe a turkey baster -- but just the thought of squeezing too hard and generating too much pressure... especially if it was infected after all... OW.

Exactly why I wouldn't recommend it!


Doctor. ER if nothing else. And SOON.
Seconded.

[podz99]

You don't clean your ears with cotton buds, do you?

I do!.. Been doing it all my life in fact.. Since my mother used to clean my ears out with cotton buds when I was a kid, I figured it was the normal thing to do, and have carried on doing it now I'm a grown up.

Have to admit though, I've never understood why it's considered to be a bad thing to do.. It doesn't seem to have done me any harm, and I've never needed to have my ears syringed!

[Mojo]

Have to admit though, I've never understood why it's considered to be a bad thing to do.. Risk of damage to eardrum.

[Jon.]

I dunno where you are, but here in Windsor we have a really critical shortage of doctors.

Had a family friend with ALS die in the waiting room. Everyone thought he was sleeping. He'd been there for eight hours.

Vancouver. It's not great out here either, but at least people in Canada don't need to check their bank balance before deciding whether or not to go to ER. That's really the point I was making.

[ZirconBlue]

Vancouver. It's not great out here either, but at least people in Canada don't need to check their bank balance before deciding whether or not to go to ER. That's really the point I was making.

I don't think I've ever had to pay at the ER. They always just send a bill later. In any case, by law, they can't refuse emergency treatment based on inability to pay.

[Beerina]

(It's $100 every ER visit).
Everytime I read something like this, I am so glad I live in Canada.

Long live socialized medicine!

:wave1

:can:

So you'd rather wait until the Wednesday after next?

Here's the key to freedom: It may cost $100 to needlessly go to the ER, but at least it's an option. No bureaucrats leading the masses on hate-filled cruscades against doctors and hospitals (you know, the people who save lives for a living?) standing in the way "granting" permission, all in exchange for power.

[Beerina]

Vancouver. It's not great out here either, but at least people in Canada don't need to check their bank balance before deciding whether or not to go to ER. That's really the point I was making.

The reason the government does not allow competition is not because they're "efficiently using the nation's health care money to serve everyone". It's because competition makes the government's effort look bad. This is why it's banned.

There's no logical reason to prevent doctors from opening private clinics for free people, with their own money, to come in to buy services. It's no skin off your ass, after all, if some doctor and some other people negotiate services. It's banned because it makes the government, and hence, the politicians seeking power, look bad.

This cannot be allowed. Hence freedom is lost for the sake of power grabs.

[Jon.]

The reason the government does not allow competition is not because they're "efficiently using the nation's health care money to serve everyone". It's because competition makes the government's effort look bad. This is why it's banned.

There's no logical reason to prevent doctors from opening private clinics for free people, with their own money, to come in to buy services. It's no skin off your ass, after all, if some doctor and some other people negotiate services. It's banned because it makes the government, and hence, the politicians seeking power, look bad.

This cannot be allowed. Hence freedom is lost for the sake of power grabs.

The reason why private provision of medical services is banned is that it takes valuable resources out of the public system. In addition, allowing those who can afford to pay for care to have a parallel, private system decreases their motivation to pay taxes which support the public system. This puts pressure on politicians to cut taxes by cutting back on the public system which exacerbates the problem for those who can least afford it.

In addition, there is the moral argument that health care ought to be a public good, provided by society as a whole to everyone who needs it regardless of ability to pay.

[kittynh]

wow, because I know in a lot of areas doctors have private practices also. I'm in favor of a certain level of care for everyone, and if you want to pay for extras (like a private room) go for it. Like your choice of physician. You could pay for that if you want. Or for being able to see a specialist without first getting permission from a GP. I already pay extra for my insurance to have that option. I just think it is a waste of my time to go see my GP when I know I need a specialist. My GP just rubber stamps it for me anyway.

Still, many nations do allow private practice hours AFTER a certain number of public hours are put in. So, it keeps doctors in the country that might otherwise leave, and you still get a good weeks work out of them.

Also, you keep more specialists that would charge more so you don't have to send people down to the US.

If you just get a flat rate of pay,then they are just going to put in the hours they have to. Except for those doctors that are above and beyond dedicated and all that. Still, is it fair to always expect people in the medical profession to be in it purely for the greater good of mankind? Sort of like why pay teachers more because they are in the profession as they LOVE children. What, you should only get decent pay and a chance to advance yourself personally if you are doing work that doesn't involve human beings?

[kittynh]

OH when I was in Scotland I payed to go to the private practice of a group of physicians. I think I paid $35 and the recheck was $15. Just cash up front. Great care. If I wanted to wait for my daughter to get her ear infection checked it was going to be fill out paperwork and wait all day in a clinic for an opening. Hey, sure the Scots should get first in line...and I wasn't on any physicians list, but it sure was nice just to pop in and out.

the physician I saw worked there on his dayoff. Payed his kids school fees and so made him vey happy also.

[Ducky]

My ear really has been hurting for 2 days. No fever or other symptoms.
Decongestants help a bit, but I think it's the pain medication that's working.

What does one do? I'm not one of those that is going to go in and demand antibiotics for just an ouchy ear. Obviously full of fluid, as I'm listing a bit when I walk.

But it is getting really annoying!~


Quit sticking your finger in it.




ps. 100 bucks a visit? I'll trade you my 2 grand a pop onco visits...

[luchog]

What, you should only get decent pay and a chance to advance yourself personally if you are doing work that doesn't involve human beings?
Yeah, pretty much.

Which is why Canada is experiencing a serious "brain drain" with a large percentage of their recently-graduated doctors and nurses emigrating to the US to set up practices. Interestingly, there is a concurrent "brain gain" with medical professionals immigrating from third-world countries, for the same reason (better pay and working conditions).

[a_unique_person]

Risk of damage to eardrum.

Even without that, it irritates the sensitive ear canal.

[kittynh]

My ear still hurts, but next step is the ENT guy....

Trust me Fowlsound, my friend Debbie has a shot that is $2,000. Twice a week she has to get it from the pharmacy. It would cost more than that, only she is a nurse and gives herself the shot. She needs a new car to get to her treatments (and her job). Only guess what kind of credit rating someone has that owes a hospital for 20% of the cost of her cancer treatments for over 2 years has?

So, that is one thing that Canada does have! Deb has to have someone else buy her a car, and she is making her payments from work she is going "off the books". Staying alive is very expensive in the US.

[Kopji]

I grew up a poor child, we lived in a large shoebox... I always had earaches as a kid, but rarely a doctor. About the only memories I have of my early childhood involve ear pain.

They put little drainage tubes in kids ears now. Such advancement...

Anywhoo, as long as your ear is not draining puss or anything else nasty, try a drop or two of slightly warmed olive oil in your ear for the pain - (till you can get in to see your doctor).

[Kopji]

Rather than rely on my anecdotal story, there are at least a couple studies that showed olive oil (or herbal remedy that was based on it) was effective for ear pain.

(I've never heard of mixing garlic and herbs into the oil, we just used plain 'ol olive oil.)

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/111/5/e574

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11434846&dopt=Abstract

[Hamradioguy]

There seem to be a lot of hospital ERs in New Hampshire that don't know about (or choose to ignore) Hill-Burton. That's the US law that says they MUST see and treat you regardless of whether you can pay or not. Just show up at the ER, tell 'em you have no money and mumble "Hill-Burton" under your breath. Maybe wear raggedy old clothes and take all the money out of your wallet...
I think the Canadians may be on to something with this business of not having to fork over wads of money to get medical care.
BTW- Go see a Dr. (ENT) if symptoms persist.