Earaches...help please?!


Question: i woke up at 3 o clock in the morning last night with bad earache, its been hurting all day. in one ear its like throbbing and really hurts and in the other its weird it doesnt hurt as suck but its making weird noises like shoes shuffling on a carpet or something or like a pump going in and out and feels like its going up and down and its really weird...i have a history of ear infections but normally in one ear..and its like throbbing really badly .my mum put some warm olive oil in to try and help and im going to the docs tomorrow but does anyone have any advice for the pain or to help it..?? they feel pretty waxy but i dont think i can get them syringed because i had a perferated ear drum...=( thanks..x


Answers: i woke up at 3 o clock in the morning last night with bad earache, its been hurting all day. in one ear its like throbbing and really hurts and in the other its weird it doesnt hurt as suck but its making weird noises like shoes shuffling on a carpet or something or like a pump going in and out and feels like its going up and down and its really weird...i have a history of ear infections but normally in one ear..and its like throbbing really badly .my mum put some warm olive oil in to try and help and im going to the docs tomorrow but does anyone have any advice for the pain or to help it..?? they feel pretty waxy but i dont think i can get them syringed because i had a perferated ear drum...=( thanks..x

I think you're mum has done the right thing by putting oil in your ears. It sounds as though your ear is blocked with wax and placing a few drops of warmed oil in the ear will help to loosen the wax. If you end up having to have your ear syringed you will be advised to do this before hand. I would recommend that you also place a small plug of cotton wool in your ear..(just to keep the oil in there and to keep the ear warm) and while you are waiting to see the Dr try some ibuprofen, as opposed to paracetamol, as it will reduce both the pain and any inflammation caused by your condition. As you have a perforated ear drum it maybe that you also have an infection but I would suggest that this be diagnosed by the Dr who can prescribe the appropriate antibiotics.

Paracetamol & lie on a warm hot water bottle
Antibiotics will help without the need to have them syringed

Warm up to olive oil. A few drops of olive oil or mineral oil can provide temporary relief, says Clough Shelton, M.D., an associate clinical professor of otolaryngology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a member of the House Ear Institute at the University of Southern California. Warm it up like a baby's bottle under hot tap water for a few minutes. Test the oil first (it should be about body temperature) and apply it with an ear dropper. Make sure to use only enough to coat the inner lining of the ear, he says.

Turn on the heat. There are two approaches for using heat to help relieve the pain of an earache. You can try setting a heating pad on medium and placing it on top of the sore ear. Or you can turn a hair dryer on the lowest warm setting and direct the warm air down the ear canal, holding the dryer 6 to 12 inches from your ear. Do not use the hair dryer for more than three to five minutes.

Prop yourself up. You're better off sitting up in bed than lying flat on your back, says David Marty, M.D., a Jefferson, Missouri, otolaryngologist and author of the The Ear Book. Sitting up actually allows blood to drain away from the head so there's less congestion in the eustachian tube, he says. "That's why kids with an earache will quit crying when you pick them up and start crying again when you lay them down," he says. "It's not that they want to be held, it's just that they feel better with their heads up."

Fill up on fluids. Drinking lots of water and juice not only helps soothe the symptoms, but repeated swallowing can also help clear your eustachian tubes, says Charles P. Kimmelman, M.D., professor of otolaryngology at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. Chewing and yawning are also good for clearing your eustachian tubes, he says.

Try a vasoconstrictor. Over-the-counter nasal sprays like Neo-Synephrine contain the ingredient phenylephrine, which helps return your eustachian tube to normal functioning, says Dr. Kimmelman. "The spray shrinks down the lining of the nose and hopefully the region around the entrance of the eustachian tubes, allowing the tube to function better. If the eustachian tube returns to normal, you'll feel better," he explains. Don't use phenylephrine-containing nosedrops for more than a few days, and make sure you don't exceed the daily dosage recommended on the label. Overuse of nasal sprays can actually make the problem worse.

Opt for a painkiller. Another possible temporary remedy for ear pain: an over-the-counter analgesic like Advil or Tylenol, says W. Steven Pray, Ph.D., professor of pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. "Just don't fall into the trap of taking an analgesic and thinking because your ear doesn't hurt anymore, you don't need an antibiotic," he says. "The analgesic doesn't kill the organisms



The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories