OT - how to clear my ears?

[Babette]

Well, I've been sick for over a week now. Some sort of upper respiratory infection. I seem to get them alot lately. Not cpap related - just related to the fact that it's flu season and everything attacks my lungs.

Anyway, what's bugging me now is the ears. I can't seem to clear them. I've swabbed them with peroxide, and tried the ear drops and flushing them with the bulb full of water, but nothing seems to help. My BF says Ear Candles are a hoax and not to bother with them. Anyone have any tips? I feel like my head is stuffed with cotton balls.

Thanks!!!!!
Barbara

[Wulfman]

Well, I've been sick for over a week now. Some sort of upper respiratory infection. I seem to get them alot lately. Not cpap related - just related to the fact that it's flu season and everything attacks my lungs.

Anyway, what's bugging me now is the ears. I can't seem to clear them. I've swabbed them with peroxide, and tried the ear drops and flushing them with the bulb full of water, but nothing seems to help. My BF says Ear Candles are a hoax and not to bother with them. Anyone have any tips? I feel like my head is stuffed with cotton balls.

Thanks!!!!!
Barbara

Are you sure that it's actually the "outer" ear(s) and not an inner ear infection?
Seems that you've listed everything that I would have suggested.....short of going to a doctor (which I try to avoid at all costs).
I've also had occasions when a piece of wax got hardened and took repeated applications of ear drops and warm water with the bulb before it finally got flushed out.
Have you tried any decongestants? It may be that with all the "cleaning" attempts, you've irritated the insides of your ear and it's swollen in there.

You've got my sympathies......I know that feeling.

Den

[Babette]

I don't think I have an ear infection. They don't HURT the way an infection would.

I just tried holding my nose and breathing out hard. Helped a little. Maybe I'll keep doing that for awhile.

I seem to be able to hear okay. I just feel weird.

Yeah, I know, you're thinking "How can you tell?"
Babs

[Wulfman]

Like I said......I know that feeling. Not "weird".....just the ear thing.....

Hope you get better soon.

Den

[tattooyu]

I'll bet you have fluid in your ears or in your Eustachian tubes (tubes from ears to sinuses).

A neti pot works really well for me to clear the ears and sinuses. I think some actually use them to treat sinus infections, but you might want to call your doctor to ask first.

[jnk]

Well, I've been sick for over a week now. Some sort of upper respiratory infection. I seem to get them alot lately. Not cpap related - just related to the fact that it's flu season and everything attacks my lungs.

Anyway, what's bugging me now is the ears. I can't seem to clear them. I've swabbed them with peroxide, and tried the ear drops and flushing them with the bulb full of water, but nothing seems to help. My BF says Ear Candles are a hoax and not to bother with them. Anyone have any tips? I feel like my head is stuffed with cotton balls.

Thanks!!!!!
Barbara

If it's an outer-ear infection, and your eardrum is OK and all, you may have better success with rubbing alcohol or white vinegar than with water or peroxide if your fighting a swimmer's ear type of thing.

If it's a middle-ear infection (rare in adults) this info may help:

. . . your health care provider may wait 1 to 3 days to see if the symptoms go away on their own before prescribing an antibiotic. Your provider may recommend a decongestant (tablets or a nasal spray) to help clear the eustachian tube. This may help relieve pressure in the middle ear. . . . -- http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/aha_acmedia_crs.htm

[Babette]

Hmmmm.... You mean to use the neti pot normally, right? Not to flush my ears with it?

Sounds like a good idea. I haven't used mine in a week. I am breathing okay, so I just didn't think I needed it. Can't hurt to give it a try.

Thanks!!
B.

[Babette]

I'll try a little rubbing alcohol. I've always used peroxide, but what the heck. A little alcohol on a swab won't kill me.

I've been on Levaquin for a week (antibiotic), so I don't think it's a lingering infection. Just some sort of "stuffiness".

Thanks!
B.

[WearyOne]

Babs, I feel for ya! I'm having the same problem, even to the point it's making me dizzy. Doc says my ears are not infected, but sounds like I have fluid built up in the tubes. I can't safely take decongestants because of BP issues, but he's trying me on steroid nasal spray and regular OTC antihistimine. Thinks it's probably allergies. He says try to hold on, but if it's not better in a week or so, he might try a low-dose decongestant. I can hear okay, too.

Have you tried an oral decongestant like Sudefed or something?

Pam

[LinkC]

A little alcohol on a swab won't kill me.

If all your swabbing has abraded the skin inside your ear and you douse it with alcohol, you might WISH it had killed you...

[Babette]

I'm already on a nasal steroid spray - Flonase. I haven't taken any decongestants for a few days, because I don't like the side effects. I'm dizzy enough without adding THAT.

Don't think the ears are abraded. They haven't reacted to any of the other stuff I've dumped in them.

I'm pretty bummed about the ear candle thing. I had high hopes for that, but BF told me it was just a hoax. I bought some awhile back, and wanted to try them, but he talked me out of them. I was afraid to do them by myself anyway. I could just see me setting fire to the futon as I laid there.

Just walked down the hall to A/P and back. Don't like walking. Feel insecure, like I might fall. Heck, I feel dizzy just sitting here....

LOL,
B.

[WearyOne]

Well, if you find the magic cure, Babs, please send it my way! Saturday, it was getting better, but last night and today, it's awful again, almost worse. I have a major wax problem sometimes, where the nurse actually has to flush it out, but they said that wasn't it this time (he could actually see my eardrum for a change!)

Pam

[alnhwrd]

I'm pretty bummed about the ear candle thing. I had high hopes for that, but BF told me it was just a hoax.

It is, but I hear they are doing wonderful things with cupping and trepanning these days. Maybe you could try the things you stick on your feet to detox your body.

Seriously, sorry to hear you are feeling poorly. Lots of people around here have been down with some kind of nasty bug, maybe the flu. I hope you are better soon!

[Babette]

I'm gonna try a neti-pot flush at lunch time. Can't hurt. I need to do it more. I am just one of those folks that never see much benefit from it. I wish I would see great gobs of gunk being flushed down the sink, but it doesn't seem to happen for me. And then sometimes when I do it at night, I find it hard to breathe through my nose. Oh well, I'll try it for this and report back later.
B.

[talktobon]

Hope the neti pot worked. It's what my ENT told me to try to clear out my ears. I have Estachian tube dysfunction and it was aggravated severely by CPAP. Use it through your nose like normal--he said he will open up my ears. Don't blow one nostril at a time after you do it, though. Also, use Claritin or Sudafed per doc's orders.