In so much pain- Swimmer's Ear

anamama · Oct 18, 2009

I posted a few weeks back about my ears draining and being swollen. I ended up going to the Dr. at the University Health Center, he diagnosed me with Otitus Media/Externa (middle and outer ear infection). My eardrums were intact, and I had tried all kind of things to make them feel better with no relief (garlic mullein oil, hydrogen peroxide, hot compress, gse spray, etc.) so I diligently took the cipro (!) he prescribed. It felt better/got better during the week I was taking the abx, but never totally better. Now it's back and it's awful.

Both ears have been painful and swollen both in the canal and the tissues around my ears, even causing some swelling around my eyes. My right ear cleared up yesterday, but now my left ear is very, very painful and the canal is almost swollen closed. I have tried a hot onion compress (all afternoon) and some Hyland's ear drops, and a hot water bottle, but nothing is helping. I've read to do alcohol/vinegar solution, but I'm afraid it will burn my inflamed ear.
I'm thinking that since the cipro didn't kill this stuff off, it might be fungal.
I am in so much discomfort- chewing hurts, smiling hurts.

Anyone with experience to share? It would be greatly appreciated.

sophiesgrandma · Oct 18, 2009

If it's not getting better perhaps you should see an ear nose and throat specialist (ENT).

melamama · Oct 18, 2009

I'm so sorry, it sounds like you are in a lot of pain.

In our only experience with swimmer's ear, both of my kids had it and we used mullein oil and vinegar. Then we would rinse with vinegar after every time in the pool (this happened in the summer).

Personally I'd give the vinegar a shot, it really took care of everything for us. It sounds like you're already in so much discomfort I don't think the vinegar could make it much worse, but you could always rinse it out if it didn't go well.

notneb · Oct 18, 2009

Ouch! I had the same thing happen with the swollen face/ear canal swollen shut and it is so painful.

After trying peroxide, vinegar/alcohol, garlic oil, etc. I eventually had to resort to prednisone to reduce the swelling so that the ear canal was accessible and anitbiotic drops.

IME the alcohol/vinegar solution is great as a preventative or when you feel the first twinge in your ear, but is not terribly effective once the infection has gotten bad, particularly if your ear canal is swollen shut. On the other hand, when I used it it didn't make my ear hurt any worse, and it won't do any harm.

I hope you figure something out and feel better soon!

katelove · Oct 18, 2009

I used to get Swimmer's ear A LOT as a child/young adult. The alcohol/vinegar is a great preventer as it dires out the water in the ear which is what causes the infection. I used to use it after showering as well as swimming. However, it will hurt very badly if you use it when you have an infection.

For an actual infection it was usually treated with eardrops called Sofradex, which I believe is a gentamicin drop. That always cleared it up quickly.

Hope you're feeling better soon, it is horrible. So painful!

anamama · Oct 20, 2009

Thank you all so much! I took ibuprofen, and the swelling and pain was reduced enough so that I could do the ACV/alcohol in my ear. I have been doing it twice a day for the last couple of days, and it is feeling much, much better. The drops in the ear seem to have really cleared it up quickly!

In so much pain- Swimmer's Ear

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