My ear hurts
 

It makes like a squishy sound when I push behind it, and when I lay my head down on that side. I get dizzy sometimes. I have a headache. It hurts when I hold a phone to it, and it's my 'dominant' ear (my other ear likes to be chained up and whipped.)

Everything I read online says that inner ear infections are rare in adults, and I haven't been swimming since last summer.

Home remedies anyone? I don't have time to take off to get to the doctor, if I don't absolutely need to.

Thanks!

The Bionic Woman sans bionic ear (Shaw)

Its Gods way of telling you to stop talking to yourself

Oh fine, when I die from worms burrowing into my brain won't YOU be sorry, Mr Smarty Pants.


I'se gots no one else to talk to. :(

I'd guess middle ear, not inner ear. Much more common. I've had two in the last 7 years. Then again, when I get them the pain is immediate and completely unbearable, so I went to the emergency room in tears both times. If it only hurts when you mess with it, I'd say just leave it alone and it'll clear up.

Thank you Clod...that's kind of what I was thinking, good to hear it from someone who has experienced it.

I had a nasty ear infection not long after Max was born.

If youre in pain I'd recommend going to the doctor and getting some penicillin. I was so glad when I finally went.

take a decongestant.

It was like I was having a mild headache a lot, which I don't really often do, then when I noticed the squishy sound I thought maybe that was why. Then I was on the phone today for an extended period of time at work and it was really bothering me.

I was just worried I might hear a story from someone about somebody someone knows who had the same thing, and died. ;)

Since it isn't too alarming, I might give it a few more days and see what happens.

Thanks!

It could be that you've got a bunch of wax stuck in there and need to have it flushed out. That can happen even if you haven't been swimming or anything.

I thought about that, and since I have the aforementioned teeny tiny bathtub I don't take hot baths like I used to. In all seriousness, if you get your head under really hot water and move it from side to side, I think it melts any wax out. I've never had problems with wax in my ears in my life.

However, the toilet broke and HG is working on it and the water is shut off, because, of course, I have the only toilet on earth with no shut off valve.

Sigh...Ali, can I use your big giant bathtub?

:)

You can use my bathtub if you like. :)

Seriously though, I have a friend who gets wax build up in her ears fairly regularly and she has to have it syringed out.

In any case, if it's still bothering you in a few days, I think you should go to the doc...just to be safe. You don't want to cause any lasting damage.

Sounds a bit like what my mum had. Which was an ear infection. Go to a doctor.

*hugs* and do not under any circumstances do the old thing of dripping warmed olive oil into your ear. It can prevent healing and lead to perforated ear drum

Huh?

;)

Yeah, as I said...I've never had a problem before. I knew a girl in HS who had some serious problems and needed the syringing often.

If it still hurts this weekend maybe I'll pop into urgent care. I can't possibly take off to go to the doc tomorrow. Unless, of course, I'm dead.

edit: Dana, I had never heard of the olive oil thing... I have put peroxide in my ears before, but I don't think I have any here anyway.

When I was a kid I used to get a lot of ear infections. The doctor used to tell my mum to drip a little warmed olive oil into it to soothe it. (back when olive oil was a medical supply bougt from the chemist :P) Bout five or six years ago I had an ear infection and did the warm oil thing (which is very soothing) and told my doctor and she said if there's a little tear in the drum the oil can prevent it healing and lead to permanent damage.

decongestant can help. Until you get to the doc.