ear canal infection

[Rachel W]

Hi,

I am prone to ear canal infections. It gets a little crusty and sometimes i have fluid that i can hear squelching, my ear will feel blocked and I will have to sniff and swallow to fix the pressure.
Usually I gently put a little bit of antibiotic ointment on an ear bud and coat the canal with it and it goes away.

This time i left it for a while and then it seemed to go away a bit and then came back so I started to put a little ointment in just with my finger and then I would put heat on. The swelling went down and it did not really hurt but it got squelchy so i used ear buds slowly just to try to suck up the liquid which was a little smelly and yellow. I have been to the doctor in the past and it was usually like a zit/spot in my ear so I assumed that it had gone down by draining.

It has felt like it has been getting better, but last night it was a little squelchy and blocked so I got a very thin piece of soft tissue and very slowly put it in (the ear buds won't go in too far because of narrowing of the canal so I don't think that I could hit my ear drum with it and I am VERY slow and gentle), but the soft, bendy tissue seemed a gentler option and could get past the opening so it could suck up the liquid (not that much).

But now I am worried about a perforated ear drum as I read that buzzing can be a sign of it (and I have been getting this on and off), and diminished hearing. Would I know if i had perforated an ear drum? Would there be pain? I still get the pressure differences when I sniff and swallow, surely if there was a hole in the timpanic membrane these pressure differences would not happen.

The infection seems to be clearing up and I hope that this is just the remnant drainage that could be causing a little blockage. I know that I should go to the doctor just in case as it is a sensitive area, but I also have OCD and going to the doctors is very difficult for me.

I don't have earache and it the hearing is slightly diminished and clicky sounds when I mess with the ear like there is liquid in it. Also an occasional VERY slight buzzy sound too.

Does anyone know if i would have more pain with a perforated ear drum. The ear was sensitive in spots deeper down but hope that this is because it is crusty and sore because of the infection.

By the way, I won't be sticking anything down my ear again. I will put antibiotic nearer the entrance but that will be it.

Please help, I am really panicking!!!

I also have a bad habit of using my finger as a plunger to try to clear the canal, but i have done this a lot in my life with no issues, more because I suffer with wax.

[Rachel W]

Anyone?

Just a note that if the ear pain and swelling comes back again I will go to the doctors, but i just want to know if it is likely that I have a perforated ear drum. If i had perforated it due to jabbing wouldn't it have been really painful and also I get the ringing when my ear is blocked (like now as I just got out the shower and I only dried it so far as I did not want to risk injury) or if it is squelchy.

Thanks

Rachel

[Going home]

I have been told that a perforated eardrum can be extemeely painful, but the eardrum is so strong that I wouldn't have thought a tissue, even the rolled up corner of one would be able to perforate it....if it was that easy then there'd be an awful lot of perforated eardrums around! Infection is a more likely reason for irritataion and pain. Very rarely pressure caused by flying (usually landing, as the drop in pressure happens quickly) can perforate the eardrum, but it is extremely rare, so any pain in the ears when flying is more likely to be caused by problems with the eustachian tube...something I suffer with and can be painful and the best way to relieve this is to wear the special earplugs that you can buy from any pharmacy. But I have to say that from what you say, it sounds more likely to be an infection and with the best intentions, I would say that you are making the problem worse by inserting various things into your ear...try to resist doing this if you can.

Anna xxx

[Rachel W]

Thank you. I had been using cotton buds as well, but when I use them I am very careful and will not use them that far down again just in case. the ringing and the liquid freaked me out but I read that ringing can come from the infection. Also, I think that it is inner ear infections that can cause perforations on their own (i.e. no trauma) due to build up, but I have no earache so think that it is the canal as I have had in the past. Apart from the little bit of squelching and the ringing (which is a very slight high pitched) then I don't have many other symptoms. My ear was so sore to even touch last week and my glands were more swollen, but all of this has calmed down.

I really appreciate the response; I was getting quite concerned.

[crazyhayz]

Very unlikely. My doctor said you cannot perforate your eardrum with an earbud unless you jammed it right in with force. Ive had at least 20 perforated eardrums in my lifetime. They are painful but not unbearable. They arent dangerous, they can damage ur hearing but usually only temporarily, and if it is permanent then it isnt usually bad. I am currently seeing an ENT doc every 3 months due to my constant ear problems (symptoms: pressure in ear, loss of hearing, fluid build-up, ringing, buzzing, tickling sensation, clicking, popping & dizziness/balance problems realllllly bad) I have been told ive got severe fluid build up behind my eardrums, mostly right ear, so if my steroids do nothing (which they havent so far lol) then il undergo an op to remove the fluid) I have suffered my whole life with perforations, they arent nice no, but they arent awfully bad, they arent dangerous or anything. If you are worried about earbud or anything, ask ur doc to refer you to an ENT specialist. The symptoms sound very much like ear infection. Get antibiotics. If they dont work then ask for referral, but TRUST ME, if u had a perforated eardrum, u would know about it hun.

Good luck

[blueangel]

Eek! my ex-husband is an audiologist and his maxim is that you shouldn't put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.

Sounds like you should get something from your GP for this - and he/she will be able to check out very quickly if you have a perforated eardrum as it's visible when they look down your ear.

[Rachel W]

I know that I should have been more careful but I had a yellow yucky fluid from the infection and needed to suck it up to dry. I hope that it is just dried gunk that is blocking the canal and perhaps causing the ringing and ~50% hearing loss. I don't have ANY pain at all though so hopefully that is a good sign. I am going to go to the doctors on Wednesday as long as they can fit me in as I am really concerned, but all of your words of wisdom have let me settle a little.

Thanks so much.

Take Care and Bless.

Rachel