jumpwomble
02-11-12, 10:27
I posted earlier about being anxious about otitis externa - an external ear infection that my GP diagnosed me with a week ago after removing some impacted ear wax from my left ear.
Well, the week's worth of antibiotic eardrops did not clear up the infection sufficiently; I experienced relief while using the eardrops but a day after I stopped, I started getting (milder) symptoms again - the same low humming, the partial loss of hearing. Although I do get very occasional stabs of sharp pain in my ear, they are very fleeting and so pain is not a major symptom AT ALL. I have them and then forget about them soon after. For some reason, this is making me question the GP's diagnosis of otitis externa, since so many people tell me it's painful... even though tinnitus/hearing loss are also common symptoms of otitis externa.
I contacted my GP and he said it was best to refer me to an ENT because otitis externa could be "tricky", and ENTs have better instruments etc. and they can do a microsuction on the ear, etc. which will help clean it of further wax and infection debris. This is a private ENT as I said I had too much anxiety to go on a NHS waiting list!!! So it's going to cost... but I'd pay anything for some peace of mind at the moment. :weep:
The earliest appointment I could get is next Tuesday - somehow I'm going to have to get over the weekend feeling terrified that the ENT is going to tell me nothing is wrong with my ears and he can't figure out why I had those symptoms all along. My hearing improved yesterday actually, but then I had quite loud tinnitus that, coupled with my sky-high anxiety, prevented me from falling asleep last night.
I don't know why I keep anticipating the worst, i.e the ENT saying he can't see anything wrong with me and I'll just have to "live with it", even though this goes against rational thinking... my mind seems to keep going back to this scenario, like it's obsessed or something. :scared15:
jumpy
Well, the week's worth of antibiotic eardrops did not clear up the infection sufficiently; I experienced relief while using the eardrops but a day after I stopped, I started getting (milder) symptoms again - the same low humming, the partial loss of hearing. Although I do get very occasional stabs of sharp pain in my ear, they are very fleeting and so pain is not a major symptom AT ALL. I have them and then forget about them soon after. For some reason, this is making me question the GP's diagnosis of otitis externa, since so many people tell me it's painful... even though tinnitus/hearing loss are also common symptoms of otitis externa.
I contacted my GP and he said it was best to refer me to an ENT because otitis externa could be "tricky", and ENTs have better instruments etc. and they can do a microsuction on the ear, etc. which will help clean it of further wax and infection debris. This is a private ENT as I said I had too much anxiety to go on a NHS waiting list!!! So it's going to cost... but I'd pay anything for some peace of mind at the moment. :weep:
The earliest appointment I could get is next Tuesday - somehow I'm going to have to get over the weekend feeling terrified that the ENT is going to tell me nothing is wrong with my ears and he can't figure out why I had those symptoms all along. My hearing improved yesterday actually, but then I had quite loud tinnitus that, coupled with my sky-high anxiety, prevented me from falling asleep last night.
I don't know why I keep anticipating the worst, i.e the ENT saying he can't see anything wrong with me and I'll just have to "live with it", even though this goes against rational thinking... my mind seems to keep going back to this scenario, like it's obsessed or something. :scared15:
jumpy