Doctor made my ear infection worse

[Megan99]

I developed another ear infection after going to the snow. I returned and went to the doctors, where she shoved this sharp instrument into my ear for some reason. I yelped out loud when she shoved it in. Now my ear is hurting more than ever. And I don't know if this is connected, but my jaw feels really tight and I feel stiff all over. Could she have done any permanent damage? I can hear fine and there is no blood.

[bin tenn]

I doubt it. Give it some time. Ear infections can really suck sometimes.

[GlassPinata]

Possible. I once gave myself an "ear infection" by shoving q-tips in my ears to clean them. I shoved one too far, and it hurt... and kept hurting.
I went to the doctor the next day, and she said "Your ear is very red and inflamed. You have an ear infection." And prescribed antibiotics.
I was too ashamed to admit to her that I did this to myself, as I know better than to stick things in my ears.
Sure enough, later that night my eardrum ruptured while I was sleeping; I woke up without pain, but with my hair and pillow covered with dried blood and pus that had drained out of my ear. It was awful.
I went back to the doctor and she said that sometimes happens with ear infections, and to keep taking the antibiotic.
My eardrum healed up without incident (and with no permanent hearing loss, which the doctor said might be a possibility), and I never stuck q-tips in my ear again.

Moral of the story: if the doctor truly stuck a sharp instrument into your ear, causing pain, then yes: it is possible it could've worsened your ear infection.
But I'm curious as to why a doctor would do this, and if I were you, I'd ask.

best wishes.

[Megan99]

The doctor said my ear infection was minor and din't need to be treated. But I am really worried. What if the bacteria multiply and somehow cause meningitis? My head keeps hurting on the side of my head where the infected ear is. IS that even possible?

[axolotl]

The doctor said my ear infection was minor and din't need to be treated. But I am really worried. What if the bacteria multiply and somehow cause meningitis? My head keeps hurting on the side of my head where the infected ear is. IS that even possible?

No.

[GlassPinata]

The doctor said my ear infection was minor and din't need to be treated. But I am really worried. What if the bacteria multiply and somehow cause meningitis? My head keeps hurting on the side of my head where the infected ear is. IS that even possible?

Doctors are moving away from treating mild ear infections with antibiotics, because this leads to antibiotic resistance.
Most mild ear infections will clear up on their own.
Yes, it is possible (although rare) for untreated ear infections to have serious health consequences. But there are many steps between "mild ear infection" and "life-threatening illness". And if the ear infection were becoming more severe to the point that it could endanger you, there would be objective symptoms, such as a raging fever.

If you feel your ear infection is getting worse or if the pain is intolerable, go back to the doctor and ask them to take another look and maybe prescribe something.
But most ear infections are self-limiting.

Best wishes.

[Megan99]

Thanks! I can't feel much pain from the ear. It's just the headache that concerned me.