Any working remedies for unblocking ears! please

[becksW]

Would appreciate any useful tips on this as It's starting to drive me insane!

I've had a chesty cough for several days. This has caused my eustachian tube in the ear to block up. I'm almost deaf in the ear with extremely loud tinnitus and constant pressure and loss of balance!

I've seen a nurse and a doctor in the last week and whilst I've been ressured it is not an infection, I have not really had any advice on how I may be able to alleviate it. (I did ask! I was told to take painkillers) Last time this happened I had to have antibiotics and my ear drum perforated which helped sort the problem, this does not appear to be happening this time.

I am fed up of taking pain relief and apparently decongestants won't help. I am planning to try steam but didn't have much joy with this last time. I've tried to google for tips but apart from trying to get hold of homeopathic remedies I've not found much, most say symptoms should improve after 3 days however the doctor I saw said it could be a few weeks. Yet other info says if becomes chronic may cause permanent deafness!

Any safe remedies greatly appreciated

[mik.ross]

Yes glad to help.......... have you tried the Doctor? almost certain to cure your ailment with a few antibiotics, and a bit of Water.

HTH

[Penny-lope]

mik.ross said:

Yes glad to help.......... have you tried the Doctor? almost certain to cure your ailment with a few antibiotics, and a bit of Water.

HTH

Sorry did you actually read her post

My wee lad had the same a few weeks back....he ended up getting antibiotics. First time since he was 2

[Famous Graham]

becksW said:

my ear drum perforated which helped sort the problem

Errr...somehow I doubt that. Perforating your ear drum is both extremely painful and permanent.

[JakesterUK]

Look at www.Vestibular.org I've found it very helpful in the past

[becksW]

Famous Graham said:

becksW said:

my ear drum perforated which helped sort the problem

Errr...somehow I doubt that. Perforating your ear drum is both extremely painful and permanent.

Doctor told me it relieves pain because all the pressure from the build up of liquid behind the drum is released, I cetainly remember this being the case last time and it was a relief, they usually do heal but it just takes time (and as long as it doesn't happen to often, like it did with my mum, so she did end up deaf in her ear!)

[Penny-lope]

becksW said:

Famous Graham said:

becksW said:

my ear drum perforated which helped sort the problem

Errr...somehow I doubt that. Perforating your ear drum is both extremely painful and permanent.

Doctor told me it relieves pain because all the pressure from the build up of liquid behind the drum is released, I cetainly remember this being the case last time and it was a relief, they usually do heal but it just takes time (and as long as it doesn't happen to often, like it did with my mum, so she did end up deaf in her ear!)

Doc told me the same...once they pop, the pain eases. Well as long as you don't get another infection

[Morningside]

First person to post the letmegoogle... link should be banned.

I had a blocked esexesc.. tube due to a perforated eardrum caused by an infection . Trouble is, with the hole present the infection leaked though - The pain was effing immense, so I feel sorry for you.

Although I did have Sudafed ( well, generic Drs equivalent of it) there are two versions, one has the correct ingredient what you require but I cannot remember for the life of me what it was.
That helped and so does Flixonase.

I was "deaf" for about 4 months, infact I thought I was going to be stuck in permanent Mono mode.

Edited by Morningside on Saturday 20th December 23:46

[trampagne]

becksW said:

Would appreciate any useful tips on this as It's starting to drive me insane!

I've had a chesty cough for several days. This has caused my eustachian tube in the ear to block up. I'm almost deaf in the ear with extremely loud tinnitus and constant pressure

Awwwww

becksW said:

and loss of balance!

Stop dancing. Even deaf people can run without falling over.

becksW said:

I've seen a nurse and a doctor in the last week and whilst I've been ressured it is not an infection, I have not really had any advice on how I may be able to alleviate it.

Several days with a cough and you can see a doctor and nurse straight away, and the NHS is criticised?

becksW said:

my ear drum perforated which helped sort the problem

I recommend you stop taking medication and rapidly place the palm of both hands against your left and right ears simulatenously in repeated strokes ensuring that the hand covers the entirety of the ear opening and your mouth remains closed (This is not sexist advice but may be harder for certain genders)

becksW said:

I am fed up of taking pain relief and apparently decongestants won't help. I am planning to try steam but didn't have much joy with this last time. I've tried to google for tips but apart from trying to get hold of homeopathic remedies I've not found much, most say symptoms should improve after 3 days however the doctor I saw said it could be a few weeks. Yet other info says if becomes chronic may cause permanent deafness!

Of course, many normal people try a cocktail of pharmaceuticals before boiling some water, but of course they must first ask thousands of people over the internet as evaporated water can cause serious long term problems. I can only suggest that you place a sausage in each nostril and attempt to shout at a halibut, forget medical advice (as you obviously have) and trust an internet forum.

LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR RATHER THAN A VAGUELY CAR ORIENTED INTERNET FORUM

They call men hypochondriacs

Penny-lope said:

mik.ross said:

Yes glad to help.......... have you tried the Doctor? almost certain to cure your ailment with a few antibiotics, and a bit of Water.

HTH

Sorry did you actually read her post

My wee lad had the same a few weeks back....he ended up getting antibiotics. First time since he was 2

I'll pray for your child tonight (I also hope that his routine medication cures his routine ailment).

[captainzep]

Famous Graham said:

becksW said:

my ear drum perforated which helped sort the problem

Errr...somehow I doubt that. Perforating your ear drum is both extremely painful and permanent.

Its a common outcome from middle ear infections. Pressure builds, something's got to give.

And its not permanent. The ear drum heals like anything else. There is a risk that it repairs with scarring -and this can alter hearing but you'd need a few perforations before this was a risk.

[ian in lancs]

I'm not a Doctor just an engineer so i know nothing about medicine. However, I was recommended by an ENT Consultant an over the counter is Otrivine it helped me a lot when I had to fly after cold/flu induced congestion.
take a look at http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100002956.htm... and decide for yourself

[Penny-lope]

trampagne said:

I'll pray for your child tonight (I also hope that his routine medication cures his routine ailment).

No need, he's fine now...and not routine medication. I am dead against giving antibiotics for every sniffle and cough. Hence the reason he has only had two courses of antibiotics in 6 years

Yes I am an uncaring mum, who makes her son suffer

Edited by Penny-lope on Sunday 21st December 00:29

[trampagne]

Penny-lope said:

trampagne said:

I'll pray for your child tonight (I also hope that his routine medication cures his routine ailment).

No need, he's fine now...and not routine medication. I am dead against giving antibiotics for every sniffle and cough. Hence the reason he has only had two courses of antibiotics in 6 years

Yes I am an uncaring mum, who makes her son suffer

Edited by Penny-lope on Sunday 21st December 00:29

6 years, that would explain a lot.

[becksW]

ian in lancs said:

I'm not a Doctor just an engineer so i know nothing about medicine. However, I was recommended by an ENT Consultant an over the counter is Otrivine it helped me a lot when I had to fly after cold/flu induced congestion.
take a look at http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100002956.htm... and decide for yourself

Thank you, I almost bought some Otrivine but went for Sudafed spray instead, it doesn't seem to have helped so I will get some of this. If an ENT consultant suggested it then it has to be worth a go

[plasticpig]

Well if you really think perforating your ear drum will help. Go to your nearest swimming pool with a high diving board. The deeper the pool the better. Swim or dive to the bottom of the pool and stay at the bottom as long as possible. Repeat as necessary.

[ManicMushroom]

trampagne said:

becksW said:

my ear drum perforated which helped sort the problem

I recommend you stop taking medication and rapidly place the palm of both hands against your left and right ears simulatenously in repeated strokes ensuring that the hand covers the entirety of the ear opening and your mouth remains closed (This is not sexist advice but may be harder for certain genders)

Hmmm,, where did you hear of that??? I've had a bit of a dodgy ear and a really bad ratteling cough for a week.

did that ear thingy (I think) what you said and its working a lot better, can hear clearer and doesnt hurt as bad.

+5 points for you my good man

edit: just notised the rapidly in your post, now Im not going to bang my palms against my ears cos I know what that does
but pushing till there is a seal on one then the other a few times has done something right

Edited by ManicMushroom on Sunday 21st December 00:46

[becksW]

plasticpig said:

Well if you really think perforating your ear drum will help. Go to your nearest swimming pool with a high diving board. The deeper the pool the better. Swim or dive to the bottom of the pool and stay at the bottom as long as possible. Repeat as necessary.

I'd probably drown trying. I really do not want to perforate my ear drum, however the doctor did say if it occurred it would be part of the healing process!

Edited by becksW on Sunday 21st December 00:47

[ManicMushroom]

why would sitting at the bottom of a pool burst your ear drums??

I know about the pressure an all that, but its not that much

[captainzep]

No guaranteed quick fix Becks I'm afraid. Although no harm in trying a few.

You've got gunk in a pipe at the sealed end. Therefore no air pressure to force it out. Its like opening a tin of beans, up-ending the can but no beans come out. If you put a hole in the sealed end then air can get in, gravity does its job and the gunk shifts. This why natural perforation (and grommets) help to clear the pipes.

If it keeps happening (infection), grommets might be the answer...

[captainzep]

becksW said:

plasticpig said:

Well if you really think perforating your ear drum will help. Go to your nearest swimming pool with a high diving board. The deeper the pool the better. Swim or dive to the bottom of the pool and stay at the bottom as long as possible. Repeat as necessary.

I'd probably drown trying. I really do not want to perforate my ear drum, however the doctor did say if it occurred it would be part of the healing process!

Edited by becksW on Sunday 21st December 00:47

You wouldn't want to be the swimmer who gets a mouthful of the infected fluid as it floats to the surface either.

Infected & burst eardrums smell a bit 'stiltony' at the best of times.