Ear Plugged Up - what do I do?

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Scott269 - 23 Feb 2005 14:09 GMT

So a few days ago I think I got a little water in my left ear in the
shower. No biggie. Well I couldn't get it out and thought maybe it
would help to try cleaning out the wax to be able to drain. I have one
of those ear wax kits that you put the drops in to make it foam and
remove it and then flush it out with water. Well that made it ten
times worse. Ear was really plugged then. I (carefully) tried to get
stuff out with q-tips with no avail. I figured water was really
plugging things up so I got one of that swimmer's ear medicine where
you put drops of rubbing alchohol in to try and dry up the excess water
and help drain the rest. Well that didn't do much last night and this
morning its worse than ever, I can barely hear out of my left ear now,
feels (and sounds) like I have an ear plug tightly in it. What now?
Doctor is probably a week before I could get in, I read something about
using nasal spray. How does that work? Spray it up in the ear to help
reduce ear canal swelling and (hopefully) that will help drain the ear?

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ironjustice@aol.com - 23 Feb 2005 17:21 GMT

Lean to side .. towards the ear with the .. plug / stuffed up ..
feeling ..

Open opposing .. hand .. palm towards opposing side of head opposing
the .. stuffed / plugged up .. ear ..

Strike side of head opposite plugged head ..

Strike .. often ..

Who loves ya.
Tom
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Man Is A Herbivore!
http://pages.ivillage.com/ironjustice/manisaherbivore
DEAD PEOPLE WALKING
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John Que - 25 Feb 2005 10:25 GMT

Here are my suggestions. If you get water in the
ear, put about 5 drops of a mixture of either
vinegar and alcohol.
About 50/50 volume of the ingredients.
This creates a hostile environment for
bacteria. In a pinch, a 50/50 solution of
vinegar and water also seems to work.

If the wax remover causes pain you
may very well have an infection. You
may need a round of systemic antibiotics.
See the Doc.

You may have ear wax crammed against
the eardrum. Nasty. If you can get the
doc to clean it...... good.

Once you get better. Every so often
use the ear wax remover drops and
don't use the q-tips. And when
you get water in the ear use
some of the vinegar/rubbing alcohol solution.

Any way that is what I do.
YMMV

> So a few days ago I think I got a little water in my left ear in the
> shower. No biggie. Well I couldn't get it out and thought maybe it
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> using nasal spray. How does that work? Spray it up in the ear to help
> reduce ear canal swelling and (hopefully) that will help drain the ear?

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Thomas Costello - 28 Feb 2005 03:28 GMT

The only time I have heard of using nasal decongestant sprays for ear
problems that did not include a bleeding ear is to use it in the nose to
try and imrove eustachian tube function. It works by reducing the
swelling in the back of the nose where the eustachian tube enters. Have
you tried popping your ears? (Plug your nose and blow with your lips
closed). Your symptom could be related to a lot of different things
including wax impaction, middle ear effusions, or even a nerve hearing
loss. I DON'T think it is water in the ear canal. If the ear popping
thing doesn't work, you need to see a doctor for an exam and a hearing
test. If you can, bypass the PCP and go straight to the Ear, Nose and
Throat doc.

good luck

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