Ear plugged

Wednesday I had a great ride. Really buried myself, did a lot of heavy breathing and made it home still feeling great. However, it was a bad air day, and I think I really abraded my throat, because the next morning I woke up with a pretty serious sore throat. I gargled with Listerine and by Friday afternoon my throat was pretty close to back to normal. However, this morning I woke up and my left ear is plugged with (what I assume must be) snot because I also had developed sinus congestion. Nice huh?

I have a decongestant in my allergy medicine, but any tricks, home remedies, witch's brews, drill bits, minor explosives, heavy metal music that will clear my ear out? There's pressure but no pain, but I'd like to hear what's coming from that side, especially since it is my left ear that hears approaching/passing traffic.

I have had good luck with the good old pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, not the meth scare influenced replacement which has never worked as well.

Okay so I am on the right track then. Claritin D has that in it. Immensely frustrating to be dealing with this now when the weather is great. Feels like someone filled the left side of my head with wadding. Was testing my wife's bike in the drive after making adjustments and nearly went sideways for no reason so balance must be f45ked too. Doctor said she'd take a look on Tuesday if not better.

I have to get mine cleaned all the time

usual water blast works but if you are really hurting the ENT will actually scrape the ear out

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Originally Posted by andrew flowers

I have to get mine cleaned all the time

usual water blast works but if you are really hurting the ENT will actually scrape the ear out

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This is an inner ear infection. It is improving in terms of the pain and pressure, but I still can't hear out of that ear, so I have an Dr.'s appointment tomorrow morning.

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Originally Posted by j44ke

This is an inner ear infection.

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You know with certainty that it's not wax buildup? Because Debrox and a rubber ear bulb with warm water are really cheap compared to the ENT guy.

Went to the doctor yesterday. She's given me a regimen of neti pot and Nasocort followed by decongestant to try to unplug the eustachian tube on the left side of my head. Plus I am drinking a glass of water every hour. I am running a low grade fever pretty continuously (99F) so if no improvement by Friday, she'll send in a prescription for antibiotics and we'll try that. Don't really feel sick, just a bit low energy with wobbly balance. Actually thinking about an afternoon spin on the bike, but my wife is against it.

Can't recommend saline up the nose to clear out the sinuses enough, I do it every time it looks like a sinus infection is coming on.

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Neti pot is the saline thing. In one nostril and out the other. What I need is a way to shoot it through my ear.

For scuba diving I use combination of white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, witch hazel, and hydrogen peroxide.

The majority of the ingredients are white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.

I squirt it into my ear, let it sit for about 30 seconds and tilt my head to remove the liquid.

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Originally Posted by znfdl

For scuba diving I use combination of white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, witch hazel, and hydrogen peroxide.

The majority of the ingredients are white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.

I squirt it into my ear, let it sit for about 30 seconds and tilt my head to remove the liquid.

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This is an inner ear prep?

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Originally Posted by znfdl

For scuba diving I use combination of white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, witch hazel, and hydrogen peroxide.

The majority of the ingredients are white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.

I squirt it into my ear, let it sit for about 30 seconds and tilt my head to remove the liquid.

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Do tell. I can't dive because I can't equalize. The doc says "probably bad Eustachian tubes". Thanks doc.

Either my inner ear is full of fluid or the Eustachian tube is inflamed or collapsed as a result of issues associated with post-nasal congestion/sore throat, i.e. a cold. I've had sinus infections but this is not one. I figure I just have to wait it out and shouldn't have really posted anything here, but I fly to Italy on June 21 and would like this over and done with before then (I've flown with congested ENT before - not enjoyable.) So I was hoping (irrationally or in vain) that someone here had a magic wand.

http://www.westsidehn.com/wp-content...ian_tube.0.gif

I flew with this problem once. I was terrified that my head would explode. I didn't really have much of a choice... long story. But one of the pressure changes in the plane actually blew it open and it was one of the best feelings of relief I've ever experienced. Kind of like the first time you figure out how to hold your nose and try to blow out it to do the same thing... but that relief x1000.

The plane flight actually cleared it out and I was fine for the rest of that trip.

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Originally Posted by j44ke

This is an inner ear prep?

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Not an inner ear prep, as you could not get it past the ear drum.

So this morning my left eye is crusty and sticky. Hoping it is just a bad eyelash but probably pink eye. Fck. Something doesn't like the left side of my head.

Well whatever that was, it was weird. Sometimes in NYC I feel like a Petri dish. Or an astronaut of upper respiratory infections. My body seems to discover new and strange life forms on a weekly basis almost. At the apex, I couldn't hear out of my left ear, I was coughing up bloody crap from my sore throat, and my eyes were gluey and crusty. But whatever. As long as it isn't flesh eating I'll be okay.

I think I probably got it from some of our friends who have children at home. To someone without them, kids are nearly fatal.

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Originally Posted by j44ke

an astronaut of upper respiratory infections

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Had your vitamin D level checked? It worked for me, sample size: one.

So far AOK.

One thing that appears to clear out my ears is riding. Nothing like some forced air to clean out the vents I guess. So riding it is.