Author Topic: Medical Advice Thread, Featuring Ears! (Read 6341 times)

DQ12 · « **on:** July 28, 2013, 10:02:47 PM »

First topic: Ears

I've had bronchitis for upwards of a month now. It started out pretty awful. I was coughing a ton at the outset, and had a fever of about 101 on July 5th. The fever only lasted one night. At this point, it's minor coughing and just some mucusy gunk in my chest. WebMD says bronchitis can last up to 4 weeks, so I assume the coughing should stop any day now. From what I've gathered from researching on the internet and from my nurse practitioner sister/roommate, you pretty much just have to outlast bronchitis, so a visit to a doctor seems a little unnecessary - I haven't been missing work and the cough is more of an annoyance than anything else (really only cough maybe once ever hour or two). I've been drinking a lot of fluids.

But the odd thing is, my left ear has been "clogged" for about the last two weeks or so. It's a bit like the pressure that you get when you descend on an airplane, except there's no pain at all, only the cloggy feeling. I am having a hard time hearing out of my left ear. Sinus-wise, i feel okay. My nose hasn't been very runny at all.

So my question is, do any of you goEMAW'rs/ENT Specialists know of any connection between bronchitis and whatever is going on in my left ear? I've put alcohol and stuff in it, but to no avail. Can I expect this nonsense in my ear to go by the wayside when I get over my bronchitis (which I assume will be this week) or am I going deaf in my left ear?

Should I see if this thing will just work out itself? Should I seek antibiotics or should I stick with nasal spray?

p1k3 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 28, 2013, 10:05:54 PM »

Sounds like a Q for an ENT specialist.

DQ12 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 28, 2013, 10:07:02 PM »

Quote from: p1k3 on July 28, 2013, 10:05:54 PM

Sounds like a Q for an ENT specialist.

eastcat · « **Reply #3 on:** July 28, 2013, 10:08:26 PM »

Sounds like a bacterial infection. Go to doctor, will probes give you antibiotics. If it is an inner ear infection or a sinus infection, alcohol won't clear it up. You shouldn't be putting alcohol in your ear anyways.

star seed 7 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 28, 2013, 10:15:01 PM »

Had that bronchitis crap a few years ago. Stayed home from work for a week, finally went to minor med and got a z-pack and some lean, stayed home from work for another week and still had intermittent coughing fits for like 6 weeks after that. It was pretty unelite, and my teeth hurt like crazy from coughing all the time.

Didn't have any ear problems tho, sorry d.

nicname · « **Reply #5 on:** July 28, 2013, 10:17:56 PM »

DQ12 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 28, 2013, 10:19:06 PM »

I'm basically going to wait until some heroic ENT specialist arrives in this thread.

Cire · « **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2013, 10:26:11 PM »

you are super lucky you don't have an ear infection

puniraptor · « **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2013, 10:27:28 PM »

Go burn it out in the sauna. That's how I cure any physical, mental, or spiritual affliction that may be ailing me.

Trim · « **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2013, 10:44:49 PM »

I had bronchitis last month. That's why I was coughing non-stop during FattyFest. I tried outlasting it without going to the doctor and finally gave up. Go to the doctor asap. He'll give you some meds you'll take for 5 days, but they keep working for another 5 days and then you'll be in good shape.

The Tonya Harding of Twitter Users Creep · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2013, 11:16:50 PM »

Pretty sure it's strep throat, bro.

WillieWatanabe · « **Reply #11 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:05:58 AM »

roommate had that. Turns out he had an ear infection even though there wasn't pain. See a doc bro.

steve dave · « **Reply #12 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:18:00 AM »

dlew, decongestants. the ones you have to get from behind the counter and put your information in the system to make sure you aren't a meth producer or whatever. they will unclog that ear. don't fall for the decongestants you can get off the shelf because they suck.

source: I have a VERY close friend who is an ear doctor

steve dave · « **Reply #13 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:18:24 AM »

they are also the answer if you have ear problems while flying

pissclams · « **Reply #14 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:22:10 AM »

man i have ear probs when flying. they won't pop. gets so bad then finally i hear this weird squeeky noise and then they finally pop. phew.

steve dave · « **Reply #15 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:23:34 AM »

Quote from: pissclams on July 29, 2013, 08:22:10 AM

man i have ear probs when flying. they won't pop. gets so bad then finally i hear this weird squeeky noise and then they finally pop. phew.

hate that. do the decongestants and afrin nose spray before taking off.

puniraptor · « **Reply #16 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:25:25 AM »

also neti pot. dead serious.

make sure to use sterilized water.

pissclams · « **Reply #17 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:26:39 AM »

not sure how the decons + afrin will effect my prerequisite scotch/xanax combo but will try.

The Tonya Harding of Twitter Users Creep · « **Reply #18 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:50:09 AM »

Quote from: pissclams on July 29, 2013, 08:26:39 AM

not sure how the decons + afrin will effect my prerequisite scotch/xanax combo but will try.

add marijuana to the mix. marijuana is actually a very potent substance that will allow you to mix any drug with any other drug and youll be fine.

source: my wife is a doctor

Dr Rick Daris · « **Reply #19 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:52:07 AM »

you have eustachian tube dysfunction with either negative middle ear pressure in the middle part of your left ear or possibly even an effusion (fluid) if hearing is down a lot. It is not uncommon at all to have negative MEP or even fluid w/out infection. putting things in your outer ear will not help. google "valsalva maneuver" then do that ten times a day or so. also decongestants like sd said won't hurt. you want to force air up into your middle ear and hopefully over time equalize pressure. it more than likely will. you are not going deaf or anything bad. give it time. could take a couple of months but probably won't.

SkinnyBenny · « **Reply #20 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:52:15 AM »

Man oh man, wait till Dr. Spaceman gets a hold of this thread.

puniraptor · « **Reply #21 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:56:32 AM »

aren't you worried about blowing anything important up with all that valsalvaing?

DQ12 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 29, 2013, 09:07:04 AM »

Quote from: rick daris on July 29, 2013, 08:52:07 AM

you have eustachian tube disfunction with either negative middle ear pressure in the middle part of your left ear or possibly even an effusion (fluid) if hearing is down a lot. It is not uncommon at all to have negative MEP or even fluid w/out infection. putting things in your outer ear will not help. google "valsalva maneuver" then do that ten times a day or so. also decongestants like sd said won't hurt. you want to force air up into your middle ear and hopefully over time equalize pressure. it more than likely will. you are not going deaf or anything bad. give it time. could take a couple of months but probably won't.

Wow! I can't believe I got such an accurate answer from a poster on gE.c! What are the odds!

I just did the valsalva maneuver and i think i'm better now. Still some pressure "bubbling" around up there, but a few more times and I should be in good shape. FWIW, i woke up this morning and there's not gunk in my chest anymore. I'm a bit exhausted and I'll probably hold off on exercising for a few more days, but wow!

Thanks, Rick Daris and thanks goEMAW.com.

The Tonya Harding of Twitter Users Creep · « **Reply #23 on:** July 29, 2013, 09:13:36 AM »

i still think its strep. go see a real doctor, not some goob on goEMAW.com who thinks he knows this crap cuz he read about it on the internet.

DQ12 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 29, 2013, 09:15:48 AM »

Quote from: The Tonya Harding of Twitter Users Creep on July 29, 2013, 09:13:36 AM

i still think its strep. go see a real doctor, not some goob on goEMAW.com who thinks he knows this crap cuz he read about it on the internet.

hey fyi i dropped your check (combined with what DoomCatz owes you) in the mail today. sorry it took so long, but i think i've had strep or something for a while. anyways i'm better now so go cats.