Reocurring Ear Infections

Former Member

Does anyone get reocurring infections in their ears, particularly in one more then the other? If so what have you tried to solve the problem and how long have you been suffering from it?

My left ear is the one I always have problems with. Maybe twice a year I get something happening in there.

Former Member

i always get them in my right ear, really badly i havnt found a way to stop them. the doctor suggested hot olive oil but that just made me go def for a couple of days

Former Member

Mel-H wrote:

i always get them in my right ear, really badly i havnt found a way to stop them. the doctor suggested hot olive oil but that just made me go def for a couple of days

Any liquid put into the ear as far as I know is only effective of there is a hole there, like in a burst ear drum type thing, so I think if you want to fight off the infection and there2s no hole it`s got to be from the inside out

The doctor gave me something once but it said on the leaflet in rare cases the liquid could cause permanant deafness or blindness, it was actually for an eye infection but the leaflet said it could be used for ears as well, needless to say I didn`t use it and got something safer. The guy was a holiday cover doctor and he was looking well nervous when prescribing it inthe first place.

Former Member

Olive Oil is more to prevent compacted wax, which helps avoid resulting infections.

At some point you will need to ask your GP if you should really get a specialist opinion because you don't want to go on like this. Basically if you are given anti-biotics each time they will eventally stop working effectively.

Former Member

True to an extent. And an ENT opinion would be useful.

You shouldn't put anything hot in your ears! And you shouldn't put anything in if you have a perforated ear drum...

Former Member

I get this problem 2, i have had 3 ear infections already this year in my left ear and im fed up. The doctor didnt say much just asked if id been swimming which i hadnt. Anyway iv noticed tht if i dnt get much water in my ear like when im washing my hair and stuff then my ears are ok. Im going on holiday on friday and will be swimming alot so will have to be careful.
Iv tried the hot oil thing but it didnt really do anything.

Former Member

Man of Kent has beaten me to it. The hot olive oil addresses the problem with ear wax, and helps to remove it prior to syrringing. It's more of a problem to those who wearing hearing aids like myself, because the wax rarely gets the chance to discharge normally.

In 1991, my left ear had infection after infection. The ear drum never grew back because it was infected all the time. To knock the problem on the head, a bit of my face muscle was cut out to build a new "super" ear drum in place of the old one. After two weeks in face bandages, my face and ear healed up and it was all systems go. My ears were as good as each other and I haven't had any more infections in my left ear. My right ear got infected once in 2003, in fact a perforation too, but that cleared up normally and hasn't happened since.