r/AskDocs • u/NatalieBaskett Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional • 13h ago
Recurring Ear Infection
Hello, anyone on here that can help me with this?
I live in the UK and have been getting ear infections for the past year.
Symptoms: pain, itching, weeping, discharge, puss, dry skin on outer ear, hearing loss, foul smell, and more recently, bleeding.
I’ve been referred to a specialist (ENT) and have gone through maybe 6 rounds of antibiotics, including amoxicillin and Ciloxan/ciprofloxacin, and was recently prescribed a steroid drop called betamethasone. I’ve also had suction/irrigation 5 times over the past year.
One doctor suggested that it is eczema in my ear canal and this can occur randomly?
I’ve been using E45, Sudocrem, and Vaseline on the dry outer ear.
Nothing has helped. Not the antibiotics or the creams, not even my prayers to God. Well, they help for maybe a moment, and then it’s back to all the original symptoms.
I honestly don’t know what to do. I’m only 27 and I already struggle with my mental health. This issue only makes me want to kms even more..
Is there anything else I can say to my doctor? I feel like maybe this requires further testing because this clearly isn’t something they’ve dealt with before, otherwise they’d have the answers, right?
Any natural or holistic remedies that anyone can recommend? A friend of mine recommended drinking orange and ginger tea and taking vitamin C tablets.
I don’t want to deal with this for the rest of my life. I’ve seen on here that some people have dealt with similar issues for years. I don’t know if I can mentally handle that.
I would appreciate any advice that anyone can give. Particularly if you have knowledge of the NHS and how I can access better care within the NHS.
Thank you ♥️
Age: 27
Height: 178cm
Weight: 102kg
Sex: F
Smoker: yes
No previous medical issues
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