Gone Deaf In One Ear

[sherrardk]

As above, I haven't got/had a cold, my ear doesn't hurt but I can't hear a flipping thing through one of my ears. It's not the end of the world, but my hearing is usually really good and I am having to concentrate so much to hear what I normally would that it is giving me a headache. Don't really want to bother the doctor (not ginormously keen on going to the doctors), anyone got any ideas? Thanks.

[lcg]

as squad....see your dr, but i bet it is wax too. olive oil in ear for 1 week and then see the nurse for syringing. get both ears done at the same time.....you will be a new woman after - it worked incredibly well for me and i didn't realise how deaf i was getting! good luck, sher x

[EvianBaby]

Just to add, there is no point in trying to warm olive oil. It makes no difference to effectiveness and you're more likely to just end up burning your ear.

Also, if you're putting some cotton wool in the ear then soak that in oil first too so it doesn't absorb what you've just put in your ear.

[ethandron]

Sher, I am suffering from something very similar at the moment. I saw an out of hours doctor two weeks ago who said it was an ear infection and prescribed some antibiotic drops. A week later it was no better, saw my own gp who said it was now a chronic ear infection, took a swab and changed the ear drops. I am waiting for the results of the swab to see if it's the right antibiotic. The gp also told me I may need a hospital appointment with the specialist nurse to have the ear washed out properly as there's a lot of discharge inside.
I've had little or no earache and no noticeable discharge on the outside, just a sudden totally blocked ear.