Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
I had an upper respiratory tract infection which is now resolved. It was in the acute phase. I had a very painful earache. I am fine now except for a blocked right ear with tinnitus (ringing) and muffled hearing. I can feel a crackling sensation in my outer ear. What can I do to unblock my ear and resolve the tinnitus and hearing problem? I am on Augmentin and Allegra.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
According to your symptoms, it looks like you had an acute otitis media. It is common to have a blocked ear after the infection is resolved. You need to do a pure tone audiometry with impedance audiometry to know about your middle ear status and to know about tinnitus. Since you have taken antibiotics, I suggest you can just have antihistamines like Levocetirizine and decongestant nasal drops like Otrivin (Xylometazoline) along with steam inhalation for a week. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her and take the medicines with their consent.
Patient's Query
Thank you doctor,
Will nasal drops help to clear my ear? Are there any other ear drops that I can take?
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Mostly after an infection, the problem will be in your middle ear for which ear drops will be of not much use unless you have wax covering your ear. Otrivin (Xylometazoline) through the nose can help to open up the eustachian tube through which the secretions in your middle ear can get cleared. I suggesy you use Otocin O (Lidocaine, Clotrimazole, Beclometasone, Ofloxacin) ear drops. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her, and take medicines with their consent. You will need to do a pure tone audiometry and an impedance audiometry if the symptoms persist.
Patient's Query
Thank you doctor,
It was really helpful.
Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
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