Two weeks of middle ear infection

Not fun.

In my many Googlings, I learned how to spell "Eustachian" reliably.  There are plenty of helpful web sites:

The primary function of the Eustachian tube is to ventilate the middle ear space, ensuring that its pressure remains at near normal ambient pressure.

And when it's not "functioning," but is instead clogged for ten days with the carnage of an amoxicillin battleground?

As Eustachian tube function worsens, air pressure in the middle ear falls, and the ear feels full and sounds are perceived as muffled.  

I couldn't have said it better myself.  But what about that ringing sound?         

Patients may experience Tinnitis...

And what's that?

It is usually described as a ringing noise, but in some patients it takes the form of a high pitched whining, buzzing, hissing, humming, or whistling sound.

Or:  imagine there's a jumbo-sized invisible metal trashcan over your head.   Everything you say, and eventually, everything you even think, first echoes off the trashcan.  I tried saying, "I'm sorry, but everything I say reechoes in my ear, and everything you say over a particular frequency I hear twice, once when the sound reaches my eardrum and a second time after it echoes off the pool of fluid in my ear." This didn't really help the situation.

DOCTOR NOTE A:  The eardrum is bright red and the area behind it completely filled with fluid and pus.

Yummy. 

         DOCTOR NOTE B: Prescribed Amoxicillin & Vicodin.  Worst ear infection I've seen in an adult.

Hmmm, maybe I could enter my ear infection in the State Fair?

It's mostly better now, but still bubbly.

Comments

[Dan Hoey]

Good to hear it's better. I hope the tinnitus has gone away--that sounds awful. I think tinnitus caused by infection is acute, but there's a chronic form, caused (I think) by hearing loss. Chronic as in permanent--people say it's maddening.

[Thane Plambeck]

Yes, I can't imagine having that ringing sound going on indefinitely. Maddening would be the right word.

I'm not hearing it anymore, thank God

[Dan Hoey]

He would have been a good man if it had been somebody there to give him an MRI every minute of his life.

[Dan Hoey]

Thane, just in case I communicated a sentiment opposite to what I feel, I want you to know I'm really glad you're better. And the O'Connor paraphrase isn't about you, but about the situation that you are not in.

Dan