Ear Infections

[Miaow]

Just wondering how long it takes for the pain from ear infections to clear up?

EJ went to the doc on Monday with a sore left ear and is on antibiotics and panadol if needed for the pain. Wednesday her right ear started to get sore also (pawing at it and crying ) so I went to the doc on Thursday who said just keep on taking the antiobitics etc. Today the right ear especially is still hurting her alot.

I dont want to keep giving her panadol constantly for them but am giving it to her if/when they are starting to appear really painful again.

Just wondering if its usually this long for the pain to ease up?

Also is it possible that teething could be making this worse as her top gum is really lumpy and shes showing all the signs of teething currently

Thanks

[xkwzit]

Hi Cathyn

AB should be working 24 - 48 hours after you first start them. I guess that it night take just a little bit longer than that for the pain to reduce. So if you're still having problems now, a good 4 days later, I would say another trip to the doc might be in order, as maybe those particular AB aren't working on her bugs and she needs another kind.

It could also be teething though...but a trip to the doc would confirm whether it was her ears still. Our doc always says if they aren't better within 2 days, to bring them back. My girls don't always get temps either with their sore ears, so that's not always a good indication.

Cheers

[melfunction]

K had middle ear infections just recently and it took about 3-4 days before I noticed he wasn't grabbing at his ears and screaming.

I gave him panadol and nurofen as needed. I hated seeing him in pain.

[Miaow]

I hate seeing her in pain also :( The pain has eased as in doesnt appear to be as constant as on monday but its obviously still there

Looks like another trip to the doc for her...

Just wondering also which is better for ear pain panadol or nurofen?

[Shazbutt]

Hey Cathy, sorry to hear poor EJ is still in pain....not good. :(

I used Nurofen when Charlee had her infection, and i find it works better for teeth too? I haven't really used Panadol for anything after trying the Nurofen. Every kids different though, so you can only try and see how you go. Hope she gets better real soon. :fingerscrossed:

[webangel]

Hi,

Ds recently had ALOT of ear infections... for about 6 mths actually. He had ear infection one week, tonsilitis the next, ears again the next. That whole time it was hard to work out if and when his ears were bad and painful.

I used so much panadol and nurofen in that time! I hated doing it but he was in so much pain. One thing... does your child have a fever with it? My son did... and sometimes the fever lasted 4 days even with antibiotics and painkillers... so the pain must have been there too.

He's 3.5 now and has had grommets inserted a couple months ago... so I can't comment on teething.

As you mentioned yourself... the infection can start in one ear and when you think it's getting better, the other ear still gets a bit worse before all gets better. It could also be possible that although the infection clears up, fluid remains in the ear which causes hearing issues and pressure (which might cause pain?). When my sons ears weren't infected, they were still full of fluid as it wouldn't drain.:(

My son had (several lots of each) amoxyl, emycin and bactrim (sp?) in that 6 mths... and though a specialist said he needed them for 10 days EVERY time... I doubted that they were doing anything for him.:confused:

Hope your child gets better soon! :)

[Miaow]

Thanks for the replies everyone:)

She hasnt had a fever as such though her temps been slightly higher than usual for her (but under 37) sometimes she screams and goes for ears the next time goes for her mouth which is why i was wondering if the teething is making it worse...

Will have to look around for a doc open tomorrow in the area unless her ears fix up soon...

[Miaow]

Yeah she woke up this morning and has been heaps better hardly going for her ears at all :smiliedance: - its all mouth pain it seems now from the teething which bonjella is helping with

Actually got a heap of smiles from her this morning the first really in a few days

[rynosmum]

My DS also had ear infections for about 5 months or so..and spiked extremely high temps and pain for the first few days. Like Webangel, he had every single antibiotic I can think of but it kept coming back.

One point to consider though, sometimes Drs put him on antibiotics just because he had residual fluid in his ears. When we finally got to the ENT specialist, he showed how some fluid actually remains in the ear canal for up to 6 months after onset of ear infection. It takes this long sometimes for it to dissapate, not necessarily causing any further issue.

Made me learn a lesson not to be too quick to accept antibiotics without understanding the underlying issue. :thumbsup: