Ear infection - freaking miserable and in agony

[findingreason]

I managed to pick up what I'm 99% sure to be an ear infection at the end of last week. We're trying to get me into seeing someone right now....but that is not going well due to lack of freaking health insurance. I can't hear practically out of this ear at all (it's all muffled), and the pain is almost overwhelming. I haven't been able to sleep at all yet tonight, and last night I got a very crummy night's sleep.

I'm getting semi-constant jabbing/stabbing pains in my ear and around the sinuses, and it hurts like freaking hell, to the point of kneel over pain. I normally have high pain tolerance (I tore myself up a bit once crashing into concrete, this hurts more than that did), but this is freaking ridiculous.

I'm almost wanting at this time to have my eardrum rupture just so this horrid painful pressure and liquid will come out. We've already been doing other stuff for it....but nothing helps, or it's only temporary relief. Any suggestions? I hope to god I get into the doctor's today.

[thestory]

... have you tried using a mallet?

All joking aside I don't think there is much that can be done for ear infections. Best you can do is get that prescription for the antibiotics.
How much does it cost to go to a walk in clinic where you are?

[findingreason]

We have some free clinic around here....but they aren't really available right now they said for immediate appointments. I'm currently taking my mom's antibiotics that she used before for something else. I haven't noticed much change though....making me wonder if it is the wrong stuff, or if this is a viral infection.

[finewine]

We have some free clinic around here....but they aren't really available right now they said for immediate appointments. I'm currently taking my mom's antibiotics that she used before for something else. I haven't noticed much change though....making me wonder if it is the wrong stuff, or if this is a viral infection.

It depends on what antibiotics they are, whether they're still within their shelf-life and how long you've been on them.  As all antibiotics should be a "complete the course" regimen (assuming they were a prescribed course), it sounds like your mother didn't complete her course - which means you're taking an incomplete course too.

Of course, this assumes it's an infection at all.   You should see a doctor, please.

[Windrider]

Having an eardrum rupture from an ear infection is not fun. I had it happen and I am lucky that I am not deaf in that ear due to it. Even then I had tinitus for an entire year afterwards before it healed (and I'm lucky again that it healed.)

You could also have a sinus infection (I did at the time, that's what caused everything to back up into my ears in the first place.) So, I hope you can get into a doctor's office soon.

WR

[Miniar]

Sounds like an inner ear infection.
What you want to do is take hot showers, keep warm, wear a hat that covers your ears indoors even..
And if you can take it, hold your nose shut and blow air into your sinuses to make sure there's normal movement and that the pressure balances itself out. It'll speed up healing.

I can not remember what it's called, but there's some prescription-free medication I've taken in the past to manage my inner ear infections, and sinus infections (which I'm a touch prone to). You could pop down to a pharmacy and ask them if they have anything that's meant to help with that. Just make sure you read up on all the possible side-effects and stuff first.
Oh and if you start loosing your sense of balance,... GO TO A DOC!...

[findingreason]

Ok, I did see a doc today and it is an infection as I thought. It may not be a middle ear one though, but it is pretty bad the nurse said, and that no wonder it hurt so bad. I got antibiotics for it specifically, and pretty high strength. I've had more drainage today, but right now I'm also in extreme pain again. They said give the antibiotics 2 days to help begin making it better, but if it doesn't or it gets worse, to go to the ER. Hopefully that won't happen, and I sure hope these meds and other treatment stuff take care of this miserable problem , I'm getting very tired of the constant heavy pain and pressure for the past few days.