Intense Discomfort in Ear and Jaw
As a 17-year-old female, I recently attempted to clean my ears on Tuesday following recommendations from healthcare providers. I began with water, but it wasn’t effective; one of my ears seemed to retain the liquid rather than expelling it. Frustrated, I resorted to using Q-Tips, which only resulted in immediate pain, compelling me to stop that technique. Even after I managed to dry out most of the water, my hearing was muffled, and I experienced significant dizziness that made me feel faint and nauseous. I tried resting, but that didn’t alleviate my symptoms.
I initially thought I could sleep off the issue, but by Wednesday morning, my hearing had worsened. I attempted various remedies to alleviate the sensation of fullness in my ears—such as jaw movements, chewing, and tugging on my earlobes—but none proved effective. Pulling my ears slightly apart offered a tiny bit of relief, enabling me to perceive the silence a bit more clearly, unlike the sensation of being underwater, but I still couldn’t hear properly. That evening, the discomfort escalated to a throbbing and stinging intensity that demanded my full attention. Though I routinely deal with chronic pain and migraines, this episode was particularly excruciating.
On Thursday, the hearing loss persisted, and I could tell that there’s no residual fluid left in my ears. The pain intensified, accompanied by a sensation akin to wearing headphones for an extended period. Actions like yawning, chewing, or speaking exacerbated the discomfort. At this point, I’m essentially deaf, and the pain has begun to radiate to my cheekbone, teeth, jaw, and even one side of my neck. I’m contemplating scheduling a visit with a healthcare professional, but considering my past experiences with local doctors, I want to ensure that this condition is serious enough to warrant a consultation rather than something I can resolve at home. My attempts at treatment have been exhaustive, and I am starting to feel anxious about the possibility of irreversible damage.
My primary hypothesis is that I may have inadvertently injured my eardrum, or perhaps another part of my ear has become infected due to irritation, or it’s possible that I pushed earwax too deep. Regardless, I hope to rectify this issue swiftly before it escalates further, particularly as I prepare to return to school and being unable to hear effectively would pose a major challenge.
Multiple SclerosisLupusInternal Medicine