Anybody flown wth an ear infection?

[penlanspice]

Has anybody flown with an ear infection?
I woke up last night with a really bad ear, I went to an emergancy doctor, who says it should be much better by thursday(the day we fly).
So what I want to know, if it's not gone, what can i expect??
Anybody experienced the same problem?

Thanks
Sam(with a bad ear)

 

[gilld]

If the infection is still rife, you may well experience severe pain and risk perforating your eardrum - not a good idea unnecessarily. However, with a bit of luck and assuming you have been prescribed antibiotics, then it should be settling. Most importantly DO NOT SMOKE!
Hope it works out for you.

 

[juliebro]

Yes - very painful indeed. I hope it clears up quickly for you. You should be over the worst by then.

Julie

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

OUCH hopefully it will be cleared up for,by then.
Antibiotics,should have it cleared up in days.

 

[CarolynU]

Yes I had an ear infection which sprang up literally the day I was due to fly home from Barcelona, and I was flying to Florida 6 days later. A hospital in Barcelona advised me that the ear drum could perforate, and like a previous poster I had anti-biotics, and they also advised taking Ibuprofen. This upsets my stomach so they also gave me an anti nausea injection. During the flight my ears blocked completely, and I was totally deaf upon landing. This lasted for about 2 days. In preparation for my next flight I bought something called ear planes,which are available from chemists. You insert them into the ear prior to take off and landing, and I believe that these did help.
Good Luck.
Carolyn

 

[AGlossop]

IMO earplanes have little or no effect for this type of problem.

I suggest that you get the best "cold-flu" tablets you can. The type that dries you up, when you have a cold-flu. It helps to reduce the amount of fluid, which is what causes the blockage. Also take plenty of pain killers. The pain will be quite intense, and can drive you mad otherwise

I fly a lot, and almost always get blocked ears from the flight. Then have to spend a week with fluid in my ears, and decreased hearing. So I know what you'll go through.Not fun, but survivable.

 

[2 Point]

Our daughter was given a novel treatment by the attendants on Icelandair yesterday.

Two drinking cups, wet towel in the bottom of the cups with a little hot water. The cups were to be held over her ears during decent. It seemed to do the trick, the physics are they somewhere, equilaising pressure via cooling/condensing or somesuch magic.

Worth asking the crew if they have heard of this.