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Oh the pain...
14 years ago
Lately, my right ear started hurting and gotten worse last night. So I went to the hospital today and found out that I have External Ear Infection and TMJ Syndrome. Right now, my grandmother is going to pick up my medication and hopefully I will get better.
Fun, fun. @.@
So here's a tip for you to avoid getting what I have:
External Ear Infection
1. When you shower or getting out of the pool, make sure to use cue tips to wipe the inside of your ear, otherwise if left water stays in it will get infected. This same goes for shampooing your hair.
2. Cleaning too deeply in the ear canal with a cotton swab or other objects can also lead to an ear infection.
3. At home, do not try to clean the ear canal. That could push pus and bacteria deeper into the canal.
4. Use drops prescribed to reduce swelling and fight the infection. If an EAR WICK was placed in the ear canal, apply drops right into the end of the wick. The wick will draw the medicine into the ear canal even if it is swollen closed.
5. Do not allow water to get into your war when bathing. No swimming during this time.
6. A cotton ball may be loosely placed in the outer ear to absorb any drainage.
7. You can usually avoid this problem by using an ear drop that removes the water from your ear canal when you feel there is water trapped there. You can get these drops over the counter. (Swim Ear, Aqua Ear and other brands.)
TMJ Syndrome
1. This is a condition with chronic or recurrent pain in the joint of the jaw. The pain causes limited motion of the jaw, a locking or catching sensation, clicking, popping or grinding sounds from the joint with movement. It may also lead to headache, earache, or neck pain. It is sometimes caused by inflammation in the joint, injury or wear-and-tear of the cartilage in the joint, involuntary grinding of the teeth or poorly fitting dentures. Emotional stress and tension are often a factor. Most cases completely within a few months with proper treatment.
2. Rest the jaw by avoiding crunchy or hard foods to chew. Do not eat hard or sticky candies. Soft foods and liquids are easier on the jaw. Protect your jaw while yawning.
3. Hot packs applied to the jaw may give relief by reducing muscle spasm. You may use a heating pad or a towel soaked in hot water. Some people get relief with cold packs, so try both and see which one works best for you.
4. Unless another medicine was prescribed, you may take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or Aleve (naproxen) for the pain and/or inflammation. If you are not able to take these medicines, Tylenol may be used as a mild pain-reliever, although it is not an anti-inflammatory drug.
5. If you suspect emotional stress is related to your condition
a) Try to identify the sources of stress in your life. It may not be obvious! These may include:
*Daily hassles of life that piles up (traffic jams, missed appointments, car troubles)
*Major life changes, both good (new baby, job promotion) and bad (loss of job, loss of loved one)
*Overload: feeling that you have too many responsibilities and can't take care of everything at once.
*Helplessness: feeling like your problems are more than you can solve.'
b) When possible, do something about the source of your stress: avoid hassles, limit the amount of change that is happening in your life at one time and take a break when you feel overloaded.
c) Unfortunately, many stressful situations cannot be avoided. Therefor, its necessary to learn HOW TO MANAGE STRESS better. There are many proven methods that work and will reduce your anxiety. These includes simple things like exercise, good nutrition and adequate rest. Also, there are certain techniques that are helpful: relaxation and breathing exercises, visualization, biofeedback, meditation or simply taking some time-out to clear your mind. For more information about this, consult your doctor or go to a local bookstore and review the many books and tapes available on this subject.
Okay, I hope this help. Stay safe and healthy!
~ HopeTLioness
Fun, fun. @.@
So here's a tip for you to avoid getting what I have:
External Ear Infection
1. When you shower or getting out of the pool, make sure to use cue tips to wipe the inside of your ear, otherwise if left water stays in it will get infected. This same goes for shampooing your hair.
2. Cleaning too deeply in the ear canal with a cotton swab or other objects can also lead to an ear infection.
3. At home, do not try to clean the ear canal. That could push pus and bacteria deeper into the canal.
4. Use drops prescribed to reduce swelling and fight the infection. If an EAR WICK was placed in the ear canal, apply drops right into the end of the wick. The wick will draw the medicine into the ear canal even if it is swollen closed.
5. Do not allow water to get into your war when bathing. No swimming during this time.
6. A cotton ball may be loosely placed in the outer ear to absorb any drainage.
7. You can usually avoid this problem by using an ear drop that removes the water from your ear canal when you feel there is water trapped there. You can get these drops over the counter. (Swim Ear, Aqua Ear and other brands.)
TMJ Syndrome
1. This is a condition with chronic or recurrent pain in the joint of the jaw. The pain causes limited motion of the jaw, a locking or catching sensation, clicking, popping or grinding sounds from the joint with movement. It may also lead to headache, earache, or neck pain. It is sometimes caused by inflammation in the joint, injury or wear-and-tear of the cartilage in the joint, involuntary grinding of the teeth or poorly fitting dentures. Emotional stress and tension are often a factor. Most cases completely within a few months with proper treatment.
2. Rest the jaw by avoiding crunchy or hard foods to chew. Do not eat hard or sticky candies. Soft foods and liquids are easier on the jaw. Protect your jaw while yawning.
3. Hot packs applied to the jaw may give relief by reducing muscle spasm. You may use a heating pad or a towel soaked in hot water. Some people get relief with cold packs, so try both and see which one works best for you.
4. Unless another medicine was prescribed, you may take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or Aleve (naproxen) for the pain and/or inflammation. If you are not able to take these medicines, Tylenol may be used as a mild pain-reliever, although it is not an anti-inflammatory drug.
5. If you suspect emotional stress is related to your condition
a) Try to identify the sources of stress in your life. It may not be obvious! These may include:
*Daily hassles of life that piles up (traffic jams, missed appointments, car troubles)
*Major life changes, both good (new baby, job promotion) and bad (loss of job, loss of loved one)
*Overload: feeling that you have too many responsibilities and can't take care of everything at once.
*Helplessness: feeling like your problems are more than you can solve.'
b) When possible, do something about the source of your stress: avoid hassles, limit the amount of change that is happening in your life at one time and take a break when you feel overloaded.
c) Unfortunately, many stressful situations cannot be avoided. Therefor, its necessary to learn HOW TO MANAGE STRESS better. There are many proven methods that work and will reduce your anxiety. These includes simple things like exercise, good nutrition and adequate rest. Also, there are certain techniques that are helpful: relaxation and breathing exercises, visualization, biofeedback, meditation or simply taking some time-out to clear your mind. For more information about this, consult your doctor or go to a local bookstore and review the many books and tapes available on this subject.
Okay, I hope this help. Stay safe and healthy!
~ HopeTLioness
Also, I wouldn't doubt it if I had TMJ :( I have a lot of neck pain and I sometimes have headaches and my jaw clicks,pops, and cracks everytime I open my mouth. Also, I had an X-ray done at the dentist and in the picture it shows that in the same jaw. It looks like it's either out of place some, or I have worn down cartilage.