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Sick - How Serious?
Charles Kinbote
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So I've been sick since about Friday. At first, it was just a scratchy throat, but it turned into a headache, general acheyness, and very painful swallowing. Made me a little tired and I kinda preferred to sit on the couch rather than do anything. Today, the swallowing got a little better, and the headache is starting to clear up, but I have a dull pain in my right ear - the kind that feels like I need to pop it, but I can't. What is going on here?
Normally I would just go to a doctor, but my mother is a stubborn homeopath and probably wouldn't take me to a doctor unless I needed a splint on something. So in addition to knowing what this is, I'd like to know - how long can I wait before saying "ok, enough fucking around, take me to a doctor"?
Normally I would just go to a doctor, but my mother is a stubborn homeopath and probably wouldn't take me to a doctor unless I needed a splint on something. So in addition to knowing what this is, I'd like to know - how long can I wait before saying "ok, enough fucking around, take me to a doctor"?
Charles Kinbote on
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It's possible - but rare - for that infection to spread to other, more vulnerable parts of the body and turn into, for example, meningitis.
Honestly, you should go see a doctor now. Homeopathy is bullshit and there's no reason not to see a doctor. But since mom isn't going to listen to reason, here's what I'd say: If you're not running a fever and your ear is just plugged, it's probably not all that serious. If the pain gets any worse, if the symptoms don't go away after 48 hours, if you start running a fever over 101 F, or if you start to show any other symptoms then you need to get to a doctor because you don't want to have long-term hearing loss or contract meningitis from this.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
People get ear infections all the time with no significant hearing loss. Your hearing might be affected for a few days, that's typical. As long as the pain isn't intense or stabbing and it doesn't last for more than a couple days, you're probably going to be fine. It's just that most infections - and this is no exception - are better treated earlier rather than later.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
The pain isn't intense - it's something more than a dull ache, but I wouldn't describe it as "stabbing". I just broached the issue with my mom, and she reacted about as aggressively as I expected. If there are any other warning signs to watch out for, those would be appreciated, but otherwise I guess I'll wait at least a day before pressing it further. How long do ear infections usually take to run their course?
If your mom is too vapid to let you go to the doctor, and if you can afford to pay out of pocket, I'd recommend you try to get a friend to take you or, in a pinch, call a cab. You're looking at a couple hundred bucks all told for the visit and scrip, though, if you don't have insurance cover it.
Did you have dull aches and then a sudden jab in your ear? That's what I had too.
this sounds like exactly what I have
and my birthday is in a week
Anyway, if it's viral, you don't have much to worry about aside from a week of misery, and anyway there isn't much a doctor can tell you. If it's not gone in a week, you really need to see a doctor. What you have doesn't sound life-threatening or anything, but if it seems like it's getting worse or it lasts much longer, prod your mother till she caves under your whining and makes you an appointment.
Originally, a lot of swallowing pain. Now, an achey ear and slight discomfort when I swallow.
This thread may be over, though. I used my phone-a-friend lifeline to call my dad*, and he came over, brought some Ibuprofen, grilled me a bit about the way I was feeling and went off to get me some non-drying decongestant. He said that as long as I used Ibuprofen to ride out the pain and decongestant to get my body circulating a bit faster, I might be better in two or three days. At the very least, I am waiting twenty-four to thirty-six hours before going in for any kind of medical treatment. The ibuprofen is helping a lot a lot, too...what was, a half an hour ago, crippling ear pain, is now a slight ache and a ringing noise (did have to take somewhat over the recommended dosage, though).
He also pretty much agreed with Thanatos's statement, adding that as much discomfort as I'm going through, in the long run I'm about as well off lying in bed and moaning as I am dragging my ass to a doctor.
*My dad is the ying to my mother's yang. He's an EMT and has worked as a ski patroller, and with that sparse medical training still knows more about anything at all than anyone else in my personal life. So far, I haven't had a medical problem that I haven't been able to have him treat (partly as a result of my luck, of course). I say this not only to brag about how awesome and rad my dad is, but also so that people don't think that everyone in my family subscribes to an absurd snake oil mentality - the dude plays it by the books, and has yet to fail me in this kinda stuff.