Ear infection?

warm I think

would make sense with what I know of treating other infections.

Warm dry compress.

I'd avoid a shower unless you've got a shower cap and ear plugs so you don't get any water in your ear.

Have you been swimming in any inland water bodies lately?

<where's hamburger? he's the font of ear infection wisdom from his years with mrs. hamburger and me>

Decongestants should help a bit in the early stages - less so as the infection develops (that's my experience with the buggers).

how does one make a dry warm compress? Oh, heating pad?

I swam over 2 weeks ago.

I'd try a heating pad on low - or a hot damp cloth wrapped in plastic and then inside a towel. You don't want to add any moisture to the area.

i found a microwavable herbal wrap thingie.

Are you running a fever? Any other aches or pains (that can't be attributed to your recent hiking event)?

no to both, mac...... actually, I'll take my temp.....

I had a sore throat all weekend. The temp is a hair above normal.

Oh, right, you thought you were coming down with a cold right before the hike, I forgot.

How much advil/tylenol have you had today?

none today, but I did have a regular dose of decongestant/cough medicine earlier. didn't do anthing at all.

be careful with HEAT ! you could have an infection that has formed a cyst, heat might burst it. if it pretty painful, i would try and get to a hospital emergency room or evening/night clinic.
any pharmacy you can get to ? pharmacists are often pretty good to give advice on temporary pain relief.
is it pain from pressure/allergy (sinus congestion kind) ? - if so, some VOSOL(check google for VOSOL) eardrops might work. vosol is essentially acetic acid = refined VINEGAR . hope you can get help quickly = tonight !!! it'll likely get worse when you try to lie down ! ACT NOW ! hbg

littlek : read your last post. since decongestant did not work, it's likely not caused by allergy(hayfever). so it's difficult to guess what it might be.
i'd be pretty careful ! hbg

Thanks Hamburger! It isn't painful, really, unless I turn a certain way (I think certain pressure inside my throat pushes the fluid against my ear drum.....maybe?). I'll be ok until tomorrow.... I think. If not, I'll go to the 24-hour cvs.

littlek : sounds like a problem i have (particularly in the fall - hayfever/allergy). my medication of choice to reduce swelling of membranes is TAVIST/CLEMASTINE (can't get it in canada any more and have to go to watertown/ny every few weeks to pick up a supply. i phoned the drug-company trying to find out why thay no longer sell it in canada. answer : WE DON'T SELL IT IN CANADA ANYMORE ! (?)).
hope you sleep well ! hbg

HB - I have no stuffiness in my nose - no itchy eyes..... <sigh> But, still, your guess is as good as mine

My ear just popped! A little teeny pop.

littlek might remember Tavist. At the Salem get-together I had to rush off to a pharmacy to get TAVIST !!!

It's on my NYC shopping list already.

~~~~~~~~~~

o.k. - Cleo's a dog - but when she had her ear infection in the spring - the routine was something to dry her ear, something to treat the infection, and keeping it warm and dry and away from drafts.

I suspect l'k won't want to wear a hood all night, but some gentle warmth might take the edge off of the discomfort.

I can sleep on that ear (unless that's a bad idea). Keeping it dry might be an issue, as I love my showers. I will dry my ear thoroughly (but gently!) with a qtip when I get out.

Does Cleo know she's a dog? I'm guessing not...