hi everyone,
I was misdiagnosed the first trip to ENT who fit me in their schedule and then with so much pain, dizziness, muffled hearing I went to my own ENT Aug 4th- who still insisted nothing wrong until I said well I woke up with wetness in my ear and she said OK let's take a closer look-- and then she said aha- I see it-- a fungus or in lamens terms swimmers ear. Apparently being one who washes her ears with a face cloth and then uses good ole q-tips at least 1 to 2 times a day-- created a perfect camp for fungus to grow. ENT put me on climitrazole drops 4 drops 4 x a day. This is otherwise known as a "monistat" for the ears.

ENT also vacuumed out my ear of some of the gray colored fungus on Aug 4th.

Still not 100% I asked why wasn't I 100% went back to see her Aug 11th, she said everything looked better and vacuumed out more pods of skin and now the matter was tan she said all looked very good-- when I asked her about the still pressure and slight off and on pain along with muffled hearing- she said I'm older now and that will take time but hearing will completely resolve.

Ok folks, I'm on day 14, since diagnosis- and been off the mitriazole drops since last Weds Aug 12th... and I'm still feeling the muffled hearing, and pressure in the ear with some intermittent discomfort.

and out of despair stuck a garlic clove in my ear last night- and slept with it-- because of things I read on the internet- don't worry I did not stick it far into the canal.

Any thoughts about when I might completely be able to hear fully again ? And why is this taking so long--- I feel that once I can hear 100% again the pressure will also be gone--

diagnosed with swimmers ear Aug 4th- ear vacuumed out by ENT. Placed on climitrazole drops for a day 4 x a day. Back to ENt Aug 11th- still not feeling 100%... muffled hearing still there- with some continued pressure and pain. ENT said- ear looks great- on the way to healing up-- vacuumed my ear out again-- this time color was tan.. first time fungus was gray.

Folks does anyone have advice as to when hearing is fully regained ? And pressure is completely gone along with any residual pain...

thank you all.

So you didn't learn to stop sticking washcloths and Q tips in your ears, and put garlic in too?
Please stop. Either you treat yourself or you trust the doctor and be patient.
Truthfully, you didn't need an ENT to diagnose fungus, and in fact I have found that often a specialist like that is bored with routine problems and might overlook what's wrong.
Follow up with your regular MD. A nurse can even use a squeeze syringe to gently swoosh out your ear several times and look at it.

Your ear doesn't stop at the eardrum. The eustachian tube continues down to the top back of the throat, where it drains mucous all day and night. It can get clogged. Try an antihistamine like Benedryl and call your regular doctor.

I put a Q tip in each ear about once a month, tops (just like everyone else who ignores the 'elbow in the ear' rule). Heck, vets clean out pet ears with them, and I clean my dog's ears with them.
I get a very tiny bit of grey out of one ear. Tiny tiny bit. I let my own immune system fight it.

One of my kids had it once and I remember the doctor said it could be up to 2 weeks before everything was back to normal. I think his was about a week maybe 10 days. You sound like you are progressing so stay with the doctor's orders until it is gone.

Hi there and thank you much.

They scheduled me for another hearing test today. I'm so fed up.. They said this will determine if there is water in the ear. This will be my Third hearing test. The first one Aug 4th- after many years of having great hearing tests- was deficit in my left ear- go figure!

I've been using q-tips forever and Never had an ear issue like this.

Just so you know the pain was so bad-- I couldn't sleep well. Pain, dizziness, off-balance-- everything was awful-- so I needed some medical help...

And when I go on the internet-- some folks say Wait- it will clear up- takes a few weeks-- Others say hearing should return once the infection resolves---

Thank you Oliver : -)