[hugostrange22]

I've generally cleaned my ears a little rough with a tissue for the most part. The other day my right ear started getting really sore, I couldn't fully hear from it for like 3 days and it had small to sometimes sharp pain. Anyway it stopped hurting after 3 or 4 days.

After that my left ear started to hurt. It became the same as the other one (I might have spread the infection by messing with my right ear and transferring it to the left?)

So the left ear is hurting and I have only partial hearing. It's sort of like I can hear 80% out of it, but my own voice is muffled really badly. It started to have clear discharge and it would come out pretty easy if I pressed on the back of my ear a little. I started draining it a few times a day because I couldn't hear well with all that fluid in my ear. The clear liquid smelled pretty bad, and I figured it was just an infection.

So fast forward, its been like 2 weeks now... and this morning I wake up, my ear completely full of clear liquid like normal. I drained it to where I could hear and then smelled this morning's liquid... and it smells 1000 times worse than the old one... I can't even describe how discussing it smells now. It still looks clear and nothing looks different about it.

I'm wondering what the hell is going on? Should I keep draining it or leave my ear water logged?

I don't have much money for a doctor... I don't know much about Cerebrospinal fluid or spine fluid leaks, do they smell bad? I don't know what to do...

Thanks for your time.

(I read somewhere that these leaks can occor more often in people with high blood pressure, because mine is usually high without my meds. But maybe I'm just getting worked up for nothing)

[joypulv]

Spinal fluid? No.
If you have meds for HBP, then you surely see a doctor. Go have your ears checked for infection. Infections smell!
Your ears produce mucus, the same kind of mucus your nose and sinuses produce. When you don't have a viral or bacterial infection, the mucus produced by any of those areas is clear and thin. Ear mucus generally drains without our knowledge down the eustacian tubes to the back of the throat. You may have a blockage or collapse of the tubes.
I say 'may.' Nothing is certain online of course.

I just found this, something I didn't know about. It does involve a smelly discharge, but is more rare.
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/cholesteatoma-leaflet

[smoothy]

When the options are give up something in order to afford a doctors visit... or end up deaf. I'd give up a LOT of stuff or find a second job if losing my hearing was the alternative.

Self diagnosis is the wrong way to go. Medical professionals rarely self diagnose or self treat.

[J_9]

Losing hearing is the least of his problems if CSF is leaking.

Most likely that is not the case. Time for a visit to the doctor though.

[hugostrange22]

Losing hearing is the least of his problems if CSF is leaking.

Most likely that is not the case. Time for a visit to the doctor though.

I talked to a retired nurse, she said CSF has no smell. So thank god. But I'm still not out of trouble.