<p>I thought I gave my D garlic oil to take with her- but she didn’t grab it & now has an ear infection. Anyone have any ideas what she can do to make herself feel better?
She is in Corcovado National park in Costa Rica w a study abroad program.</p>
<p>She’s gonna need anti biotics otherwise the infection will travel in your body making it a lot more dangerous.</p>
<p>Localorfarway - that’s not necessarily true. Many ear infections are viral, and thus antibiotics will do nothing to heal it.</p>
<p>I doubt it is viral, probably fungal, but possibly bacterial.
I also do not think she has good access to email let alone anything else.
I told her to try and use a vinegar/alcohol rinse but to get to a dr as soon as she can.</p>
<p>Wow! 4 views and 3 replies, your one lucky girl. When I made a thread, I had to wait two days for a response.</p>
<p>Anyways, viral infections don’t hurt much and will go away by itself, slower without medical. If it’s unbearable pain, the infection NEEDS to be treated by anti biotics. Btw, I’m only 15, planning to be a neurosurgeon, and have gotten ear infection 14 times this year since I swim.</p>
<p>Edit: 4 replies now, your luckier than I thought.</p>
<p>Ouch - so sorry! Does she have an idea of whether it’s an otitis externa (swimmer’s ear type of thing), or otitis media? This is what dh asked when I relayed the question. If it’s otitis externa, he says that changing the PH in the environment, possibly with a diluted vinegar solution on some sort of wick (cotton ball?) could be effective. If it’s otitis media, he says that antibiotics are probably going to be necessary. </p>
<p>One of my kids has had ear infections as a young adult and it’s been very painful. Is there anything your d has for pain relief, ek? Sleeping upright helps a bit at night, I remember.</p>
<p>Btw, I lasted 2 weeks after I got the infection but the pain gets much worse day after day. But that’s just me 
if you have contact with her, tell her to not stop doing anything she normally does, my doctor told me I can still swim with an ear infection! </p>
<p>Anyways, in the end it’s just pain, the infection might move causing pain in other areas. I don’t think it’s life or death. But it might distract her from work, which for some is like death :)</p>
<p>Edit: 6 replies within 20 min! They just keep comin’</p>
<p>I am hoping she has pain reliever, she didn’t go to a dr before hand ( because she knows everything :rolleyes: ) & wouldnt let me suggest stuff to bring, even if I had thought of it.
But I am hoping the prof might have something, since I don’t expect the ranger station is equipped to treat tourists. They also just had a huge hike yesterday, which might have lowered her resistance.</p>
<p>Pain reliever is fine. Putting olive oil in the ear helps too.</p>
<p>8 replies ftw!</p>
<p>And it’s not dangerous enough to worry about, so you can sleep tonight :p</p>
<p>emeraldkity, It sounds lke you already know that an ear infection is not “just pain”, but just in case-
This is actually a pretty good chart with some tips on how to treat, and the urgency needed for treatment. Hope it helps.
[Ear</a> Problems – familydoctor.org](<a href=“http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/507.html]Ear”>Symptom Checker - familydoctor.org)</p>
<p>Vines, ear infection IS just pain. No need to worry anyone.</p>
<p>I think she should speak to the people in charge of her study abroad program and find out how to get proper medical care for her ear infection. That’s one of their functions. They should know what to do.</p>
<p>Getting the infection looked at and treated is particularly urgent, in my opinion, if her program ends within the next few weeks and she will have to fly home at that time. Flying with an ear infection is a very bad idea.</p>
<p>That flow chart that vlines provided is great, but it doesn’t include a box that says “Must fly on an airplane before the symptoms are likely to have gone away on their own.”</p>
<p>No, ear infection is not “just pain”. Believing that could make you “just deaf”.</p>
<p>I have had ear infections 14 times, and my ear is just fine. Trust me, she can wait a few days or a week or two.</p>
<p>This threads popularity is amazing!</p>
<p>I have had ear infections that were so bad my eardrum broke & I now have hearing loss- it isn’t just pain-
I have also emailed her prof although I may try and call on the satellite phone # tomorrow if I don’t hear anything.
Since she has high pain tolerance, I am concerned that it already might be fairly bad.
It isn’t uncommon to get jungle ear in Costa Rica, one student on her sister’s high school trip had to stay behind until his ears healed because he couldn’t fly, but she has 2 & 1/2 more weeks till she is due to come home.
I never go to tropical places so I didn’t even think of this ( plus her dad was the one who took her to get her supplies- even though he is not as helpful as me!- I think that is why she had him take her. )</p>
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<p>Unless you ENJOY a ruptured eardrum! NOT! :eek:</p>
<p>Been there, done that. Not fun.</p>
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<p>It depends on the type of ear infection.</p>
<p>It also depends on whether you have to fly.</p>
<p>I remember watching one of the major movie awards shows (Oscars? Golden Globes? I can’t remember) a few years ago, and Johnny Depp, who lives in France, was nominated for an award. He wasn’t there because his doctor wouldn’t let him fly from France to California because he had an ear infection.</p>
<p>Forgot altitude is related to airplanes ^</p>
<p>My son had so many ear infections as baby/toddler he stopped showing symptoms because he was used to the pain too emeraldkity. I don’t know what jungle ear is, but does not sound like fun!! Glad she has time to get this under control. It looks like Costa Rica’s healthcare system is not terrible, so that is a good thing for her.</p>