Ear Infection or Acoustic Trauma? Please Help

Hi, I'm new here and would GREATLY appreciate any advice. I'm terrified.

Recently on the 23rd I suffered some acoustic trauma from ear buds at maximum volume. My right ear was exposed to the noise for 3 seconds and my left ear for 1 second. This caused my T to go from mild to moderate in volume. On the 27th I had pretty bad symptoms including ear fullness, fever like hotness (didn't take temperature), extreme ear sensitivity pain from sound, and muffled hearing. The next day I went to see a doctor and she told me I had a possible inner ear infection due to redness and swelling of the lymph nodes. She prescribed me Azithromycin (250mg 6 pack) and Methylprodisolone (4mg Dospak).

So I went home to look up the medications and discovered that the antibiotic Azithromycin causes ear damage. I started taking the steroid but I have not begun the antibiotic out of fear. I even went to the E.R. yesterday (29th) to get another opinion on the ear infection. The doctor there said my ears look perfectly fine and that my symptoms were more likely caused by the acoustic trauma rather than an infection. I really am not sure if I have an ear infection or not and I'm deathly afraid of taking anything that could make my T even worse...

Today is the 30th and I have felt some fluid moving around deep in my ears, along a small amount of drainage. As well as some increase in loudness of my T with new types of T that come and go, swelling my my right ear and swelling of my right lymph node on my neck that is slightly painful. The steroid seems to have taken care of the swelling in my left ear but not my right...

My question to you guys is: Do you think I have an ear infection or not? And if I do is it important for me to take antibiotics? I am unable to see an ENT for a few days and I feel as though the next choices I make can potentially destroy my life. Thanks for your help.

 

Since most members here are not doctors so it is not easy to give you a definitive answer. If you worry about the antibiotic you have been prescribed, perhaps go to the doctor again and ask for another recommendation of antibiotic which is not listing tinnitus as a side effect. Also you may get the ENT to give you a final say on whether you have indeed an infection. Also it is often said that when the ears are unstable, it may take some time for them to heal and be more stable to sound. There is no need to panic now as this may be a temporary condition. The most calm and relax you are, the less chance for T to get worse as it seems to feed on our negative emotions. Good luck. God bless.

 

@billie48 Thanks so much for the response. I think I'll wait on the antibiotics until I can get into the ENT. I'm just worried because by then, my window of opportunity for taking steroids and antibiotics together will be over. I read that you can only take the steroids every 3 months or so. Waking up today I felt better but quickly the problems in my right ear have returned as well as the right side of my neck getting tender\swollen, and the steroids are almost gone. I'm hoping it clears up so I don't have to take the antibiotics...

Thanks again
Jack

(Edit: forgot to mention I did have a decent amount drainage from my ears into my throat while propping my head up with pillows last night and this morning. I can tell my right ear still has some but it refuses to come out)

 

The connection between the ears and the throat is the Eustachian Tube. So try to ask the ENT to assess the condition of not just your ears but for sign of ETD too.

 

@billie48 Will do. Thanks.