Ear, Nose & Throat Community

Don't worry about typos, Judy....I do it myself all of the time.

Yes, it is possible that a forceful lavage could have ruptured your eardrum. Not knowing the skills of this person doing the washing (I do my own!), I would need to examine you to know what caused so much pain, but clearly, this is not normal (as you well know). The eardrum is exquisitely tender, so if the point that syringe hit or went through your eardrum, that could certainly account for ear pain that wasn't there before the procedure!

An ENT is more likely to use suction, than instruments in your ear. Most primary care offices do not have the proper ear suction equipment, but ENTs so. This should not be painful. The ENT also has some awesome instruments for magnification that can see damage that a normal exam may miss. I understand your reluctance, but I do vote for the ENT at this point.

Your Dad was right about Q-tips and putting things in your ear. This is not something you should attempt at home. If your eardrum is ruptured, you do not want water in your ear either at this point.

Ruptured eardrum heal relatively fast, so by the time you see the ENT, you could be better (or not), but it is best that you try and be examined as soon as you can.

Let me know what happens....

Thank you so much for your quick response and for being such a sweetheart! I will definitely let you know what happens. BTW~ Ya' had me at "Da, da,da,da,da,da,da, da,da WAXMAN!" (And the preceding info made me know that you KNOW what you're talking about!) Have a great weekend and GOD bless you!

Thank you....I like the Judy...Judy...Judy. Is this a reference to Cary Grant or Goober from Mayberry?

I will wait to hear what happens....

LOL! All my life I've thought that "Judy, Judy, Judy" was a Cary Grant quote only to be told he never really said it! Oh, now I have had people swear they heard him say it themselves in a movie, but could never tell me the name of the movie. So alas, I am still stumped on the subject So if you know, please tell me

ENT appointment went as smoothly as you said it would~pain-free! I only wish he'd had some kind of camera and monitor so I could see.

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) I also shared with him the trouble I've been having with swallowing solid food. Seems when I'm done masticating and push my food back toward the back of my throat, it's almost like my "swallow reflex" freezes, the food is left teetering and I'm forced to spit the food back up. I know, gross, huh? It has happened often enough during a meal that I have stopped eating, NOT like me

Anyway, he looked down the back of my nose with a skinny little camera and saw nothing abnormal, but wanted me to have barium swallow test (can't remember the name.) I did so and was told by the radiologist that it looked like I had a small, sliding hiatal hernia, but that he still needed to review his findings and he'd have the results back to the Dr. within the hour...

Well, got a phone call from ENT nurse who told me that radiologist found that my esophogus was diverted and that it could be the result of an enlarged thyroid They want me to go have an ultrasound...GOD willing, this is nothing to worry about and/or is something that is easily remedied. I have 4 children, 1 adult and 3 that are 7 years and younger...

We are shooting for an appointment on Monday.

BTW~I think I had mentioned that I had been on a couple of rounds of predisone and a couple of rounds of antibiotics(consecutively) and had some accompanying indigestion/acid reflux. Before the barium test, ENT thought this could have been the cause of my swallowing difficulties and suggested I stay on the Prilosec...

Goober from Mayberry also said it? Funny, will have to look that one up, too Happy Tuesday!

Thank you for the update. I certainly hope that your doctors can get to the bottom of these newly-discovered issues with your thyroid and your swallowing.

I have been a fan of Andy Griffth since he came on the tube. The "Judy...Judy...Judy" episode was when Gomer Pyle introduced his cousin, Goober. He said he as famous for his celebrity voices, and yes, that was Cary Grant saying "Judy..Judy...Judy" very face. I can't say that I ever say the Grant movie that had this in, either, but most definitely, it was said by Goober (George Lindsey) who recently passed away.