GretaM
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 40917
posted
7 years ago I got a very bad fungal infection in my ear. Aspergillus Niger.
It ate away the flesh in my ear canal, fortunately not damaging my ear drum.
The doc would scrape out the spores and black hair like fibers, pus and tissue from my ear every day and flush my ear out, and then I applied a fungal ear drop four times daily.
For the last 3 years, the flesh oozes smelly secretions about 15 days per month.
It itches and burns and when I scratch it, bits of skin peel off.
I was hoping it was staph, and the ceftriaxone would get rid of it.
No luck, it is back to oozing today.
Because of all the abx I have been on, I am assuming it is fungus.
I have seen an ND for it. Regular docs. A dermo.
Funny how not one has every taken a swab to see what grows..
Anyways, the only thing that helps it is Tea Tree Oil. But I have to apply it 4 times a day, and it only gives temporary relief.
Thanks
Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
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Kudzuslipper
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31915
posted
Hi Greta, don't take this the wrong way... I often get tips on what to do for me from what I find for my dogs. not saying you should use this product (as it is for dogs) but maybe the ingredients will give you some ideas.
This has completely turned my dog's yeasty, bacterialy, ears around. it used to be chronic it is now non-existant. I now only use it on him every 2 weeks or so. I'm guessing it is the genetian violet or the colloidal silver.
BTW, good thing you didn't go back and find hunky cop today!
Posts: 1728 | From USA | Registered: May 2011
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posted
You must force your doctor to take a culture. In fact I would change doctors. Doctors who treat without cultures in this day and age should be shot to make sure they dont practice anymore... but just my opinion.... after watching them make such serious blunders throughout my nursing career and jeopardizing the health and welfare of their patients.. He is an idiot.
The gentian violet formula works. I have used it quite successfully on my dog. Make sure your ear drum is intact before using. Frankly I dont know why the alcohol is needed. Gentian violet is an old remedy that works on its own. Ditto for Boric acid.The formula I used had no colloidal silver in it.
and if you have fungus in your ears you probably have it in your blood. Only a dark field live blood analsys will tell. It will hold you up from curing your lyme
Posts: 803 | From USA | Registered: Oct 2013
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GretaM
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 40917
posted
That is great! Thanks for the suggestion about those ears drops and gentian.
Yes, good thing the hunky cop wasn't there. Haha!
Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
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You can also use that advanced search for the name of any particular drop or treatment. A search for: ototoxic "Gentian Violet" brought up several importand links.
The caution about being sure eardrum is not perforated is very important, of course, but that can be very hard to determine. With oozing, it very well could be that your ear drum tissue is compromised.
And some drops that are thought to be only ototoxic only if they get on the other side of the ear drum may be so even with an intact ear drum.
Before you put anything in your ears, start with the basic cross searches. Just two links that will also give you some basics:
Ototoxicity From Ear Drops - by Timothy C. Hain, MD - modified Dec. 2012
. . . An antifungal, Gentian violet has the potential for severe damage . . . -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- In addition to a culture being done (and they need to really think out of the ordinary "box" on this)
and since the other doctors you have seen have not helped, be sure to ask your LLMD for suggestions on how to proceed, who to see.
A LL ND might also have some excellent advice. Not just any ND but one who has more education under their belt such as a LL ND. If one can't help, another might.
A culture would need a clean test, though, no drops. Please push for that to be done. I think it's critical.
See if there in an "inner ear support" group in your area and compare notes with members for what doctors may be of the best help.
Some links here may also be of help. You can contact ear experts who may have books / sites and maybe email or even call their office manager to see if they can give you any leads on how to get the care you need. Many know of ear specialists all over the continent, through their organizations, etc.
Recrudescent cryptococcosis, caused by Cryptococcus gattii (molecular type VGII), over a 13-year period in a Birman cat.
New South Wales, Australia.
A 17-year-old desexed male Birman cat presented with a fleshy mass protruding from the left ear canal.
A culture from the mass revealed a heavy growth of Cryptococcus gattii (molecular type VGII, serotype B). The lesion resolved with antifungal therapy over 8 weeks. Itraconazole was continued indefinitely due to persistent high serum cryptococcal antigen titres.
The cat was euthanased 12 months later due to the acute development of hindlimb ataxia and collapse which may or may not have been attributable to cryptococcosis.
This cat had first presented when 4 years of age with a 3-week history of inappetance, sneezing and serous nasal discharge. Culture of swabs from both nostrils were positive for C. gattii (VGII). Fluconazole therapy produced steady improvement over a 6 month period, at which time therapy was discontinued.
The cat presented 9 months later for sneezing, again with a positive culture of C. gattii from the nasal cavity. Antifungal therapy was continued for 8 months, after which time cultures were negative and symptoms resolved.
Three episodes of cryptococcosis in a cat over a 13-year period were thus documented.
Importantly, the two C. gattii isolates, obtained 13 years apart, were identical using DNA fingerprinting and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Using Google Advanced Search, many links here:
Vancouver, BC "Cryptococcus gattii"
Then you might search for a doctor expert in this or for support groups. As it affects human lungs, there are likely some support groups around this.
Cryptococcus gattii
This is a potentially serious fungal infection that is showing up in the west coast from B.C., Washington state, Oregon and California -- and beyond.
I first read about this about this "discovery" in the news about two years ago but it's been around longer than that. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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GretaM
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 40917
posted
Ha! Isn't that funny! I wish!
When I went to my now ex-doc, I asked about cryptococcus gatti and to be tested for it.
She said she'd never heard of a test for it...and it was so rare a fungus it was unnecessary.
I will be sure to ask my LL about the ear. Perhaps he can take a swab, or give me a swab so I can catch it when it is oozing and peeling and stinky.
I just had myco testing done this week. I sure hope that picks up something-it cost a fortune.
Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- I know the "swab" you talk about here is for a test but just to be clear it's never a good idea to use a Q-tip in the ear canal. Now, I know there are times when it itches so, but that will always tear up tender tissue in the ear canal, and make healing harder.
Q-tips are not sterile so that's also to be considered.
A nasal swab may be adequate but I'd have them do both sides of the nasal passage and both ears.
Again, though, ANY Rx you take orally or use topically could affect the outcome of the test.
I'd find someone who is expert in this area. Not just any doctor and not just any lab, either. I know there are experts in this area. You may have to look to the researcher authors to find them. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Judie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 38323
posted
I had candida in my ear a few years ago and a slow growing infection.
The ear still has problems with itchiness and sometimes a scabby "thing" comes out.
This is what worked for me:
I started with a product called Calm Ear. This got rid of the candida, but this itchiness problem keeps coming back.
Recently, I started putting food grade Aloe Vera into my ear. I found out it's a relative to garlic and it's antibacterial and antifungal.
I heat it first to warm. You can use a dropper to get it in or other method.
What works for me, I "very carefully" use a Q-tips saturated with it (at the point of dripping) to get it just into the entrance (not far in). Then work it down by gently massaging my ear. I keep repeated with my head to the side to get a lot in.
This has cut the itchiness down by 80%.
An ND recommended garlic tincture and that just burned my ear.
The WORST thing I did was have ozone done in my ear by a dentist. This dried out my ear and caused a horrible itchiness cycle that went on for 3 months. It was a nightmare and just aggravated the problem.
Good luck!
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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GretaM
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 40917
posted
Thanks Keebler. I will ask to have both ears and each side of the nasal passage swabbed. That is a great idea!
Judie-in the meantime I am going to try your aloe vera trick.
It's the itchiness that is most bothersome, and if it helps the itch-great!
Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
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Judie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 38323
posted
Cool. I hope it helps. The aloe vera was the ONLY thing that I found helped with the itchiness.
I use the "inner fillet" gel by Lily of the Desert. My health food store stopped carrying it, so I got it off Drvita.com since they have free shipping.
I only use the one for oral consumption because the "body" one has an additive that I'm allergic to.
The gel still stays a bit jelly-like after I warm it for a few seconds in a glass dish in the microwave. This is how I get a glop on the Q-tip.
The juice would probably work too if you wanted to pour it in the ear.
I really hope it helps. This itchy ear was waking me up at night, so I do this before bed and sometimes in the morning.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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posted
Ozone ear insufflation has been long used for fungal ears with good success. I do it several times a week just to keep killing lyme that might make its way to the brain. Oone definately gets into brain tissue, as it has been noted to cure a few brain cancers, so it pass through the ear drug and get to fungus that might be, and most likely is also in the inner ear.
Posts: 803 | From USA | Registered: Oct 2013
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