Infected ear piercing

[Sue New]

Hi Guys,

I wonder if anyone can help me on this one?

I have had an infected right ear for about 2 weeks now, and it dosn't seem to want to clear up. It is totally my fault as I know that I am allergic to anything other than gold jewellry, but when I was away on holiday in Malvern a couple of weeks ago, I bought a pair of cheap earrings on a market. Almost straight away they started to upset my ears, and I took them out, but my right ear is infected within the hole. I have tried immersing an earring in TCP and putting it though the hole, and that makes it throb for a bit, but the infection just won't go away. Each morning, the ear is all crusty around the metal post, and lots of gunk (and blood) is coming out. It is soooooo sore.

Anyone got any ideas of what I can use to get rid of the pesky infection once and for all?

Sue.

[rubygloom]

surgical spirit usualy does it for me on my piercings
stings like a **** though!!! be warned
iusualy rub off any crustynes or goo with coton soaked in spirit then dip/bathe area untill sting stops
2/3 times a day
salt water is the recomended thing though but dosent seemm to help me once i started with the spirit my piercings usualy clear up in a week rather than months in some cases

[Eloise]

This may risk the hole sealing up, but I would say to avoid putting any ear-rings in - even ones you have been fine with.

Clean it in salt water and then put some magnesium sulphate paste on it from both sides and then cover it with a dressing. Then change daily and wash with salt water and put on more magnesium sulphate paste and a clean dressing. This will help draw out the infection.

Surgical spirit is not much help, as with TCP and other such agents. Although, yes they kill bacteria, they also kill any of your own skin cells that are trying to heal insdie the hole and also kills of good bacteria.

If you do want to put a ear-ring in - I think it is surgical steel is recommended as the least likely to cause reactions - but everyone is different.

I had both my ears react really badly - with loads of green gung etc etc. I tried for a couple of weeks with surgical spirit and all the other methods. But it was a practice nurse that told me about the magnesium sulphate paste and this cleared it up in a couple of days. I personally let them heal over and have never bothered with them again.

If the redness and swelling of the infection starts spreading further than just your ear-lobe, or you start getting a fever, feeling sick or any other symptoms that suggest the bacteria are heading for your blood stream - then get to your GP and will need some oral antibiotics (probably flucloxacillin or erythromycin if your penicillin allergic). There is no real benifit of antibiotic creams, as they never really penetrate to where is needed.

[Sue New]

Thanks for your advise ladies

Just as a curious aside, I had my ears piecred when I was about 8 (30 years ago ), and I went many, many years without wearing earrings, so most people said they would have healed over. I don't know if this is an EDS thing or not, but even when I let years and years pass without using any earrings, my holes never heal over .

I will try to get hubby to get some of that Magnesium Sulphate paste - I take it you can get it OTC?

Thanks again,

Sue.

[Eloise]

Yep - should be available from any good pharmacy - I have a little 50g pot here - shame I can't send it over the internet. Mine is a boots brand - says "a drawing ointment for local inflammatory conditions such as boils and carbuncles" - it is an old remedy - but one of the most reliable.

I have no idea whether the holes staying open is an EDS thing - I never wore ear-rings again after they got majorily infected. The paste cleared it up and the holes were still there, for a while, but were gone after about a year. Now 12 years on, I can only just see and feel where the holes were.

[Blaadyblah]

Sue, I'm like you - mine don't heal over, none of them have.

[paw]

Sue, I did not bother with earrings for years because they poked me when I lay on a pillow to sleep and they would come off in the night. If I took them off at night I would forget to put them back on and I just gave up on them for a long time.

About a month ago I decided to try them again. I got out my starter earrings with the thicker post and the lock back. I cleaned ears and earrings with surgical spirit (rubbing alcohol they call it here) and put them in. My ears have been sore but they are doing well enough to keep wearing the earrings. I keep cleaning them and turning the earrings.

Would you want to go back to the starter earring after you get the infection taken care of? If it is not getting better with home treatment, you should call the GP and see if you need to come in. I hope the infection clears soon. I know that hurts and even when we have joint pain something like that is very annoying and a bother to deal with.

[naama]

My ear piercing story is a nightmare! They're OK now but they took ages to heal when I had them done. The first time I let them heal over completely. The second time they eventually got the idea but I think it was about 18 months before I could go 24 hours without wearing them without them closing over or getting manky. So I'm not sure that holes not closing is an EDS thing!!

[Hayley]

Magnesium sulphate paste rocks!! I have used it several times when I have pulled too much skin away from the side of my fingernail and caused a whitloe (sp).

Hope your ear gets better soon Sue, although the infection may have been there too long for the paste to work now so you may need antibiotics after all.

Hayley

[Rosie]

Hiya Sue

I have loads of pairs of earrings in sealed packs that they use with a piercing gun. If you want I can bring you a pair at the weekend?



Rosie

[Sez]

Another vote for magnesium sulphate! I also highly recommend using titanium studs if you don't want to leave the holes empty. I use titanium for most of my piercings and have never had any bother. It's one of the metals that people have the least reaction to. I get all mine from "Ouch Body Jewellery" - there's loads of choice and they're good for delivery.

I left my earrings out for a few years and the holes in my lobes didn't close up at all. However, the piercings higher up my ears do start to close after a couple of weeks if I don't wear earrings, and my nose piercing closed up after only a day, despite having been pierced for three years I had to take my nosering out for a tack & turn out class at a local show, and by the time we had gotten back, sorted the horses out and I got home and started putting my piercings back in, the piercing had sealed up so much that I just couldn't get it through. I took my labret piercing out a few months ago, because the back of the stud had started to bruise and wear down my gums (after years of wearing it hassle-free) and the inside of the lip still has a dimple that I can feel with my tongue and the outside hole is much smaller but still visibly a piercing.

[Eloise]

Sez - you sound like an piercing expert. Titanium is what I had been thinking but I couldn't remember its name. More expensive - but well worth it if allergy problems.

I hope you managed to get some paste Sue and it is doing OK. Remember to go to your GP if it is getting really bad, as if it spreads then only a course of antibiotic tablets will work.

[Sue New]

Hiya Sue

I have loads of pairs of earrings in sealed packs that they use with a piercing gun. If you want I can bring you a pair at the weekend?
Rosie

Ohh, thanks Rosie, that would be great

Sue.

[paw]

Sue and Rosie, if those are the same type we use here the earring post will be sharp but the locking back covers it so it won't poke you once they are on. That makes it go in easy with the gun but it is a bother when you go to put them on sore ears.

Sue, just be ready for some soreness when you put them on. Some people use a couple of ice cubes to freeze the ears and to reduce pain. Since you take pain meds, you could plan to put them on once the meds take effect. Once they are in, treat them like newly pierced ears and leave them in place while the ears heal. I could probably take mine out now (after a month) and have removed them to clean them. It is still a little sore to put them on.

You might not want to put these on on your big night at the Residential Meeting.

[Pol]

My daughter, who I am increasingly thinking has JHS or EDS had an ear infection when she had hers pierced. It took over 6 months for her ears to heal and now one of the piercings has what I can only describe as a massive crater in the back, like a really really wide hole. Has anyone else experienced this?