Has anyone suffered from chronic INNER ear infections?

I am NOT talking about regular ear infections where you just have pain and pressure, I am talking about INNER ear infections. Anyone who has ever suffered an inner ear infection knows that the difference in the two are as big a difference as night and day. Inner ear infections consists of vertigo, dizziness, nausea and/or vomiting. Does anyone know from personal experience any over-the-counter medicines that help with the vertigo/dizziness? I have been suffering from this crap for several years and the infections are always and only set off when I miss a dose of my anti-depressant and if I stop taking the a/d altogether the ear infection gets so bad that I can barely even function (which is pretty much the case right now because I ran out of money & can't afford to buy my anti-depressants right now). Please tell me if any over-the-counter stuff has ever worked with you as far as the vertigo is concerned.

I use decongestants to open up nasal and sinus passages. I used to use antihistamines but found out that they cause the secretions dry, get thick & to sit and not drain, making it a great place for infections to breed and grow. Since I stopped using them I have had about half as many inner ear episodes. Also, take the decongestant before you need it. Keeping a steady amount in your system helps a lot.

Look in the front section of your phone book for United Ways telephone number. They can give you a list of agencies, groups, etc. that can help you get your prescription.

chronic inner ear infections can be caused by more than one thing. you need to see a doctor. i kept having chronic ear infections for years...only to finally be diagnosed with hypo-thyroid which causes excess ear wax production and inner ear infections. hypo-thyroid can also cause symptoms of depression. i was given anti-depressants when i really just needed synthroid.

Ask United Way for any health care or clinics that are low cost or based on income in your area as well. You need to see a doctor.

I don't know about the vertigo, but you could try treating the ear infection with a natural antibiotic. No infection-no vertigo.

If this has been going on for years, then your antibiotics are not working. Bacteria can too easily develop resistence to man-made antibiotics because they are too simple. So it takes stronger antibiotics each time to take care of the problem.

For example, scientists have discovered 1 basic component of Penicillin and that is Penicillin. Garlic has at least 35 components that scientists have not figured out yet. Bacteria can not figure it out either. There are a lot of natural antibiotics: Acacia, Aloe, Echinacea, Eucalyptus, Garlic, Ginger, Goldenseal, Honey, Juniper, many more. These are in a list of the top 15. You need to introduce a natural antibiotic into your body to confuse and overcome the bacteria that are causing your infections.
I LOVE GARLIC as an ANTIBIOTIC!
Prepare a simple garlic oil to keep on hand for future use.
Garlic Infused Olive Oil
1 bottle olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
Drop garlic slices into olive oil and close tightly. Let bottle sit in a dark place for 2-3 days. Strain out all of the garlic and store the bottle at room temperature. You can refrigerate it, but it will solidify. Just set it on the counter and it will begin to return to its liquid state.
USES for Garlic Oil:
EAR INFECTION:Warm some oil to a comfortable temperature (at least room temperature) and put a couple of drops into an infected ear. Also massage some oil into the skin around the ear and on the neck. This allows the oil to absorb into the lymph nodes. If you use cold oil it will cause more pain. Do this as often as desired.
EAR ACHE: Same as above OR you can peel a clove of garlic and stick it into the opening of the ear-just like you would a hearing aid. (This is more feasible for adults than children.) The pain should deminish within the hour (or soon thereafter). (personal testimony of a friend who tried this)

THRUSH: Dip finger in garlic oil and swab baby's mouth with it, or use a dropper to put a drop on baby's tongue. Do not rinse immediately. Baby may not like the taste, but this will work. Do this as often as desired. (I have two girls under 3-this works!)

COUGH WITH CHEST CONGESTION: Warm some garlic oil to a comfortable temperature. Lie the child on her back and massage the oil into the lymph nodes on her back, chest, and under her arms, paying close attention to the area around her rib cage. Then turn child on her stomach and rub her back with it. Do this as often as desired during the day, but especially before bedtime. (I have only had to do this 2 nights in a row to get results).

STAPH INFECTION: That's right- staph infection-namely nasal impetigo. Use a cotton swab to apply garlic oil to the inside of infected nare(s). Do this all day long whenever you think about it. This may take a few weeks (longer if you only treat once or twice a day). After some time, you will notice that your nostrils are not as sore to the touch as they were before you applied the oil. Impetigo on other parts of the body-legs, arms, etc.? Similarly apply garlic oil to sores. (personal experience)

SORE THROAT: Put a couple of drops of garlic oil onto the back of the throat. Then massage oil onto the outside of throat area. It may take a while (20-40 minutes) to feel results, but it beats taking medication. You can even teach a child to do this.

My rule of thumb with garlic oil is: If it is an infection, try garlic oil.
My midwife even told me to put some on my lower eyelid when I had an infection. It did burn a little, but it healed the infection.
Garlic oil can be irritating to the skin, so you might want to add a little more olive oil to it before applying it directly to the skin.

*NOTE: There is a risk of botulism when dealing with homemade garlic oils (if the garlic remains in the oil). Here is a reference:
"When raw garlic is stored in oil, Clostridium botulinum (botulism) bacteria can grow. These mixtures must be refrigerated to slow bacterial growth. After 2 weeks of refrigeration, the increased number of bacteria will become a food safety hazard. Therefore, these mixtures should not be refrigerated longer than 2 weeks.

When garlic is immediately removed after flavoring oil, the bacteria will not have a "food source" for growth. The flavored oil can be stored safely at room temperature."
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