Fungal ear infection & allergic reaction to face

I was told I had a fungal ear infection 6 months ago in my right ear. At first I was given Lotrimin AF drops for my ear & after 3 weeks it didn't get better. At the same time I started waking up with my right eye swollen & my lips irritated & my race red. I keep being told it's not related to the ear infection but I'm pretty sure it is.
After being on Ketoconazole & other ear medications not to mention having my ear drained at the doctors office several times they said my fungal infection was clear. I still had the allergic like symptoms of my eye swelling & my lips & face being red on a regular basis. Also my skin gets really dry & flakey. It's now 6 months later & my ear infection has come back strong.
I've been to allergist, dermotologist, primary care , ENT's & eye doctors. I don't know where to turn next.
Has anyone ever experienced something like this????

Last edited by vozelle on 03/19/07 - 13:07; edited 1 time in total

I have had the same problem in my right ear (for about 7 years), no face symptoms though. I'm frustrated too, have been given all sorts of antibiotic and antifungal ointments and drops, but nothing works. I just found this helpful website if you want to check it out (excerpt below, which may relate to your symptoms): disability.vic.gov.au/dsonline/dsarticles.nsf/pages/Ear_infections?OpenDocument Unfortunately, I still don't know what's up with my ear and it's making me so frustrated (and scared), I just started having vertigo symptoms too and am concerned about long-term damage to my inner ear parts. If anyone can help, PLEASE post answers here and help guide me out of this nightmare...!!!!

Herpes zoster of the ear
Sound is sent as electrical impulses to the brain via the cochlear nerve. Herpes zoster of the ear is an infection of this auditory nerve by the herpes zoster virus. Symptoms include ear pain, vertigo, and small blisters on the outer ear and ear canal and perhaps on the face and neck. The main nerve that services the facial muscles may also become infected, leading to swelling and partial paralysis. Treatment options include:
Antiviral medications such as acyclovir
Pain-killing drugs
Surgery to relieve the pressure on the facial nerve, if required.

my skin has been so crazy lately... dry face and ear lobes... my face and ears bleed now and scab. My eye is getting bad too I have puffy eyes and red veins and discharge from my eye

Seems like the Health Organization would of caught on to this horrible problem years ago. This condition is most often misdiagnosed and treated with antibiotics making it worse. I have been fighting this condition since 1974 or so. I think I got it on the plane with several Viet soldiers (in training here) aboard at that time. What can be done? HELP!!!! This stuff is eating me alive! I feel like I am under attack. Americans are hated people. That's how we get this stuff. Apparently, it will slowly eat us alive and the doctors are duh because they didn't put it in the medical books for Americans. They see it as a foreign thing.....we don't have that stuff here - Vain, aren't we?

I suffer from a similar thing except it is both ears, left ear being the worst. I've used pieces of cotton soaked in colloidial silver. If I keep it in my ears over night it usually will be gone by the next day. I've also used garlic cloves (garlic and silver are natural antifungals).

There is a homeopathic medicine for ear infections that mainly occur in the right ear. You can google it......"homeopathic remedies for ear infections". The medicines can be found at health food stores or some grocery stores have a health food section with homeopathic medicine.

I totally sympathize with you I have had this "stuff" for over 4 years....
Never had a problem before- ears just great..then all of a sudden (age 58)some "water" in ear canal discovered during Dr visit...then sticky ooze started -dries to pearly white flakes and itches. If ooze gets on face can causer nasty sore type break outs. Two Dr looked at left ear with massive rash/cakey sores-treated with antibiotics-anti itch creams and cortisone..cleared some.
Went into right ear also after months and 3rd Dr said-fungus-drops prescribed for infection as itching etc causes infection...said 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 alcohol (so evaporates) would be as effective as fungus.
Did that faithfully two times a day for months -only helped a little.
My primary care Dr has now put me on 14 days of antibiotics and then will refer me to ear Dr...as for last 2 mos ears are squishy and plugged-(just white coated on outer canal) and it is seriously affecting my hearing...Why does not anyone have a real answer on this??
Will post what 4th (now a "real" ear Dr does). At about the same time I became vulnerable to athletes foot fungus-picked it up almost every time I took a shower at the gym and always waiting there to flare up if invuted.
So sometimes wonder if whole immune system is the problem here?????

I have had the same ear infections since I was 7 years old. I am now 22 and still battling them. The doctors cannot seem to figure out what causes it or how to treat it. It is to the point now where my hearing is extremely dulled and I am in pain a lot.

My mother was just diagnosed as having a fungal ear infection by her dermatologist several weeks ago. The dermotologist said it was caused by dandruff. My mother told the doctor she didn't have dandruff but was shown that she did have it.
She was told to wash her hair with Head & Shoulders shampoo and to use a cotton swab and put a dab of Head & Shoulders in each ear.
Thus far she says it is working for her.
Hope this helps.

I've been struggling with an ear infection for about 7 weeks or more. The pain, at times, has been excrutiating. The doctor gave me 3 courses of anti-biotics and 2 types of ear drops but nothing worked. He syringed out my ear twice because it was blocked with pus (not pleasant at all).

I went to the ENT specialist last Friday and he identified the infection as fungal which is why nothing else was working (and why the syringing of the ear - flushing it out with warm water - only helped the infection to continue). He vacuumed my ear with a special tool hooked up to a little compressor which wasn't all that pleasant but effectively cleaned out the crap building up in my ear. He prescribed me Locacorten-Vioform ear drops (Flumethasone Pivalate) which I have been using twice a day and I have to say it finally seems to be doing the trick. The pain is gone and my ear is clear - the only issue is I need to keep it dry for a month.

Anyway, that's my story and I hope someone's able to identify with my story and possibly sort out their own problem. Good luck.