my ear hurts!

For the past couple of days my ear had felt full - this morning it is starting to hurt... Of course it is saturday so no doctor appt for me. Could the CPAP be causing this? Other than the ear everything else feels ok...

I have no idea but I can tell you this, when I put my mask or nasal pillows on at my set pressure of 19, my ears kind of pop and feel full.

Hi,
High cpap pressures can put some pressure on the inside of your eardrum. I use an auto machine and if I lie on my back, pressures get way up there and I can wake up with an earache.

If that's the cause, it should go away in a few days.

Adults rarely get middle ear infections so if I were to guess, I'd say it's cpap pressure. By all means see a Doctor especially if it worsens or persists.

Try sleeping on your side. Pressures should be lower. That is an auto machine, isn't it?
Jamis

Merryj, this is a complaint that is fairly common. CPAP seems to have an effect on some peoples sinuses and ears. You could try an antihistamine/decongestant. Some people use the Neti Pot to keep their sinuses clear. As suggested, if it persists or worsens contact your sleep doc.
Keep us posted, please. Your experience will help others.

My machine is not set up on auto - I have a very low constant pressure of 9.

I do have a neli-med (similar to a netti pot -but a squirt bottle) i will give that a try.

I will let you know how things turn out. Thanks.

Single ear not both?
Been using cpap for quite a while now no problems?
Do as the other have suggested and include the decongestant. If it worsens to the point extreme pain..go to walk in clinic or something promptly. If just hangs in there and no real improvement by Monday give your doctor a call.

If you were just brand spanking new to this.. maybe cpap related completely but not if you have been on it for a while.
Cpap might be aggravating something though. I don't mess around with pain in ears or eye for very long until I seek proper care if normal stuff doesn't help.

*disclaimer*: This is advice from my Grandpa who is a former doctor. I don't think medical professionals would like this treatment. I have looked on the internet and was not able to find much information, although I didn't look very hard.


I was having a casual conversation with my gramps and mentioned my ears had been hurting. My ears felt really clogged/full and there was a constant dull pain. He told me he has had the same issues his whole life. He told me the cause was most likely water not draining properly from my ears, which is bad for the inner workings of the ear because they need a dry environment.

Here is what he told me to do.
1. Put cotton balls in the ear before taking a shower to prevent water from getting in there.
2. After showering and drying off completely, grab a q-tip and put a small amount of Campho-Phenique on the tip.
3. ***Use caution on this step. Do not put the q-tip far into the ear canal! I go about 1/8 of an inch in.*** Put the q-tip in the ear canal, but don't go far in. Now twirl the q-tip and apply the Campho-Phenique to the ear by gently touching the q-tip the surface of the ear canal.
4. Do the same thing to your other ear.
5. Your Done!


The Campho-Phenique is a over the counter medication for cold sores. It is a pain reliever and antiseptic gel. My Grandpa told me it helps with the pain, helps fight infections, and most importantly, it helps keep the ear dry. I was able to purchase it at wal-mart in the pharmacy section by the chapstick. I've been using this method me a week and have felt improvements in my ears. The feel less clogged, and I think I may be able to hear better. The pain has also subsided greatly. The first time I used it I could feel the pain go away almost instantly. It has a strange feeling to it... you apply it to the ears, but you taste the medication in your mouth. I'm satisfied with the results. If you can go to the doctor that would probably be your best option, but if your like me and uninsured you kind of have to figure it out yourself.