Skin problems in Ears !!

Have you been tested for fungal issues? It would make sense since at night, you likely lay on your side at least some of the time, which could make that ear "extra warm" and could be a good place for a fungal type issue to take place.

Hi Suzee--

Yes, very likely yeast/fungus/biofilm growing in your ear. Y/f overgrowth can start in the gut (especially with all of the abx lymees are on) and can grow up the throat and into the head, even into the sinuses, ears, nose and mouth. When my overgrowth was at its worst, I had awful sinusitis and ear aches, stabbing eye pains, post nasal drip, thrush... everything. I didn't have the stuff that looks like crepey dead skin on my ears - I had it around my mouth, nose and eyes. Until I figured out what it was I didn't venture out much. LOL not a pretty look.

BTW - the "crepey dead skin" is not skin at all - it's dead yeast/fungus - once it hits the air it dies and starts to flake off. And if it keep growing out your ear, it just builds up (creating the layers).

Anyway, you don't have to have all those symptoms to have y/f overgrowth in the gut or ear but if you do you should mention it to the MD. It took me 13 months to solve my issues because the MDs kept treating me for a bacterial infection--never once suspected a fungal infection.

And Traveler is right - I'd always have increased symptoms in the same ear I slept on through the night. If you can sleep on your back - it helps.

Do you have any gut issues that might point toward yeast/fungal overgrowth? Gassy, distended, pain, cramping, gurgling, itchy, sugar/carbs cravings, low appetite, white or yellow tongue, or anything else I previously mentioned? If so, please ask your MD for a prescription for PURE Nystatin powder 500,000 units. You can find good dosing info on this site that you can share with your MD:
drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Nystatin_-_how_to_take_it

The Nystatin powder is superior over the other pill and liquid forms of Nystatin that most MDs prescribe (usually because they aren't aware of the powder) due to all the fillers included and they're more expensive. But the powder can be used in several ways - you add it to water and you can swish it around in your mouth - it coats everything your mouth and throat. You can also make a "wash" with the Nystatin powder - ask the pharmacist if he can advise you how to do this at home (maybe with saline mixture).

If you don't have any of those gut symptoms I mentioned, ask your MD for a systemic anti fungal like Diflucan/fluconazole. You might need to take it for a few weeks - if more than a month please make sure your MD checks your liver enzymes - if they climb, milk thistle seed and/or burdock root are good tinctures to control that (or you can take them as preventative).

Please let us know if you have any other q's!

-p

Post Edited (Pirouette) : 5/28/2016 3:11:30 PM (GMT-6)

Thanks so much for your helpful replies, this forum is amazing !!

Pirouette - that must have been awful to suffer the fungal growth around the mouth, nose and eyes.
I will ask MD for Nystatin powder, they have been treating me for outer ear bacterial infection and now another MD has said it is not that but dermatitis or psoriasis of the ear and should not take abx as they will only make it worse.

dacarte3 - it is always worse in right ear but am so grateful to at last (touch wood) be able to sleep much better than for years. It doesn't wake me once have got to sleep the ears whoosh and make horrible noises as am getting off to sleep, like fluid or something in them and then when I wake all spots on pillow from discharge - sorry it is disgusting.

It does dry up considerably during day so am going to buy new pillows as well in case I am allergic to the feather pillows as I just realised I bought new feather pillows in December and this has gone on and on since then so maybe they are making it worse !!

With the pillow change and nystatin hope to see this particular lyme phase gone. Will keep you posted.

Post Edited (Suzee) : 5/29/2016 5:28:38 AM (GMT-6)

Thanks dacarte3 I do use coconut oil in cooking and also used to oil pull twice a day and that sorted out the tooth and oral problems I was having at the time but haven't done that for some time. Will apply some to my ear and eat some daily too. I take pro biotics with kefir and avoid sugar, gluten and dairy and keep grains and carbs to a minimum. Very interesting about your skin cyst disappearing with daily application of coconut oil.

Hi Suzee--

"MD has said it is not that but dermatitis or psoriasis of the ear and should not take abx as they will only make it worse."

Yeah, I went through that too for 13 months with these MDs (8-9 different MDs) treating serious sinusitis and bronchitis as a bacterial infection instead of a fungal infection with abx and steroids, making me very, very sick... I won't go into that long story but I should have demanded that they culture the infection if they wanted to continue prescribing abx.

Also, a yeast/fungal rash can develop that MDs don't recognize as yeast/fungal overgrowth (because they are not educated about it and wrongly assume most people don't have issues--only HIV/AIDs patients but this can't be more wrong).

So they dx it as psoriasis or dermatitis, sometimes prescribing steroids that weaken the immune system or creams that damage the skin, and never get it healed. They might try an anti fungal but not with a lot of effort and if it doesn't work they toss out the anti fungal possibility, instead of trying other antifungals or addressing the root cause--yeast/fungal overgrowth from within the body, like the gut. The gross misunderstanding about yeast/fungal overgrowth is really, really careless on their part. But not the time for my rant...

I'm adding a "yeast/antifungal post in the "new to lyme?" thread very soon so that will hopefully also be helpful for you.

-p

Pirouette that is a great post and I will look out for the "yeast/antifungal post in the "new to lyme" thread.

My lyme brain forgot ... you just reminded me I did ask them to do a culture back in Feb and it cam back from lab that they found staph and anaerobic bacteria in my ears for which they then prescribed the erythromycin and metronidazole. So I obviously dismissed the fungal issue then ?!?!

I am just getting over this, also having yeast problems on other parts, like under the breast. I have done everything from using Listerine on my skin to witch hazel. The itching is really bad. I needed to take Diflucan off and on a couple of months. For my ears I am using tea tree oil on a cotton ball to clean the skin with then an alcohol/vinegar mix to dry it out. Even though the skin feels dry and peely, it seems to help to dry it out more.
Let us know what the Dermatologist suggests, and I hope you heal soon from this.

LindaLew -

So sorry about the raw skin under the breast.

Please try rubbing apple cider vinegar over the infected area and try talking to a compounding pharmacist about how he/she could prepare a cream (kind of like for jock itch) prepared with Pure Nystatin powder if you can. Then you can communicate to your MD what to write a prescription for.

Also -
I tried out this product once and I really liked it - it's basically like a panty liner for your bra - to protect it from sweat, but I used it during my workouts to keep my skin from getting over-era
tive since I had such a long drive home from the gym. I didn't realize at the time I had a yeasty issue... and they did a great job keeping the skin dry:
www.girleaseproducts.com

-p

I am so sorry Suzee---this sounds miserable.

Well, when I saw the word "dermatologist" I half expected you to share that the experience wasn't good. I think they are right up there w/ ID docs in that they know a very limited category of medicine and are afraid of the rest.

Ant to his comment that skin issues are unrelated to lyme---does he think you are hollow inside with just a layer of skin around air???????

Skin issues absolutely originate from within. And he's smart enough to know this and should know better than to say such a stupid thin. Yes, I used the word "stupid". LOL Sheesh...

Anyway, you are smart not to touch the steroids. I think it will not only be comforting to get the canals cleaned out (well, maybe not during but after) but will help lessen some symptoms. But of course, addressing the root cause is critical or you'll be right back there. Hopefully the ACV and coconut oil can help soothe symptoms, too.

Did you ask about the pure Nystatin powder? Also, you might need to try a systemic anti fungal. Anything you apply topically is only going to manage symptoms, but you probably already knew that.

Regarding your head & eye pressure--are you saying you don't have this now? Yes, often headaches are due to toxins that get released and cycle through the bloodstream. Eye pressure can be sinus... In fact, you might have one nasty sinus infection going on that is for some reason manifesting itself in your ear canal.

Please ask your ENT to do a culture on the gunk in your ears and look for yeast/fungus--not to just bacterial.

Hope you get some relief soon!

-p

" I despair but rejoice in this forum, I don't know where I would be without this community. "

Oh yes - I think many of us know this feeling.

I think you're on to something about suspecting that whatever was in your head/sinus has moved into your ears. This also fits the yeast/fungal model... Sinus pain can be really horrible--I've been there. I had chronic sinusitis for 13 months---so painful. And I was working and traveling full time (and also had lyme & co but just wasn't diagnosed, yet). I thought I was gonna die. LOL

You're on the right track--persevere and hang in there.

-p

So sorry noralove -
Those symptoms sound challenging and feeling like you've had a set back is hard to process.

So - since the rash symptoms were triggered by your period, it really sounds like a yeast/fungal issue. You might browse through my "yeast/fungal overgrowth" post in the "New to Lyme?" thread to see if anything rings a bell - I've made som suggestions in there too.
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=1606610&g=3644275#m3644275

Also--
try rubbing Bragg's apple cider vinegar on the rash (start carefully - your skin is raw and the ACV can sting a little) and also try coconut oil, cold compress. And, until you can get an Rx (hopefully with the Nystatin) you can try dabbing on OTC dandruff shampoo w/ a cotton ball--they're kind of worthless in solving an issue but can soothe symptoms for a short period.

IF you somehow got mixed up in a mold situation and that is causing the rash, not yeast/fungus--look through Dr Shoemaker's site: survivingmold.com for info--or post a new thread here asking for mold remedies. Usually, you're going to need to detox to make much progress with a mold sensitivity manifestation in your skin. Detox baths would probably help (lots of recipes online - epsom salts, sea salt, hydrogen peroxide, soothing essential oils---start slowly, low water, low heat, short soaks and work your way "up").

I recently incorporated red root tinctures into my protocol to help with lymph drainage--very helpful.

I've been on A-bart but I just can't tolerate it. So I'm doing abx right now for bart and tolerating it much better because the herbs are just more comprehensive and hitting more of the infection, is my theory. So if I were you I'd go back on the A-bart at higher doses? I'm not familiar with the homeopathic tincture so hopefully someone will come along with good info on that.

I'd also increase your detoxing as much as possible, particularly if you are going to start a new antimicrobial or increase the volume of what you've previously taken.

Hope this is helpful - if not, just keep asking q's!

-p