Not quite an ear infection...

So since becoming pregnant I've had a stuffy nose and stuffy ears. Nothing horrible, but enough that I can tell the difference. However I noticed over the weekend my one ear was getting really bad, to the point where I couldn't hear anymore and it was also starting to ache a bit. Not a ton, but just enough for me to worry. Instead of waiting and seeing what happened I figured I would go to my general doctor today. They are very close to work and usually good about getting me a same day appointment. After having lots of ear infections growing up I recognized the signs of an impending infection.

I go and answer all the obligatory questions... no recent illness, no colds, just pressure and I can't hear, yadda yadda yadda. So the doctor comes in and takes a look in my good ear... for comparison you know. All normal. Then she goes in the bad ear and goes "now this ear is another story". I'm sitting here waiting for the response of "its an infection". Nope. What I do get is "there is so much wax in here I can't even see the eardrum". HUH?! I've NEVER EVER had an ear wax problem before! So she sends the nurse in to clean out my ear and then she'll have another look.

Now to those who have never had this process done its not exactly fun. Basically the nurse got a syringe, warm water mixed with hydrogen peroxide, and pulsed water into my ear while I held a little container to catch the water and wax. It is the weirdest feeling in the entire world and not something I wish to repeat anytime soon. After doing this quite a few times the nurse still couldn't get the last bit of wax out so the doctor came back in and got a little scraping device and gently scraped the last of the wax out. Disgusting is the only word that comes to mind... and apparently my ear wasn't that bad. I shudder to think at what a bad ear would look like! 

So, good news is no ear infection. Better news is I can hear again! The only downside is that now my ear is sore from being cleaned out so thoroughly. I've never had a wax buildup problem before... my ears have always been nice and clean. It never ceases to amaze me how much your body can change when you're pregnant! Hopefully that is the first and last time i'll have to go through ear cleaning!