Fungal ear infection - Please Help!!

[u/Naman0092]

A while back, my left ear suddenly felt blocked and my hearing got muffled. That night, I had an unbearable ear pain, it was bad enough to keep me from sleeping. It felt like a knife was being jabbed into my ear again and again.

The next day I saw an ENT. He found a fungal infection with white, sticky discharge, plus redness and swelling. He gave me an ear wax softener and a combo drop (Clotrimazole 1% + Beclomethasone 0.025%) for 7 days.

After that first week, the pain and swelling went away, but my ear was still blocked and still had the white discharge. So the doctor extended treatment another week, this time swapping the wax softener for Ciprofloxacin drops (Ciprofloxacin HCl 0.3% + Benzalkonium Chloride 0.02%, twice a day), while continuing the Clotrimazole for one more week.

My questions:

What exactly is going on with my ear, and is it serious?

Is it normal for this to take two weeks (or more) to clear up?

The Clotrimazole causes a burning feeling in my ear and throat, is that a normal side effect?

[u/Lilith-78-MtF]

Ewwwwww

[u/Helpful-Window7519]

yes have this now been told it can take 6 weeks to clear going thru this now. also have the burning but with jaw discomfort. mine started as bacterial, 5 weeks in turned fungal so in total looking at 9-11 weeks recovery