What are the main causes of sharp ear pain. How can you prevent and treat ear discomfort at home. When should you see a doctor for ear pain. What are some serious conditions that can cause ear pain.

Understanding Ear Pain: Types and Symptoms

Ear pain, also known as otalgia, can range from a dull ache to a sharp, stabbing sensation. It may affect one or both ears and can be accompanied by other symptoms like hearing loss, dizziness, or drainage. To better understand ear pain, it’s crucial to distinguish between the different types:

• Outer ear pain: Typically feels sharp and may worsen when touching or pulling the ear
• Middle ear pain: Often described as a dull, throbbing sensation deep inside the ear
• Referred ear pain: Pain that originates from another part of the body but is felt in the ear

Identifying the type of pain can help determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment. Let’s explore the seven most common causes of sharp ear pain.

Earwax Buildup: A Common Culprit for Ear Discomfort

Earwax, or cerumen, is a natural substance produced by the body to protect the ear canal. However, when it accumulates excessively, it can lead to discomfort and pain. How does earwax buildup occur?

• Overproduction of earwax
• Narrow or irregularly shaped ear canals
• Improper cleaning techniques (e.g., using cotton swabs)

Symptoms of earwax impaction may include:

• Sharp or dull ear pain
• Feeling of fullness in the ear
• Partial hearing loss
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Itching or discharge from the ear

How can you safely remove earwax at home? Use over-the-counter ear drops designed to soften wax, allowing it to drain naturally. Avoid inserting objects into your ear canal, as this can push the wax deeper and potentially damage your eardrum. If home remedies don’t work, consult a healthcare professional for safe earwax removal.

Air Pressure Changes: The Painful Effects on Your Ears

Rapid changes in air pressure can cause discomfort and pain in your ears. This phenomenon, known as barotrauma, commonly occurs during air travel, scuba diving, or even riding in an elevator. Why does this happen?

The eustachian tubes, which connect your middle ear to your throat, are responsible for equalizing pressure on both sides of your eardrum. When these tubes can’t adjust quickly enough to pressure changes, it can result in pain and a feeling of fullness in your ears.

To prevent ear pain due to air pressure changes:

1. Yawn or swallow frequently during takeoff and landing
2. Use the Valsalva maneuver: Gently blow out while pinching your nostrils closed
3. Stay awake during airplane descent
4. Consider using earplugs designed for air travel
5. Avoid flying if you have a cold, allergies, or sinus infection

If you experience persistent ear pain or hearing loss after air travel, consult a healthcare provider to rule out any complications.

Swimmer’s Ear: An Outer Ear Infection to Watch Out For

Swimmer’s ear, or otitis externa, is an infection of the outer ear canal often caused by water retention after swimming. However, it can also occur from other activities that introduce moisture or irritants into the ear. What are the symptoms of swimmer’s ear?

• Sharp pain when touching the outer ear or pulling on the earlobe
• Itching inside the ear canal
• Redness and swelling of the outer ear
• Drainage of clear, odorless fluid
• Muffled hearing or temporary hearing loss

How is swimmer’s ear treated? Most cases require prescription antibiotic ear drops. In severe cases, oral antibiotics may be necessary. To prevent swimmer’s ear:

1. Dry your ears thoroughly after swimming or bathing
2. Use earplugs or a swim cap when swimming
3. Avoid inserting objects into your ear canal
4. Consider using alcohol-based ear drops after swimming

If you suspect you have swimmer’s ear, seek medical attention promptly to prevent the infection from worsening or spreading.

Middle Ear Infections: A Common Source of Ear Pain

Middle ear infections, or otitis media, are a frequent cause of ear pain, especially in children. These infections occur when bacteria or viruses enter the middle ear, often as a result of another illness like a cold or flu. What are the signs of a middle ear infection?

• Ear pain, often more severe when lying down
• Fever
• Difficulty hearing or responding to sounds
• Loss of balance
• Drainage of fluid from the ear
• Irritability in infants and young children

How are middle ear infections treated? Many cases resolve on their own within a few days. However, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if the infection is severe or doesn’t improve. To manage symptoms at home:

1. Apply a warm compress to the affected ear
2. Use over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen
3. Elevate your head while sleeping to reduce pressure
4. Avoid getting water in your ears

If ear pain persists or is accompanied by high fever, severe headache, or dizziness, seek medical attention immediately.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders: When Jaw Problems Cause Ear Pain

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your jawbone to your skull. When this joint is damaged or inflamed, it can cause pain that radiates to the ears. TMJ disorders can result from various factors, including:

• Teeth grinding or clenching
• Arthritis
• Jaw injury
• Stress-induced muscle tension

Symptoms of TMJ disorders may include:

• Ear pain or ache, especially when chewing or yawning
• Jaw pain or tenderness
• Clicking or popping sounds when opening or closing the mouth
• Difficulty or discomfort while chewing
• Facial pain

How can you manage TMJ-related ear pain? Try these home remedies:

1. Apply ice or heat packs to the jaw area
2. Practice relaxation techniques to reduce jaw tension
3. Avoid hard or chewy foods
4. Use over-the-counter pain relievers
5. Consider wearing a nightguard to prevent teeth grinding

If symptoms persist or worsen, consult a dentist or healthcare provider for further evaluation and treatment options.

Referred Pain: When Ear Discomfort Originates Elsewhere

Sometimes, ear pain doesn’t actually originate in the ear itself but is referred from another part of the body. This phenomenon occurs due to the complex network of nerves in the head and neck region. What are some common sources of referred ear pain?

• Dental problems: Tooth abscesses, cavities, or impacted molars
• Throat infections: Tonsillitis or pharyngitis
• Sinus infections
• Cervical spine issues
• Trigeminal neuralgia

How can you distinguish referred pain from primary ear pain? Referred pain is often accompanied by other symptoms related to its source. For example, dental-related ear pain may be accompanied by tooth sensitivity or jaw discomfort. To address referred ear pain:

1. Identify and treat the underlying cause
2. Use over-the-counter pain relievers for temporary relief
3. Apply warm or cold compresses to the affected area
4. Practice good oral hygiene if dental issues are suspected
5. Consult a healthcare provider for persistent or severe pain

Remember that accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment of referred ear pain.

Serious Conditions That Can Cause Ear Pain: When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention

While most cases of ear pain are not life-threatening, some serious conditions can manifest as ear discomfort. It’s important to be aware of these potential causes and seek immediate medical attention if you suspect any of the following:

Mastoiditis

Mastoiditis is a rare but serious infection of the mastoid bone behind the ear. It typically occurs as a complication of untreated middle ear infections. Symptoms include:

• Severe ear pain
• Swelling behind the ear
• Fever
• Headache
• Hearing loss

Malignant Otitis Externa

This severe infection of the outer ear canal can spread to surrounding tissues and bones. It’s more common in older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Signs include:

• Severe ear pain that worsens at night
• Persistent ear drainage
• Facial weakness or paralysis
• Headache
• Fever

Temporal Arteritis

This inflammatory condition affects the blood vessels in the head and neck, including those near the ears. Symptoms may include:

• Severe headache
• Scalp tenderness
• Jaw pain while chewing
• Vision changes
• Fever

Tumors

Although rare, tumors in or near the ear can cause persistent pain. Other symptoms may include:

• Hearing loss
• Tinnitus
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Facial numbness or weakness

When should you seek immediate medical attention for ear pain? If you experience any of the following:

• Sudden, severe ear pain
• Ear pain accompanied by high fever (over 102°F or 39°C)
• Blood or pus draining from the ear
• Sudden hearing loss
• Dizziness or loss of balance
• Facial weakness or paralysis

Early diagnosis and treatment of these serious conditions can prevent complications and improve outcomes. Don’t hesitate to seek medical help if you’re concerned about your ear pain or associated symptoms.

Prevention and Home Remedies for Ear Pain

While not all cases of ear pain can be prevented, there are several steps you can take to reduce your risk and manage mild discomfort at home. How can you prevent ear pain?

• Practice good ear hygiene, but avoid inserting objects into your ear canal
• Keep your ears dry, especially after swimming or bathing
• Manage allergies and sinus problems promptly
• Avoid exposure to loud noises or use proper ear protection
• Stay up-to-date on vaccinations, including those for influenza and pneumococcal disease

What are some effective home remedies for mild ear pain?

1. Apply a warm compress to the affected ear
2. Use over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen
3. Try over-the-counter ear drops for earwax removal, if appropriate
4. Rest with your head elevated to reduce pressure
5. Chew gum or yawn to help equalize ear pressure
6. Practice stress-reduction techniques if TMJ issues are suspected

Remember that while these home remedies can provide relief for mild cases, persistent or severe ear pain should be evaluated by a healthcare professional to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment.

By understanding the common causes of ear pain, recognizing warning signs, and implementing preventive measures, you can better manage your ear health and know when to seek medical attention. Always consult with a healthcare provider for personalized advice and treatment options tailored to your specific situation.

Why Does My Ear Hurt? 7 Possible Causes of Ear Pain

Written by Stacey Jones, MS, BA

• Earwax
• Air Pressure
• Swimmer’s Ear
• Middle Ear Infection
• Other Causes

Parents know how common earaches are in children, but adults can get frequent ear pain, too. You don’t have to have an infection, or even anything wrong with your ears, to have ear pain.

These are the most common causes:

Your ear makes and gets rid of wax all the time. When the process doesn’t work well, the gunk builds up and hardens so your ear canal gets blocked. Your doctor will call this impacted wax. Sometimes, it causes pain.

Don’t use cotton swabs or other objects to try to get wax out. You’ll just push it farther into your ear canal and make it more likely to get impacted. Your ear might hurt, itch, discharge gunk, or get infected. You could even lose your hearing for a while.

You can treat mildly impacted ears at home with over-the-counter ear drops that soften the wax so it can naturally drain. Or go see your doctor if the wax has hardened. She can get the wax out without damaging the eardrum. Learn more about earwax.

Most of the time, your ear does a great job of keeping pressure equal on both sides of your eardrum. That little pop you feel when you swallow is part of the process. But quick changes, like when you’re on an airplane or in an elevator, can throw off the balance. Your ear might hurt, and you could have trouble hearing. This is typically a eustachian tube dysfunction which can be a chronic in some people.

To avoid problems on a plane:

• Chew gum, suck on hard candy, or yawn and swallow during takeoff and landing.
• Stay awake while the plane descends.
• Take a deep breath, pinch your nostrils shut, then gently try to blow air out of your nose.
• Avoid air travel and diving when you have a cold, a sinus infection, or allergy symptoms.

Learn more about air pressure and your ears.

If your ear hurts when you pull on your earlobe or push on the tiny flap that closes it, you probably have this outer ear infection. You get it when water trapped in your ear canal begins to breed germs. Your ear might get red, swollen, or itch and leak pus. It isn’t contagious. To avoid it, keep your ears dry during and after swimming. Your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotic ear drops to clear it up. Learn more about swimmer’s ear.

A cold, allergies, or a sinus infection can block the tubes in your middle ear. When fluid builds up and gets infected, your doctor will call it otitis media. This is the most common cause of ear pain. If your doctor thinks the cause is a bacteria, she may prescribe antibiotics. If not, then she may recommend a decongestant allergy treatment with an antihistamine and a nasal steroid. Let her know if your pain doesn’t improve or returns. If it isn’t treated, a middle ear infection can spread or cause hearing loss. Learn more about ear infection treatments.

You may feel pain in your ears even when the source is somewhere else in your body, like a toothache. That’s because the nerves in your face and neck pass very close to your inner ear. Doctors call this type of pain that starts in one area but is felt in another “referred pain.”

If your earache comes with a severe sore throat, it could be an infection like tonsillitis or pharyngitis. In fact, ear pain is often the worst symptom of one of these conditions. Learn more about sore throat symptoms.

Tooth abscesses, cavities, and impacted molars also can cause ear pain. Your doctor will be able to tell if your teeth are to blame by tapping on a tooth or your gums to see if they feel sore. Learn more about toothaches.

The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, is the “hinge” of your jaw that sits directly below your ears. You might get TMJ pain from grinding your teeth, or it could be a symptom of arthritis. The ache in your ears or face comes after you chew, talk, or yawn. To treat it, take over-the-counter pain medicine and put warm compresses on your jaw. Try not to clench your teeth. You may benefit from using a mouth guard when you sleep. This can help ease the tension that causes ear pain. Eating soft foods will help, too. Learn more about causes of jaw pain.

Some causes of ear pain can be serious such as tumors or infections, including cellulitis or shingles. If your ear pain is severe, doesn’t go away within a few days of home treatment, or comes with a high fever or sore throat, or you get a new rash, visit your doctor right away for treatment and to rule out something more serious.

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Ear Pain | ENTAA Care

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Ear pain in most cases comes from either the outer ear or middle ear.

The outer ear is the most exterior part of the ear and consists of both the pinna and the ear canal. The various causes and treatments of outer ear pain can include:

• SWIMMER’S EAR (External Otitis): Is very painful and occurs when the ear canal becomes wet. Bacteria and fungus love the warm, wet, and dark environment, and can multiply causing infection and swelling. Treatment can involve antibiotic ear drops, antibiotic medications and keeping the ear dry.
• EAR CANAL TRAUMA: Can occur from scratching the skin lining the ear canal as this skin is extremely thin and sensitive. Most treatment involved simple observation and at times antibiotic ear drops may have to be prescribed.

DO NOT PUT ANYTHING SMALLER THAN YOUR ELBOW IN YOUR EAR CANAL.

• NEURALGIA: Is a term used to describe inflammation of the nerves around the ear causing a pain that feels like a jabbing or stabbing inside the ear. One of the most common causes of ear neuralgia is TMJ.
• TMJ: Refers to inflammation involving the “jaw joint”. Because this joint lies just below the ear canal, pain from this joint can be referred to the ear via nerves that are “shared” by both areas.
• TUMORS: Are very uncommon cases of pain of the outer ear.
• REFERRED PAIN: Due to shared nerve supply, rarely a throat condition, but can cause ear pain.

The middle ear consists of the eardrum and the area directly behind the eardrum known as the middle ear space. This space also contains 3 bones which move in response to the vibration of the ear drum. The various causes and treatments of middle ear pain include:

• OTITIS MEDIA: Refers to infections of the middle ear. This can often occur after an upper respiratory tract infection that reaches the middle ear via the Eustachian tube. This is most commonly treated with oral antibiotics.
• CHOLESTEATOMA: Is a benign skin tumor that can grow within the middle ear space and cause infection, drainage, and ear pain. This needs to be treated surgically.
• EUSTACHIAN TUBE DYSFUNCTION (ETD): The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear cavity with the throat. It helps aerate and drain the middle ear space. When this tube does not function, often due to colds or sinus infections, fluid and/or pressure can build up in the middle ear space and cause pain. People may also experience some hearing loss. Treatment of ETD includes oral and nasal decongestants and the valsalva maneuver (pinching the nostrils and blowing hard against them). In severe cases, draining the fluid through the eardrum or placing a tube within the eardrum may be necessary

The first driver in the region who transported a thousand tons of grain was honored in the Gomel region

Igor Morozov from Yuzhny OJSC became the driver. Despite the fact that this is his first suffering, he moved his treasured thousand on July 20th. And now this figure is increasing every day. It also plays into the hands of the driver that, despite all the vagaries of the weather and other difficulties, the harvest here was grown to fame. Winter barley, for example, at 44.9 centners per circle.

“Now there is no doubt: winter barley is a very significant crop,” says Dmitry Bichan, chief agronomist. “We have already harvested it, threshed 1,660 tons of grain from 370 hectares.

Ivan Gavrilenko and Vasily Lazovenko, the machine operators of the Sovetskaya Belorussia branch of OAO Rechitsa KHP.
Photo by Roman KOTLYAROV

The grain growers did everything to get a good harvest. The weather is the only factor that the peasant relies on: its whims remain beyond human influence. Everything else, from technology to elementary order and strict discipline, is in our hands. Here, the chief agronomist assures, the hands are very reliable and skillful.

Yesterday, 2,246 hectares of winter barley were harvested in the Gomel region, or 97 percent of the planned volume. 7444 tons of grain were threshed with a yield of 33.1 centners per round – the highest among the districts of the region. But Nikolai Lesko, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Food of the Gomel District Executive Committee, is dissatisfied with the result:

“Believe me, the grain growers did everything possible to get a decent harvest, but they failed to reach last year’s figure. We missed from each hectare, roughly speaking, 17 centners per circle.

The specialist’s dissatisfaction is understandable, but many of his colleagues can only dream of such indicators. In areas that were first flooded and then dried up, the yield, figuratively speaking, is generally rapeseed. For example, in Svetlogorsk – 11.4 centners per hectare. The same figures are in Lelchitsky, Petrikovsky and Elsky.

RSUP “Khutor-Agro” of the Svetlogorsk district tried to minimize losses optimally, extracting all possible benefits from the current situation. Where the crops were damaged and it was clear that further care for them would result in losses, they were transferred to the category of fodder and promptly mowed down for livestock feed. The vacated fields were immediately sown with corn. Now the main task for farmers is to carefully collect what they managed to save.

Six harvesters and six haulers were prepared for grain harvesting, but two crews were sent to the fields at the beginning of the harvest. As deputy director Eduard Kirikovich explained , for the volumes of barley, and then winter rapeseed, it is enough:

– We had 90 hectares of barley and 50 hectares of rapeseed. The areas are small. Two harvesters and two dump trucks are enough here. At the same time, the main body of equipment will be ready to join the mass harvest. So we will save it, and we will keep the pace of harvesting high.

At the helm of the Gomselmash equipment experienced harvester Ivan Klimenok is now harvesting winter rapeseed.

– We go out into the field in the evening, at five o’clock, – says Eduard Kirikovich. — On a hot, dry day, the rapeseed pods can open and crumble from a light blow. And these are losses. We do everything strictly according to technology.

Rapeseed is both possible and necessary: ​​the purchase price is attractive, besides, oilcake is a very valuable addition to animal diets. The cultivation of this crop for the agricultural sector is a strategic task.

However, the expert emphasizes, rapeseed is very fastidious, sensitive to soil composition and weather, therefore, in our conditions, its cultivation is always associated with a certain risk. So this year, due to anomalies, there were losses. A large proportion of the crops perished, but what was saved could not but rejoice.

Combine operator Viktor Zayats was one of the first to enter the rapeseed field. His “Polesie-12GS”, despite its decent age, demonstrates reliability and performance. A plentiful flow of oilseeds filled the capacious bunker in a couple of incomplete circles, the entire rapeseed goes to the grain drying complex for further refinement.

– The harvester was met fully armed, – said Eduard Kirikovich. — Purchased personal protective equipment and overalls in advance, checked the availability and expiration dates of first-aid kits and fire extinguishers, conducted briefings with staff. For those employed in the field two meals a day. Everything has been done to close the harvest without losses and on time.

Harvesting is in full swing in the Rechitsa region. In the branch “Soviet Belarus” JSC “Rechitsa KHP” rapeseed was harvested, the yield is 21 centners per hectare. For the region, this is very worthy.

“More than a thousand hectares of grain have already been harvested,” chief agronomist Yaroslav Gaponik told . — The weather, of course, surprises every now and then, but so far we are going well in terms of yield.

One of the leaders at the harvest is the crew of senior combine Ivan Gavrilenko and combine harvester Vasily Lazovenko. Ivan Vladimirovich is not an accidental person in agriculture: his father worked as a machine operator for many years.

– So I inherited this, – the leader smiles.

This year Ivan runs a gas harvester and notes that he likes the equipment both in terms of design and power.

Ivan Vladimirovich was twice an assistant and 12 times a senior combine operator, the second year he was busy harvesting in “Soviet Belarus”. In 2022, he threshed a thousand tons of grain, he hopes that this season, together with his assistant, he will also cross the thousandth milestone.

Growers of the region harvest winter rapeseed, selectively – winter triticale, wheat and rye, in parallel – winter barley. Behind more than 28 thousand hectares, or 92.6 percent of the plan. 59,102 tons of grain were threshed with an average yield of 21 centners per round.

Mozyr region reached the finish line for rapeseed. Here, the yield of rapeseed is 20, and the State Enterprise State Farm-Combine Zarya has 30 centners per circle. On each vacated field, straw is removed after the combine, and the stubble is peeled. Not far off is the harvesting of corn for silage, and then the sowing of winter rapeseed again.

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We rode in a trolleybus… – Klauzura Magazine

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We rode in a trolley bus…

07/27/2023
/
Editorial

1978 to be in trouble,
When despair sets in,
I get into the blue trolleybus on the go,
Last, random.

A midnight trolleybus floats through Moscow,
Moscow, like a river, fades,
And the pain that beat like a starling in the temple,
It subsides, subsides.

(Bulat Okudzhava)

Mishka and I, my classmate from Baumanka, rode in trolleybus number 24 along the route: Aviamotornaya metro station – Lermontovskaya metro station. Opposite the Lermontovskaya metro station, in front of a small square, the poet Lermontov stands proudly in thought, in a gray frock coat, the collar and skirts of his overcoat fluttering in the wind.

He seems to be waiting for us. It was about this “man in a jacket” in the film “Gentlemen of Fortune” that Kosoy said : “He is a monument, who will plant him…”, although the poet for some reason already holds his hands behind his back, as if saying:

“Moscow-Moscow, I love you like a son… Like a Russian, strong, fiery and tender!”

Behind the monument, there is a lattice filled with reliefs on the theme of the famous talented works of Lermontov: “Mtsyri”, “Demon”, “Sail”. But I’ll say right away that we didn’t go to see this monument, but to find the house where Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov was born. Teddy bear subtracted in some old

in the guidebook “Viewing Moscow”, that “on the corner of Kalanchevskaya Street and Red Gate Square, in house number 1 (along Kalanchevskaya Street), on October 2, 1814, the poet M.Yu. Lermontov. I also asked Mishka:

— What is the Red Gate Square? I only know Red Square.

– Zhenya, it was a triumphal arch erected in Moscow in 1709 by order of Peter I in honor of the victory in the Battle of Poltava. In 1927, the Red Gate and the Church of the Three Hierarchs, located next to them, where Lermontov was baptized, were demolished by the Bolsheviks, – Mishka answered and I became sad.

We sat down at the bus stop Moscow Power Engineering Institute (Krasnokazarmennaya Street), where our student hostel was located. An old trolleybus, like some kind of big beetle, clinging to the wires with its branching horns, briskly, like new, ran across the old Palace Bridge, under which the sleepy river Yauza was lazily flowing and nothing could wake it up. Even at the beginning of summer, when graduates of the Moscow State Technical University named after Bauman threw hundreds of unnecessary tubes into it, she still slept like a dead sleep. The tubes were floating somewhere, and Yauza was sleeping. The trolleybus stopped near the “Tupolev Sharashka”, where aircraft were once designed.

But, realizing that the “sharashka” is still classified by Lavrenty Beria himself and it’s better not to stand here for a long time, the trolley bus rushed on, waving its horns along Radio Street, where in the thirties, when they were dismantling the church of St. Michael, they found a coffin in the crypt with the body of the sorcerer and associate of Peter the Great – Jacob Bruce. He was identified by his family ring, and according to other sources, by the patch of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. We drove through the historical places of the German settlement, the spirit of which had not yet disappeared from Moscow and excited the brain with its secrets. The bear sat and looked at his ticket, which turned out to be lucky, and it should have been eaten, as we did in childhood. I looked out the window, where the Yelokhovskaya Church appeared, which at that time was the main one in Moscow and the great poet Alexander Pushkin was baptized in it.

Over the golden domes floated slowly clouds like cotton candy, just as airy and white, and there was no end to them.

Bite them now, probably they are sweet? I was afraid that now it would rain and all this heavenly beauty would melt like cotton candy, but not in my mouth. Well, here’s the “scream”. It began to rain, drumming loudly, loudly on the window and its drops, wriggling on the glass, flowed down, leaving a stream bed on it. He also beat on the roof of the trolley bus, dancing a strange dance there. The golden domes of the Yelokhovskaya Church shone, multi-colored umbrellas, like autumn leaves floated along with the people, and the rain – naughty danced under their feet on the asphalt. Tango? No, foxtrot.

— Jen, maybe I should eat a lucky ticket? – Mishka asked and brought me out of a romantic state.

— Don’t, what if the inspectors, are you going to pay a fine or what?

The rain that laughed at me

At the Elokhov Church, as always full of people, open umbrellas, beggars with mugs sit in the rain and wait for someone to throw them a pretty penny.

And the mugs are filled not with a hard coin, but with rainwater from Heaven, let them think that this is “holy water”. How nice it is to ride and look out the window at which the prankster is knocking – the rain, asking for a trolleybus, but cannot get into it, so get angry, looking up at passers-by who are walking along the street, whipping them with cold drops in the face. Some of the passers-by took shelter from the rain with an umbrella, someone, not having it, with a book that they would probably never read, and who is smarter simply hid under the canopy of the house. Well, what is painfully interesting to see through the window? A narrow street, on which there are gray unprepossessing houses of 2-3 floors, built back in the time of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, and above them rises the pale-green huge Yelokhovskaya Church, which merges with the blue of the Sky? Yes, guys, this is the whole charm of this quiet old street, which simply will not exist in 20-30 years. Remember it – Old Basmannaya.

— Young man, please give me a ticket — and someone gives me four kopecks. This someone, “soaked to the skin” in the rain, as they say “from head to toe”, and from his sleeve cold drops of rain drip right down my collar, rolling down my back, causing me to tremble and silent indignation.

— In nature, everything is topsy-turvy, well, the rain got to me in such a strange way, — I thought and again looked out the window, on which the rain was drumming, he laughed at me, they say, I got to you and threatened us with thunder. And then, after a few seconds, somewhere high in the sky, there was such a bang that the old lady, who was sitting in front of us, shuddered. She mumbled something indistinct and began to cross herself frantically. I immediately remembered a saying, the meaning of which I had never understood before: “Until the thunder breaks out, the peasant will not cross himself.” After all

thunder, lightning have long been considered living beings endowed with power. They are subject to the higher Gods.

— Razgulay Square, the next — Basmanny Lane, — announced the driver and opened the doors of the trolleybus, a chemical relative of oxygen — ozone — burst into the passenger compartment, it immediately became easy to breathe. Granny calmed down, put her nerves in order and clearly asked us:

“Guys, do your stomachs hurt?”

We looked at each other, her question, seemingly simple and vital, puzzled us, but Mishka, scratching his “turnip”, answered:

— Granny, we haven’t eaten anything properly today, why will they get sick with us?

– Okay. Then remember for the future, if you want your stomach to not hurt all year, at the sound of the first thunder, you must instantly fall to the floor and roll on it, holding your stomach and writhing, as if you really have a very strong pain.

“It’s all prejudice, grandma,” I wanted to say, but then it went off like that again that I didn’t say anything, but didn’t fall on the floor of the trolleybus, as grandma advised us.

Razgulay Square – walk

Razgulay Square is a small triangular area where Staraya and Novaya Basmannaya streets converge, on the historical Pokrovskaya road. The streets Staraya and Novaya Basmanny owe their origin to the Basmannaya Sloboda Palace, which arose in Moscow in the 17th century. It is believed that it was inhabited by silversmiths who made basmy – patterned decorations for icon settings from basman (thin sheet) silver, less often gold, copper or iron. The main road from the Kremlin to the village of Rubtsovo on the Yauza, renamed in 1627 into the village of Pokrovskoye, along Staraya Basmannaya Street, past the huts of the Basmans, was the main road along which the tsars traveled to their country residence, and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich from 1650 to his beloved village of Preobrazhenskoye . Now Mishka and I are driving along this royal road on a trolley bus, though we don’t know anything about it. The Soviet “Razgulyai” is already characterized by images not of “tavern men”, but of students who, either with a briefcase in their hand and a tube with drawings, or with a folder under their arm, are sitting in a cozy little park on a bench near the monument to Nikolai Bauman, which is next to the Elokhov Church .

Students here quietly drink cheap “Ah-Dam”, oh, forgive the Agdam port wine, and over time they will be scattered around the distant cities of the USSR, and they will remember their “alma mater” all their lives – the Kuibyshev Institute of Structural Engineering, which stands at the intersection of two old Moscow streets with the cheerful name “Razgulyai”.

And then Mishka suddenly started tugging at my sleeve and whispering in my ear:

— Zhenya, look, this is Jacob Bruce’s house.

— So what? Misha, calm down already. He is your friend, isn’t he? You are so worried about him that you are shaking all over, like a seizure, – I answered calmly, but Mishka became even more excited and became, whispering some nonsense to me. Zhenya, don’t you know who Bruce is?

— No, I don’t know.

Bruce’s house and his sundial measuring “not-time”

Spartakovskaya street, 2/1

— Zhenya, well, you see, you see this house? In Pushkin’s times, it was called “The House of the Sorcerer Bruce.

” Now it houses the Kuibyshev Moscow Civil Engineering Institute. And Bruce himself lived nearby on Voznesenskaya Street, now it’s Radio Street, it’s almost next to our MVTU.

— So what? I thought to myself. Why do I need this information, what will I do with it?

— Jen, there’s a clock on Bruce’s house, see? They are magical. You stand under them and time seems to stop, – I looked at Mishka, such an obsessed storyteller, I had never seen him. – They say that Count Musin-Pushkin ordered Bruce a sundial with miraculous properties. In addition to time, the clock was supposed to indicate the location of treasures and predict the future of its owner. While Jacob Bruce was working on the clock, the count died, and his heirs did not want to pay for the work. Then Bruce cursed the clock, commanding them to continue to show only bad events. It all happened.

– Misha, it’s hard to believe in these magical hours.

– Jen, well, believe me. Bruce hung his watch for all to see! So that anyone can clarify the time and look at their future.

Because the clock also worked like a time machine: it was enough to stand under it…

— Misha, stop writing about the time machine. Bring extraterrestrial aliens in here too…

— Zhenya, it’s hard to see from the trolleybus, but I’ll describe this clock to you: the axis is in the form of a figure eight, the months are different on the sides, and some other signs are none other than Kabbalistic! This is a cross, a circle, a spade, a star, an angle. The fixture clearly resembles a cross, and the dial, or whatever you call it… Well, a poured-out coffin with cut corners. Zhenya, time flows differently under this clock! You stand under the clock for five minutes, and then the evening comes. That is, the clock pumps their time out of people and transmits it …

— Misha, did you go completely crazy in Baumanka from your studies? Where, to whom do these clocks transmit time?

But then a man who was standing next to us and was silent all the time, apparently listening to all this nonsense of ours, unexpectedly intervened in our conversation: “Guys, did Bruce make this watch? Let’s compare the dates, – I looked at the man, well, the spitting image of Professor Zhukovsky, and he continued: – Yakov Vilimovich Bruce died in 1735.

And Musin-Pushkin managed to be born only 9 years later. That is, he could not order a watch from a sorcerer. As well as the fact that the deceased Bruce could not fulfill the order. Where did this legend come from? From two sources. Firstly, in the first half of the 18th century, there really were several houses on Razgulyai in which the descendants of Jacob Bruce lived. And, by the way, there were many descendants. For example, Bruce’s nephew lived in the center of Moscow where Bryusov Lane is now. And secondly, the wife of Musin-Pushkin really had something to do with the Bruce family ….

– Guys, these watches also predict different misfortunes. That the first Patriotic war, then October 17th year. The marble board on which the clock mechanism was attached was filled with a bloody color, prophesying blood, death and other misfortunes to the townspeople. These clocks are still running today. You put your ear to the wall and hear how they knock: tick-tock, tick-tock … And evil tongues say that this is not a clock, but simply the grave of Bryus’s wife – Margaret von Manteuffel, who did not please him for some reason, – interrupted the peasant -professors and the granny who was sitting behind us interjected into our conversation.

And after her words, she crossed herself three times. I noticed her when she got into the trolleybus at the Elokhov Church. The male professor looked at the granny as if she were a witch and got off at the next stop, and we all drove on, as if under hypnosis.

But where did the watch itself come from?

— But where did the watch itself come from? I asked Misha.

– The granddaughter of Count Alexei Ivanovich Musin-Pushkin, Sofya Meshcherskaya, revealed a family secret. It turned out that the clock was installed on the house by the educator of the count’s children – the French abbot Adrian Syurug. And as Sofya later recalled: “When the clock was set, crowds of people began to flock to Razgulyai, to admire the curiosity unprecedented in Moscow, and at noon watchmakers from all over the city came here to check the exact time.”

— Misha, was this watch really that unusual?

– Zhen, after the revolution, a large number of suicides began to occur in this area.

Then the authorities ordered the rod, which, depending on the position of the Sun, showed this or that time to be removed, the Kabbalistic signs on the board to be chipped, well, and the board itself to be painted over. Well, before the war, they began to notice that, allegedly, right from the wall of the house under the clock board, from time to time men appeared, dressed in the old fashioned way – in Armenians and underwear. They widened their eyes in fear, devoutly crossed themselves, as if they did not understand where they were. Sometimes young women in multi-colored sundresses also appeared, and when they saw where they found themselves, they fell into a panic and began to cry. All these peasants and young women who came from nowhere were taken to the NKVD, after which no one saw them again.

— Misha, who were these people?

— Zhen, it seems to me that they were aliens from the past, so to speak, “displaced in space”? But then we have to admit that this clock turned out to be so strong that even after the destruction they managed to do their job, move time back and open the portal of space.

— Misha, do you even understand what nonsense you were talking about?

We have long passed this damn “Bruce’s House”, Mishka, finally, fell silent and “went into himself or into a spatial portal”, or maybe he was offended by me. Mishka talked so enthusiastically, and I hung my ears so much that I did not notice how Mishka ate the ticket. At the next stop, the inspectors entered the trolleybus unexpectedly, like “hell from a snuffbox”, which is not surprising for these mystical places, and calmly said: “Citizens, present your tickets.” And Mishka had nothing to present. I stood up for him and said that Mishka was an honest guy and bought a ticket, but accidentally ate it. The aunt in the chignon, grinning, asked: “Is he hungry? If he had asked me, I would have given him a loaf.

— No, he’s a happy aunt…, — I didn’t have time to finish, this aunt with a long loaf interrupted me again.

— You young people can’t be understood, sometimes he’s hungry, sometimes he’s happy.