Woke up with ear pain: Swimmer’s Ear (Otitis Externa): Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment

23.09.197223.08.2021 by alexxlab

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Swimmer’s Ear (Otitis Externa): Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment

If you’re like a lot of folks, you probably think of swimmer’s ear as an unwelcome souvenir of a beach vacation. And while the painful ear condition is often linked to a dunk in the ocean or the pool, the truth is you can get it on dry land, too.

No matter how you got your swimmer’s ear, once you learn to recognize the signs, you have plenty of options to treat it.

Swimmer’s ear, which has the medical name of otitis externa, is an infection in your ear canal. That’s the tube that runs from the hole on the outside of your ear to your eardrum.

Swimmer’s ear is different from the common ear infection that your young child often gets after a cold. Those are middle ear infections, or “otitis media” in doctor speak, and they happen deeper in the ear, behind the eardrum.

Usually, swimmer’s ear is caused by bacteria, but it can sometimes be brought on by a virus or fungus. Symptoms you may get are:

Itchiness in the ear
Pain, which can become severe
Trouble hearing (sound may seem muffled as your ear canal swells)
Fluid or pus draining out of the ear

Here’s one way to tell which type of ear infection you have. If it hurts when you tug or press your ear, you may have swimmer’s ear.

Why Do People Get Swimmer’s Ear?

Most of the time, your ear fights off the germs that cause swimmer’s ear on its own. You can thank your earwax for that. While it doesn’t get much respect, earwax helps protect the ear canal from damage and makes it hard for germs to grow.

But if the skin gets scratched, germs can get into your ear canal and cause an infection. Some common reasons you may get swimmer’s ear are:

Sticking stuff in your ear. If you use cotton swabs, fingers, hairpins, pen caps, or anything else to clean your ears, it can rub away the protective earwax or scratch your skin. Even ear buds, earplugs, and hearing aids can have this effect, especially if you use them a lot.

Moisture trapped in your ear. When water gets stuck in your ear canal after swimming — or after you soak in a hot tub or even take a shower or bath — it can remove some of the earwax and soften the skin, which makes it easier for germs to get in.

Humid weather and sweat can cause the same problem. Germs like a warm, wet place to grow, so moisture trapped in your ear is perfect for them.

Other things can play a role in swimmer’s ear, like:

Your age. While swimmer’s ear can happen to anyone, it’s most common in kids and early teenagers.

Narrow ear canals. Kids often have ear canals that are small and don’t drain as well.

Skin reactions and conditions. Sometimes hair products, cosmetics, and jewelry can irritate your skin and raise the odds of getting swimmer’s ear. So can skin problems like eczema and psoriasis.

How to Diagnose and Treat Swimmer’s Ear

If you have ear pain, don’t wait — see your doctor right away. Getting treatment quickly can stop an infection from getting worse.

During your appointment, your doctor will look in your ear and may gently clean it out. This will help treatments work better.

Then, you’ll probably get eardrops that may have antibiotics, steroids, or other ingredients to fight the infection and help with swelling. In some cases, you may need to take antibiotic pills, too.

Swimmer’s Ear Complications

Most of the time, swimmer’s ear starts to feel better within 2 days of starting treatment. But sometimes, it can get worse or lead to other problems, such as:

Long-term swimmer’s ear (chronic otitis externa). This is when swimmer’s ear doesn’t go away within 3 months. It can happen if you have hard-to-treat bacteria, fungus, allergies, or skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema. Your doctor may need to test a sample of any fluid in your ear to help you decide on the best treatment.

Other infections. Sometimes, the bacteria can spread deeper into your skin or to other parts of your body. One rare condition is malignant otitis externa, which happens when the infection moves into bone and cartilage in your head. It’s a medical emergency, and it’s most common in older people with diabetes and people with HIV or other immune system problems.

Treatment for these infections is with more powerful antibiotics, either by mouth or through a needle (IV).

How to Relieve Earache Pain Fast and Get More Sleep

When you are all wrapped up in your warmest clothing and the cold weather doesn’t seem to trouble you, stepping out into the cool air on a winter morning can be both fun and refreshing. However, on those unfortunate occasions when you happen to leave your hat behind, and the chilly wind blows past your ears, the resulting pain can be agonising. You will often wonder whether you’re suffering from an earache or if the harsh weather is the cause of your misery.

Even worse, while being outdoors appears to cause the pain in your ear to fluctuate, trying to settle down in the evening also intensifies the ache, denying you much needed sleep.

So how can you relieve the symptoms of earache and get more sleep? This article will show you how.

But First, What is Earache?

Earache is pain in the inner or outer ear that can interfere with your ability to hear. It can be extremely bothersome and can cause debilitating pain, affecting your ability to sleep and overall well being.

What Are the Causes of Earache?

Though mostly common in children, earaches also affect people of all ages and normally feel like a dull, sharp, or burning pain. The ache can either be constant, or it may come and go over a short period of time or even last for months. This condition may affect just one of your ears or both.

There are several reasons why earaches occur in people. Some of the causes of earaches include:

•   Ear Infections: When the earache is as a result of an ear infection, a pus-like or watery fluid may come out of the affected ear. The most common ear infections are: Otitis externa (outer ear infection) and Otitis media (middle ear infection). Otitis externa causes inflammation of the tube located between the eardrum and outer ear (the external ear canal), and the resulting pain can be very severe or moderate. On the other hand, Otitis media causes a build-up of fluid as well as inflammation behind the eardrum.

•   Damage to the ear: Earache can also occur due to injury to the inside of the ear caused by either scratching or poking. This is because, despite doctors’ warnings, many people are fond of poking cotton buds inside their ears and even scraping earwax from their ear canals – all of which can easily damage your ear canal. Normally, such actions scrape the ear canal, push the wax back into your ear, and can also puncture your eardrum if the cotton bud is poked too far into the ear, causing unbearable pain.

•   Earwax buildup: Some people naturally produce more earwax than others, and this can cause a blockage to form inside their ear canals, which can be painful and may even interfere with their hearing. It can also create an ‘earwax plug’- a condition where the earwax buildup hardens and blocks your ear’s passageway.

•   Throat Infections: Earaches are also symptoms of throat infections such as quinsy or tonsillitis. Therefore, if you are suffering from a sore throat and finding it painful to swallow as well, your ear pain could be as a result of such infections.

•   Glue ear: This is a condition whereby fluid builds up in the middle ear and the pressure exerted by this fluid causes an earache. Glue ear is quite common in children and can at times cause temporary hearing loss.

•   A dental abscess: Earache is occasionally the result of a dental abscess which is brought about by a bacterial infection. This health problem causes a collection of pus, which can form in your gums or teeth giving rise to a throbbing and intense ache in the affected tooth; and the pain sometimes spreads to the ear.

•   Problems with your jaw: In some cases, ear pain is also caused by a problem affecting the joint of the jaw bone. This is a condition that’s referred to as temporomandibular joint pain and can be the result of other problems such as teeth grinding or arthritis.

Why does ear pain feel worse at night?

In the daytime the head is almost always in a vertical position and as such air is able to flow freely through the Eustachian tubes (a narrow passage running from the throat to the middle ear cavity). Furthermore, actions such as yawning and chewing (which are more common during the day) cause these tubes to open wider and this helps to drain fluid from them, thereby allowing more air to pass through. However, when you’re lying down at night, this makes it increasingly difficult for the air to pass through; and the tubes cannot drain and may become blocked. This can therefore explain why your ear pain may feel worse during nighttime compared to the ache felt during the day.

Settling down into your normal sleep routine becomes a difficult task when suffering from an earache, since it’s hard for you to lie down on the particular side where the pain is emanating from. In addition, you may find yourself waking up frequently during the night owing to sudden sharp pains in the ear; and this in turn, may leave you feeling worn out and quite unsettled during the next day.

What are the treatments of earache to improve your sleep quality?

More often than not earaches tend to go away on their own; and if your pain is the result of an ear infection, then a prescribed course of antibiotics or ear drops should be able to help you feel better within 2 to 3 days.

But here are some other ways of managing your earache:

Relieve earache at home with these home remedies – During the first 48 hours of the earache, there are several home remedies that you can try, which may help to alleviate the ear pain and hence allow you to have a more peaceful night’s sleep. These may include the following:

•   At night try elevating your head using a few extra soft pillows; this can help to clear your Eustachian tube and allow more air to pass through. It is however, worth noting that sleeping like this may cause spinal and neck pain. Therefore, if possible you should elevate your bed’s head instead, by placing 5 or 6 inch wooden blocks under the bed’s legs or use a few sturdy books. You can also put a wedge pillow between the bed and your mattress (wedge pillows are available in many pharmacies and medical supply stores).

•   Try placing a heat pack or a warm flannel cloth over the area where the pain is coming from for about five minutes; if your problem is as a result of blockage caused by earwax buildup, the heat radiating from the cloth should help to soften the earwax.

•   Another heat remedy you can try involves putting a hairdryer on a low, warm setting and holding it about twenty centimeters away from your affected ear. You should then maintain this position for a few minutes.

•   If the ear pain happens to wake you from your sleep at night, you can try swallowing and yawning as this will also help to open up the Eustachian tubes.

•   You can also take pain relievers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen or paracetamol, before going to bed. This will help to relieve your ear pain during the night and even throughout the day as you await your doctor’s appointment.

•   Sip some water before going to sleep; the swallowing motion can help to trigger the muscles that enable the Eustachian tubes to open up and drain, therefore reducing your ear pain.

•   Another popular home remedy that some people swear by involves: placing a drop of lobelia or mullein oil, or a few drops of warmed garlic or olive oil in their ears, then loosely plugging them with cotton balls.

Consult your doctor if the ear pain persists for more than 48 hours. Do not poke at the affected ear or even attempt to medicate yourself (other than taking pain relievers), until you’ve seen your health care provider. Otherwise, this could very well worsen your earache leading to an infection. The doctor may prescribe some medication for your condition or if your ears are blocked, he or she may offer to syringe them during a later appointment.

Mild earache is one of those health conditions that can feel worse at night when you are lying awake in bed, since at this point you have all the time to think about it, despite the ache not being the actual cause of your lack of sleep. With this in mind, one way of keeping yourself from ‘over-thinking’ a mild earache is to focus on good sleep hygiene – making sure that you get off to sleep more easily and quickly, and of course allowing your body to go about its nighttime rejuvenation process.

Help relieve your earache by improving your sleep system

Another way to help relieve your earache is to improve your sleep system. Having a supportive mattress and pillow is one of the best ways to do this. At Ergoflex, naturally we recommend a memory foam mattress as it is designed to mould and shape to the body’s contours to provide a comfortable and supportive night’s sleep. This will keep your head, neck and back supported.

To further help keep your head and neck elevated and supported all night long, our memory foam pillow is ideal. It is made from true density visco-elastic memory foam that is rated excellent for posture support and it’s elevation can help clear your Eustachian tube to relieve earache.

Further Reading

If you enjoyed this article you will find the below of interest:
Introducing the all-new Ergoflex 5G Memory Foam Mattress
The ultimate sleep improvement checklist
Four theories as to why we need to sleep

Adults can get ear infections that should be treated

It’s the middle of the night and you wake up with a sharp, stabbing pain in your ear. You’re pretty sure you have an ear infection. You’re surprised, because you didn’t know adults could get ear infections. As it turns out, they can.

What is an ear infection?

While mostly thought of as a childhood ailment, a little less than 20 percent of ear infections occur in adults. Ear infections are more common in children because their Eustachian tubes are smaller and can therefore become blocked easier.

Ear infections can affect the inner, middle, and outer ear, and can be caused by inflammation, bacteria or viruses, or water that remains in your ear after swimming or bathing.

Symptoms of adult ear infections include ear pain, muffled hearing, a feeling of fullness in the ear, ear drainage, and nausea.

How can I prevent an adult ear infection?

To prevent an ear infection, make sure to completely dry your ears after any extended period of time in the water. Also, not only should you not smoke, but you should avoid secondhand smoke if possible. Try to avoid people with upper respiratory problems, and make sure allergies are managed appropriately.

Why and how should I treat my ear infection?

Most ear infections are treated with antibiotics. If you don’t get treatment for an ear infection, you not only run the risk of the infection spreading to other parts of your head, but it may even cause permanent hearing loss. If the infection persists, your doctor may try other antibiotics or even consider you for ear tubes. You should strongly consider going to the emergency room if your ear pain is accompanied by nausea or a high fever.

Other causes of ear pain

If your only symptom is an earache, you might have another issue that causes ear pain, including dental disease, TMJ (jaw joint) pain, neck pain, or throat pain. Adult ear infections or ear pain may also be the sign of a more serious health problem, such as meningitis or head trauma.

If the pain doesn’t get better, you have a fever, fluid is draining from your ear, or you have trouble hearing, you’ll want to see a doctor as soon as you can, CEENTA ENT doctor John Kilde, MD, said. These will help your doctor rule out any of the more serious complications possible and ensure they have every chance to restore your hearing to normal.

Listen to what your body tells you. Don’t ignore ear pain just because you think you’re too old for ear infections.

This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your physician. To make an appointment with Dr. Kilde or any of CEENTA’s ENT doctors, call 704-295-3000. You can also schedule an appointment online or through myCEENTAchart.

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Conditions That Cause Ear Pain

There are numerous causes of ear pain. First, differentiate between inner ear pain and outer ear pain. Then, recognizing the other associated symptoms may help you narrow down the cause of your pain.

Verywell / Gary Ferster

Causes of Inner Ear Pain

Pain inside the ear may be from any of several common conditions.

Otitis Media

Otitis media is the medical term for a middle ear infection. The condition can cause significant ear pain which may get worse when lying down. Otitis media occurs when the auditory tube becomes blocked and is unable to drain. This may occur following a cold or congestion caused by allergies.

Otitis media is more common in children because of the size and angle of their auditory tube but can also occur in adults. Other symptoms of otitis media may include fever, nausea and vomiting, loss of balance, or in severe cases, drainage from the ear. Small children who are unable to talk may become irritable and may touch or pull at their ears.

Mastoiditis

Mastoiditis is an uncommon condition that occurs when a middle ear infection spreads to the mastoid bone. In addition to the symptoms of a middle ear infection symptoms of mastoiditis include redness or swelling behind the ear, headaches, and if the infection progresses long enough, abscesses in the neck.

Foreign Objects

Foreign objects in the ear commonly occur in children. When the object becomes stuck in the ear, pain can occur. If an object is pushed too far inside of the ear it can actually rupture the eardrum.

Auditory Tube Dysfunction

Auditory tube dysfunction is the abnormal opening or closing of the auditory tube. Under normal circumstances, the auditory tube opens and closes in response to changes in atmospheric pressure. This allows the air inside of the middle ear to equalize.

Any condition that causes the auditory tube to become clogged or prevents it from opening and closing can be referred to as auditory tube dysfunction. This can result in pressure and pain in the ear when the atmospheric pressure changes rapidly and the pressure in the middle ear is unable to equalize.

Examples of situations that might cause this are taking off or landing in an airplane, scuba diving, or driving up a steep mountain. In some cases, you may experience ear pain for a moment which then subsides as the pressure in the middle ear stabilizes.

In severe cases, pressure in the middle ear becomes too great and the eardrum may rupture. This is called barotrauma of the ear.

Ruptured Eardrum

Ruptured eardrums can cause severe pain initially. However, the pain may quickly subside after the rupture.

The most common cause of a ruptured eardrum is barotrauma due to auditory tube dysfunction and atmospheric pressure changes. A ruptured eardrum can also be caused by extremely loud noises or trauma when foreign objects such as bobby pins or Q-tips are inserted into the ear.

Besides pain that may last only a short period of time, other symptoms of a ruptured eardrum include sudden hearing loss, dizziness, and drainage from the ear which may be bloody.

Causes of Outer Ear Pain

There are several possible causes of pain felt outside of the ear canal.

Otitis Externa

Otitis externa is the medical term for swimmer’s ear. Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear caused by contaminated water. It is common among swimmers but can also occur when the ears do not completely dry out after baths or showers.

Swimmer’s ear occurs in both children and adults. In addition to ear pain can result in ear redness, itchy ears, dry flaky skin, drainage from the ear, and fevers.

Ear Trauma

Ear trauma refers to any kind of injury to the outer portion of the ear. This type of injury can commonly occur in certain contact sports such as mixed martial arts, but the risk is reduced if headgear is worn. If an injury becomes infected it can lead to perichondritis.

Perichondritis

Perichondritis is an infection of the cartilage which makes up the outer ear and is usually the result of trauma to the ear from surgery, ear piercing, or accidental injury. In addition to ear pain, symptoms include redness and swelling. In severe cases, you may experience fever, purulent drainage, or even deformation of the ear.

Referred Ear Pain

Sometimes ear pain results even though the source of the pain is not in the ear but elsewhere in the body. This is especially true since the ears are connected to other parts of the head and neck.

For example, the auditory tube drains into the back of the throat. The ears are also connected to the sinuses, which are connected to the nasal passageways and nasolacrimal duct. Ear pain that is caused by a condition elsewhere in the body is called referred ear pain.

Known causes of referred ear pain include:

Rare Causes of Ear Pain

Some other causes of ear pain which are very rare include:

Why do my ears feel clogged? Four common reasons

Contributed by Debbie Clason, staff writer, Healthy Hearing
Last updated April 12, 20212021-04-12T00:00:00-05:00

There are times when you purposely plug your ears—think fingers or earplugs—and then there are, well, other times when your ears feel clogged for no good reason.

Why is sound muffled when there doesn’t appear to be anything inside your ear canal? The causes can range from the completely harmless (earwax) to allergies to more insidious conditions like anxiety disorder or Meniere’s disease.

Here are four of the most common reasons why your ears might feel clogged or plugged up:

Impacted earwax

Normally, earwax is the body’s way of protecting the ear. Its sticky consistency traps dirt and other pollutants, act as a lubricant, and because it naturally falls out of the ear canal on its own, serves as a natural self-cleaning agent. On occasion, however, it can become impacted and affect your ability to hear.

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the following symptoms indicate earwax is causing a problem:

A feeling that the ear is clogged

An earache

Partial hearing loss

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ear

Itching, odor or discharge

Coughing

Find out why your ears feel clogged and

get relief!

The only way to know for sure—and to remove the earwax safely from the affected ear—is to see a physician or your hearing healthcare professional. Please note that it is never appropriate to try and remove the earwax yourself using a cotton swab, baby oil, or hydrogen peroxide. Not only could you accidentally puncture your eardrum or push the earwax deeper into the canal and cause impaction, removing this natural protective lubricant can lead to the development of dry, itchy ears. It’s best to let a professional determine whether or not your ears need a more thorough cleaning beyond what you can safely do with a warm, soapy washcloth.

More: Why do my ears itch and what can I do about it?

Fluid in the ear

Fluid can develop in the ear for several reasons. Here are some of the most common:

Middle ear infection: Children and adults who develop middle ear infections may experience a plugged ear sensation due to fluid build-up behind the eardrum. Although this condition usually clears on its own, it can be painful. It’s time to call a doctor if the pain is severe, you notice a fluid discharge or symptoms persist for more than a day. Children younger than six months should be seen immediately.

Another reason to appreciate earwax? It acts as a deterrent for water to enter the ear when you swim or bathe. Even so, there are times water can become trapped inside the Eustachian tubes from swimming, bathing or moist environments. If it does, try these simple techniques to encourage it to drain.

Tilt your head sideways and pull the earlobe gently.

Use a warm compress. This helps open up the Eustachian tubes so water can drain naturally.

Yawn, chew, take a deep breath or use the Valsalva maneuver by holding your nose and blowing gently.

Sinus pressure

You may be familiar with stuffed nasal passages and facial tenderness brought about by sinus pressure, but did you know it can also cause temporary hearing loss? The sinus cavities—hollow spaces located in your bones near the nose and between the eyes—are also located beside the ear canal. When you experience an inflammation in your sinus cavities, it can cause your Eustachian tubes to swell. When that happens, the connection between the middle ear and throat is closed which puts pressure on the eardrum causing that clogged ear feeling—or worse—pain and hearing loss. Both spring time allergies and infection can cause stuffy ears, though infections are typically more painful. Also, in some cases, allergies can cause temporary hearing loss.

Fortunately, most hearing loss caused by sinus pressure is temporary and hearing returns to normal once the sinus congestion clears. Even so, if you experience pain or sudden hearing loss due to sinus congestion, contact your family doctor. They can determine the cause of your discomfort and prescribe medication to alleviate the pain and swelling.

Earache and COVID-19

Because COVID-19 is a respiratory virus, it can sometimes cause congestion, sinus pressure and pain near the ears, though ear pain and clogged ears are not common symptoms. The coronavirus is more likely to cause fatigue, sore throat, cough, fever and chills.

In very rare cases, the virus has been linked to sudden hearing loss. If you are experiencing any cold or flu symptoms, it’s best to contact your doctor, who can advise you if you should get tested.

More: COVID-19 and hearing loss

Noise damage

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most common types of sensorineural hearing loss. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), as many as 40 million Americans have hearing loss in one or both ears which may have been caused by exposure to excessive noise over a long period of time or a one time exposure to an extremely loud noise, such as an explosion or blast.

If your ears feel clogged or you hear ringing in your ears (tinnitus) after an evening with friends at the club or an afternoon in a rowdy sports stadium, it’s likely due to excessive noise exposure. Although these symptoms typically clear within 48 hours, you can prevent permanent hearing loss by taking precautions the next time you know you’ll be in a noisy environment:

Wear earplugs or other hearing protective devices when you’re involved in an activity where sound measures more than 85 decibels (dB).

Turn down the volume on the television, car radio or any personal electronic device with which you use earbuds.

If you can’t protect your hearing from the noise or reduce the volume, move as far away from it as possible.

Other less common causes

Anxiety can cause ear fullness, pressure and pain

It’s not unusual for people with anxiety to experience ear pain and pressure, especially during a panic attack or when under a lot of stress. You may experience this as ear pressure, fullness, pain or even that your ears simply “feel weird.” You may have a near-constant urge to pop your ears to relieve the pressure, but the ear popping does little to help you feel better.

Why does this happen? The inner ears are very sensitive to changes in fluid and blood supply. If your heart is racing and/or your blood pressure is elevated because you feel anxious (and/or you have a heart condition), your ears can be affected very quickly. Likewise, elevated stress hormones can alter the delicate balance of fluids in your ear, making them swell.

Meniere’s disease and balance disorders

People with inner ear conditions, such as Meniere’s, may experience what they perceive as “ear fullness” due to an imbalance of ear fluids in the inner ear. If this symptom if accompanied by dizziness, tinnitus or hearing loss, you should seek medical help.

Outer ear infection (“swimmer’s ear”)

The first stages of an outer ear infection, known as swimmer’s ear, often include muffled hearing or a feeling of clogged ears. In some cases, there may be discharge.

Seek help for clogged ears

Although we’ve covered four of the most common reasons you ears may feel clogged, it’s always wise to seek the advice of a hearing healthcare professional whenever you are having trouble hearing. Unclogging your ears at home using home remedies such as ear candling or a cotton swab is never a good idea.

Here’s a tip: Find a doctor, hearing specialist or audiologist near you and have your hearing evaluated before trouble starts. The baseline information the initial test provides will be a good benchmark for your medical team to use in an emergency situation and to monitor your hearing health.

Earache – HSE.ie

Earache and ear pain affects both children and adults. It is particularly common in young children.

Earache usually comes on suddenly and the pain can be quite severe. The severe pain generally lasts only a day or two but isn’t usually a sign of anything serious.

Most earaches are caused by a virus so antibiotics won’t help.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of earache are:

severe pain (caused by the pressure of mucus on the eardrum)
a high temperature
slight deafness

About three-quarters of these ear infections happen in children under 10 years of age. If there is no fever or temperature, the earache may be caused by a wax blockage or glue ear. A sore throat can also cause an earache.

Sometimes the pressure can cause the eardrum to burst and fluid may come out of the ear. There is no cause for alarm if this happens. You should just keep the ear dry and make an appointment to see your GP.

Symptoms of earache in babies and young children

Most earaches in children are caused by viral infections which will clear up by themselves in 3 to 4 days. Usually, pain relief is the only treatment needed. Antibiotics will not reduce the pain of an ear infection.

A young child with earache might also:

have a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above
rub or pull their ear
not react to some sounds
be irritable or restless
be off their food
keep losing their balance

Earache and ear pain can affect one or both ears.

Treatment

There are some things you can do to help relieve an earache and ear pain.

You can take over-the-counter medicines to help with the pain and high temperature. Ask your pharmacist for advice.

Do not take antibiotics for an ear infection unless your GP prescribes them. Ear infections are generally caused by viruses and antibiotics cannot treat viruses.

After an ear infection, you may still have fluid behind your eardrum. This can last for several months. Your ear may feel uncomfortable but it will be a more of a dull, abnormal feeling than a sharp pain. This may also affect your hearing for a short while until the fluid is gone.

When to see your GP

Usually, you do not need to see your GP for an earache.

How to Sleep with an Ear Infection

Elevation (aka sleeping upright)

Sleeping upright is a great help when it comes to resting with ear infection symptoms. Sleeping sitting up can allow fluid in your ear to drain easier, as well as easing pressure and pain in your middle ear – the likely source of the infection itself.

Try propping yourself up on a stack of pillows, or better yet sleep in a reclining sofa or armchair. As long as you’re upright enough to allow the ears to drain more successfully, you should notice an improvement in symptoms and be able to sleep much easier.

Over-the-counter painkillers

For adults, taking pain relief medication such as paracetamol or ibuprofen before bedtime may be a big help in relieving ear infection symptoms and granting a good night’s sleep. Children under the age of two should not take over-the-counter medicines for an ear infection, unless they have been advised by their pediatrician. Likewise, those with ongoing health conditions should be sure to consult a doctor for advice on which painkiller is best.

Sip and swallow

Sipping water before you go to sleep, or during the night, may help with sleep while suffering from an ear infection. Alternatively, you could always do neck and swallowing exercises in the lead up to sleeping.

This is because the motion of swallowing can help trigger the muscles of the Eustachian tubes, which run from the middle ear to the back of the nasal cavity, to open and drain, acting as a natural means of reducing pain.

Switching positions

Lying on your back puts pressure on your ears, which is exactly what you want to avoid while suffering from an ear infection. It is this pressure that causes pain in the middle ear and prevents you from sleeping well in the first place.

However, by regularly changing positions during sleep, you can help relieve some of this pressure and hopefully drift off that much more comfortably. As previously mentioned, sleeping upright is a good method to try, but for natural, familiar sensations, resting on your side will have the most relaxing effect.

If your ear infection is occurring in just one ear, sleep on the side of the healthy ear to avoid adding even more pressure to the affected area.

Allergy and congestion relief

If you’re an adult and can attribute your ear infection to an upper respiratory infection, e.g. a cold, you may benefit from temporarily using oral or nasal decongestants to help clear any blockage and relieve pressure from your ears, nose and throat – even if just for a short while.

Managing your allergy and congestion symptoms brought on by an ear infection may increase comfort and give you a better night’s sleep. Think your ear infection could be as a result of allergies? Take an antihistamine like chlorpheniramine to help improve symptoms, but only after first consulting with your doctor; it could be that they a recommend more effective treatment for your ear infection.

Children who are having trouble sleeping because of an ear infection shouldn’t be given antihistamines or decongestants as a means to manage symptoms. Their paediatrician will advise on the best course of action to take if your child is struggling to sleep while battling persistent effects of an ear infection.

Ear infections can be awful at night, and it’s vital you have the right amount of sleep to recharge for the day ahead. If an ear infection is preventing you from sleeping, please contact your GP or an audiologist to examine the problem and start treatment as soon as possible.

90,000 I have stuffy ears – what could be the reason?

If you have stuffy ears, there may be several reasons, as well as ways to get rid of this stuffiness. But first things first.

The feeling of stuffiness in the ears always causes discomfort. Sounds become muffled, as is sometimes the case when you fly an airplane or when water gets into your ears.

But if this sensation persists, then it’s not just the plane or the water.

It also matters whether this feeling of stuffiness is accompanied by pain in the ears or not.What do you feel?

I feel stuffy and pain in my ears

In this case, an ear infection may be the cause.

Ear infections are common and there can be many reasons for this: sinusitis, excessive sulfur production, allergies and even smoking.

Certain serious infections of the inner ear can lead to meningitis, a ruptured eardrum, or hearing loss, so seek immediate medical attention.

I feel stuffy in my ears, but no pain

In this case, excessive earwax may be the cause.

Earwax protects our ears from dirt and bacteria, preventing these particles from entering the ear canal and damaging the eardrum.

But if too much sulfur has accumulated in the ears, it can cause the formation of a sulfur plug. And, as you might guess, it also affects hearing.

If the earwax is not removed, it can cause hearing impairment at some point.

So why do you sometimes get stuffy ears?

Different people produce earwax in different amounts.For example, hearing aids or earplugs prevent the release of wax from the ear and can contribute to the formation of waxy plug.

Therefore, if you have a lot of wax, or if you wear hearing aids or often use ear plugs, be sure to clean your ears regularly.

What should you do if wax has accumulated in your ears?

We know very well how you sometimes want to take a cotton swab and clean your ear, but please don’t! This will only make things worse.

If your ears are blocked, the best thing to do is see a doctor.

But if your ears are still blocked even after you have cleaned them, these may be the first symptoms of hearing loss.

It may be time to make an appointment with a hearing examiner.

To get started, you can take our free hearing test online, but if you still have a cerumen plug in your ears, then chances are that now you hear worse than usual. In any case, our online test will help you determine the need, make an appointment with a specialist.

Here you will find the addresses of specialists near you.

What to do if a child’s ear hurts

So, you are a parent with a crying baby in his arms complaining of a sore ear. Without wasting time, we get down to action.

1. Calm down

Firstly, because the child is not feeling well and at such a moment he especially needs a reliable, calm, confident shoulder of a father or mother. And not in this alarming one: “A-a-a, what to do ?!”

Secondly, ear pain in babies is a common phenomenon ^{and occurs much more often than in adults.}

According to the National Institute for Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (US) ^{, five out of six children will develop an ear infection at least once before they are 3 years old.}

There are quite natural reasons for this.

Physiological

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In this picture, we are most interested in the Eustachian tube – the cavity that connects the ear to the nasopharynx. Normally, it serves to equalize pressure from the outside and in the middle ear cavity and is generally extremely useful.But sometimes it can be harmful.

The classic case is any acute respiratory viral infection, accompanied by snot. When we sniff (it doesn’t matter if we are in or out of ourselves), mucus gets into the Eustachian tube. And it can block it. The natural pressure equalization mechanism is disrupted, the tympanic membrane bends due to the pressure difference. This is how acute pain appears.

Second point: together with mucus, viruses and bacteria can enter the ear, which caused respiratory illness. There is inflammation – otitis media.

The eustachian tubes of children are shorter and straighter than those of adults. That is why they are especially easily blocked by mucus, and microbes are just a stone’s throw from the middle ear cavity.

Immune

The child’s immune system is not yet as effective as that of an adult. Because of this, the body is not always able to fight the infection in time and otitis media occur more often.

Physicians are well aware of these features of the child’s body and have a proven practice of treating otitis media in children. In most cases, hospitalization is not required: you can help your baby cope with the disease at home.But sometimes there are difficult cases.

2. Make sure that the situation does not require an ambulance call

Contact your pediatrician as soon as possible, or even call an ambulance if ^:

symptoms of an ear infection (crying, fussing, fever, trying to hit the ear with your hands) are observed in a child under 6 months old;
the baby cries incessantly, complains of severe pain;
its temperature exceeds 38. 8 ℃;
The ear is swollen and / or fluid is leaking from it.

In such conditions, you may have to go with the child to the hospital.

If there is soreness, but there are no dangerous symptoms, still inform your pediatrician about the situation (it is better to call him at home). Only a doctor will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment.

But before his arrival, you can relieve the baby’s condition on your own.

3. Help your child get rid of ear pain

Let’s immediately mention two important “not”:

Do not give your baby an antibiotic if the medicine is not prescribed by a doctor! First, the self-prescription of such drugs is evil.Why – Lifehacker wrote in detail here. Second, a review of studies published 90,056 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 80% of children with ear infections recover in about three days without antibiotics. Only a pediatrician can determine whether your child belongs to the remaining 20%.
Do not drip anything into your ears until your doctor prescribes drops! In some cases, this can worsen the baby’s condition.

And here’s what you can do, even if the pediatrician has not yet reached you.

Apply a warm, damp compress to your ear

This can be a heating pad wrapped in a thin tissue. Or a soft cloth dipped in warm water. Compressing will relieve pain and soothe.

Give pain reliever

For babies over 6 months old, an over-the-counter paracetamol or ibuprofen based medication is suitable. Strictly follow the recommendations that are given in the instructions for a particular product!

And do not give children under 14 (some sources even insist on 16) aspirin.

Water your baby more often

It’s all the same than: water, milk, compote, juice, fruit drink. The main thing is that the child drinks. Swallowing helps clear mucus from the Eustachian tube and may relieve pain.

Raise his bed at the head of the bed

So that the head is higher than the body. This will improve drainage of your sinuses and Eustachian tube.

Don’t put a pillow under your child’s head – instead, place a couple of pillows under the mattress at the head of the bed.

4. Wait for the doctor and strictly follow his prescription

Once again, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician if an ear infection is suspected.Perhaps the doctor will prescribe medications for the child – vasoconstrictor, ear drops, or even an antibiotic. Strictly follow all your doctor’s recommendations.

Within 3-4 days after the onset of the disease, the baby will feel practically healthy. If the pain in the ears continues, contact your pediatrician again as soon as possible so as not to miss the development of possible complications.

The ear hurts! First aid before visiting the doctor | Child health | Health

Features of the structure

In children under three years of age, the development of otitis media during a cold or immediately after it is a common phenomenon, it is associated with the structural features of the children’s nasopharynx: a wide and short auditory tube facilitates infection in the ear.

Often, excessive zeal of the mother in the fight against the common cold leads to otitis media, when, when rinsing the nose, fluid is injected into the nasal cavity under pressure and drives the infection into the auditory tube and further into the middle ear.

Otitis often occurs in children with adenoids, as the proliferation of lymphoid tissue compresses the auditory tube, disrupting its patency.

The most characteristic symptom of otitis media is severe ear pain. The child does not just complain, but screams and sobs so that no one doubts the need for urgent help.The baby does not know how to speak, but with anxiety and a shrill cry, he lets his mother know that he needs help. When you press on the tragus, the anxiety increases and the reason for the baby’s unusual behavior becomes clear.

According to the law of meanness, the disease occurs at the most inappropriate time – at night or on weekends, and in the most inappropriate place – at the dacha, on a trip, when there is no way to show the child to the ENT doctor. Therefore, it is very important that parents can independently provide first aid to a sick person.

Algorithm of actions

We need to start with the treatment … of the nose. It is the vasoconstrictor nasal drops, reducing the edema of the mucous membrane of the auditory tube, improving the ventilation of the middle ear cavity and the outflow of inflammatory exudate from it.
Then put 3-4 drops of an anti-inflammatory drug approved for use in children with ENT problems into the ear. Preheat the drops to body temperature by holding the pipette with the contents in your hand. It is even better to insert a cotton ball moistened with warm drops into the ear canal.You can use drops only if the integrity of the eardrum is intact, that is, if the ear does not flow.
Give the child any antipyretic at an age-appropriate dose. Many mothers are perplexed: why, if the child does not have a temperature? These drugs have not only antipyretic, but also anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, so their use for otitis media is justified. And they do not lower the normal temperature.
A good effect will be brought by dry heat: a ball of cotton wool or a scarf warmed up on a battery, placed over the ear.Heat relieves pain, improves blood flow to the middle ear and tissue nourishment, promoting a speedy recovery.

If you have completed all these steps, after 20 minutes the baby will forget about the ear and sleep all night, and in the morning you will notice an improvement in his condition. But this does not mean that the child no longer needs to be taken to the ENT doctor. Only a doctor for the condition of the eardrum can prescribe further treatment and decide if you need antibiotics.

Read the online book Spouses involuntarily (SI)

Read the online book Spouses involuntarily (SI) – Oksana Severnaya for free. 11th page of the text of the book.

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– Lair Tyrash! – a frightened Amery appeared in front of us and immediately bent down, staring at the floor.- All communication artifacts were activated at once! Carriages constantly drive up to the house! They brought gifts from Lier Braden and Lier Roderick. Everyone’s looking for Liera Shailene! What should I answer?

– Disable all artifacts. Do not open the door to anyone. Do not bring gifts into the house, – Rush distributed instructions on the way, heading towards the stairs and completely oblivious to extraneous sounds.

“And please make some tea,” I added, following Rush. – Thank you, Amery.

Maybe this mysterious Genarra can help us find the source? This dragon clearly knew more than she had told Rush.What exactly did her prophecy sound like? What … Layrelin won’t take the wing? Or … will I lose my wings?

The office door appeared before my eyes, and Rush confidently pushed it open.

– My father, it seems, knew the approximate location of the source, – the husband went to the side of the rack and began to open the papers. “He researched ancient records, talked to desert dragons and … composed this. Rush grabbed a small piece of yellowed paper from the shelf. “But this is only a part of this map.I suppose the second part should be sought from your father.

I closed the distance between us and fixed my gaze on Rush’s find. And she almost jumped up in surprise. I’ve seen it before!

– The second part of the map is in the house! I am now! – picking up the hem of the dress, I rushed to my room, hoping that Amery did not touch my things.

And, glory to all the dragon gods, the very bag in which the things from the father’s office were kept was still hidden in the closet.With unbending fingers, I went through the books and papers in search of a piece of the map. She grabbed it and turned around. Rush, of course, has already made it to my bedroom. He immediately grabbed the paper and joined both parts together.

“Yes, this is it.” His eyes glittered feverishly, and his finger slid along the carefully drawn lines. “Only the Keeper can get to the source. We need to fly now.

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Is he out of his mind ?!

– No! – shook her head. – The flight will kill you! Heard what Talir Deringriel told you? Week of bed rest!

“And it will be too late.” Rush tucked the pieces of the map into his jacket pocket.- We must fly now, before the news of the dragon’s birth spread throughout the empire! Showing Layrelin in front of hundreds of viewers was not a good idea. By the way, what does she think about this?

The dragon responded in dismay.

– She thinks the same as I do. Rush, you might not reschedule the flight!

– I feel pretty good!

“I doubt it,” I shook my head. – Do not you understand? You can die! Not even from this dark fog! But simply because of his obstinacy! The poison is still in your blood.

– It doesn’t make any difference. Argrim will take the flight. ”Rush pursed his lips, then closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. – We’re leaving now.

Pale, exhausted, with perspiration on his forehead … Doesn’t he understand ?! Maybe the poison fogged his mind ?!

– No! – shook her head, feeling a lump roll up to her throat again. – In my opinion, the poison intoxicated you! You can’t take the flight. Rush … I’m afraid for you. If you die, so will Argrim. History will repeat itself… She won’t bring it in, Rush. And I … I can’t stand it!

His eyes burned again from tears.

“You’re exaggerating …” He ran his thumb across his cheek, wiping away a tear.

And the next moment I covered his lips with a kiss, silencing him. Then she pulled away. He stared at close range, without blinking. His breath caught in his throat, his hair stuck to his forehead. And the whole world around him narrowed down to this look.

– Rush, I love you, – breathed out barely audibly.

And then his lips gently touched his cheek, his hand buried in his hair.His touch made everything inside convulsively shrink. The flame inside flared up, raising from within all naked feelings, all desires, everything that seemed to be reliably hidden. Everything around suddenly became unimportant, unnecessary. The happiness of being with him, boundless, uncontrollable and so bright, covered the consciousness. Carried away from reality, forcing him to tremble in his hands.

His palms crushed the delicate skin, tore the tissue that separated our bodies. Each touch is so welcome, burning, so intimate.Hoarse, intermittent breathing tickled the skin. Lips slid down the neck, down below. Gently caressed the sensitive skin, forcing it to arch towards him.

I wanted more. To unbearable pain, I wanted him entirely and in return to give himself to him. Everything, to the last drop of flame.

Without breaking a kiss, she stretched towards the bed.

A hoarse roar escaped through the deep, uneven breathing, echoing inside me in a new flash.

– I love you, – his hoarse whisper mixed with a dull roar inside.

And … I melted into the surging sensations. The flame inside flared up more and more, the desire to flare up became more acute and painful with every second. I wanted to belong only to him. Him and no one else.

She leaned towards him herself. And he did not hesitate any longer. A moment, and we became one. Unhurriedly, carefully, gently, with every movement he gave the feeling of boundless love, brought him to the edge, after which nothing would be the same. Slowly, slowly, holding back…

Short moment. My heart sank. And the World swayed and crumbled into hundreds of thousands of fragments. There was a new, impossible feeling inside. Pleasure. An intoxicating, languid pleasure that makes you forget yourself in your own emotions. Become part of our common flame.

CHAPTER 35

Tairash

– It seems to be here! Shailene drawled thoughtfully, biting her lip.

A quick glance at Tairash – and her cheeks were pink with embarrassment. And Rush smiled wistfully, feeling his blood boil again with desire and the memory of what happened that night.The new outfit was incredible for her: black trousers and a navy blue shirt; favorably emphasizing all the curves of the figure. And the thoughts of the spouse began to turn into a completely different, infinitely far from the investigation channel. Yet his wife was incredibly beautiful … and passionate, despite her inexperience. And it was dizzy – unusual, but so … right.

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Agrim’s emotions were similar, but much stronger. Rush could understand him. Now I knew exactly what it was like to love. To love for eternity from the very beginning of time, from the first spark.To lose, to wander in the darkness, feeling that she is somewhere, to call her. Finally, find.

They were both happy. And he knew – and she also loves him.

With an effort of will, Tairash turned his gaze to the wasteland stretched for hundreds of miles. Gray, as if burnt out. The gusty wind carried clouds of gray dust, roll it into clouds and cover the wasteland with the same gray fog. A particularly impressive landscape opened up from the bald plateau on the border of the Gray Lands. Argrim immediately screwed up the picture of the still blossoming gardens, and the mood was immediately utterly ruined.

“I don’t imagine what kind of power could have done such a thing,” sighed Tyrash, following the lone vulture with his gaze. He turned sharply, and almost winced from the shooting pain in his shoulder. “Even death magic must have some limits. So many years, but here like a conflagration …

– Lyrelin says that she loved this place, – Shailene sighed, too, losing all playfulness and remembering the main purpose of their journey. “And her heart breaks with what has become of the gardens.

What was there to say to that?

There was a heavy, viscous silence in the air.There was everything in him – grief, pain and a very vivid feeling of wasted time.

“I think the hike will take too long,” Shayleigh defended.

“And the flight is stupid,” Rush sighed. – Because behind such a fog, not a single landmark is visible. And if we fly low, we will raise such dust into the air with our wings that we will suffocate ourselves, ” Tyrash grumbled thoughtfully, grimacing again, following the vulture plying back and forth. – Although …

One moment, and in the middle of a wide plateau, there was already a huge black dragon.

Arigim ascended into the sky easily, sweeping away small pebbles and debris from the flat stone wasteland.

“What’s there ?!” – The impatient thoughts of Lyrelin came to him, and Argrim glancing at Shayleigh, who was stomping with impatience, not taking her eyes off him, thought that she had not changed a bit in hundreds of years. Everything is the same, like the fire itself, impatient, free … and so beloved.

“There is an assumption!” – the black dragon defended mentally.

Argrim climbed exactly to the level where the vulture circled.If he is able to find food in such a fog or a way to the nest, then the dragons have hope.

The bird emerged from the gray fog and, as if along the corridor, moved into the depths of the wasteland. The dragon leveled the height, slipped into the same corridor and smugly noted that below, albeit indistinct, but you can see the landscape. This means that there is hope, if not to find the Source immediately, then at least not to get lost in the gray lands forever.

“So what did you find ?!” – Lyrelin’s voice rang out in his head, and Argrim did not see, but rather felt her approach.

“I assume these are corridors. If we do not whip up the dust with sharp flaps of the wings, then, most likely, we will be able to somehow navigate the terrain. You still don’t feel the direction? ”

Very faint echoes. Direction … but we already know which direction to fly approximately. So not very valuable information, ”Lin concluded sadly.

“Let’s hope that the call will become more palpable as we approach,” he tried to cheer up his beloved dragon.

He hadn’t really hoped for it.In some of his past lives, he also heard this call, remembered the attraction that could not be resisted. The power that flows around and overflows.

Two ancient lizards – black and gold – glided in the mist over the gray wasteland. Wing to wing, like thousands of years from the beginning of time. We glided between the clouds and the dusty curtain, barely finding our bearings.

Time passed like thick jelly. They seemed to be circling the Gray Lands for ages, but the results were still not observed.Even a learned map did not help. It seemed that they were flying in a circle and all to no avail.

And Argrim even began to despair of finding anything at all today.

Lin is tired despite trying not to show it. The golden scales were dusty and dull, and the dragon snorted more and more from the thick dust. The weakness from Tyrash’s injury was still draining strength from the raptor.

“We’d better come back tomorrow!” – suggested Argrim.

“Probably!” – Lin responded in frustration, but after a moment she started, sharply lowered the altitude, plunging into a cloud of thick dust, and then Argrim heard the happy roar of his dragon, shuddering the dead lands.“Argrim, I can feel him! Do you hear! Feel!”

Agrim froze. I listened to myself. And at the same moment he darted after his wife.

Yes. He also heard the call. Much weaker. Almost imperceptible. But he heard him …

And after a moment he was already as if enchanted following this call. I felt the attraction. Even remotely not similar to the previous call, but still.

Mighty paws plunged into the dust, lifting a thick cloud into the air. And now Argrim realized what he was trying to deny – gray sand, in fact – ash.The dragon closed his eyes, waiting for the dust to settle and only after that, Tairash’s consciousness took over, magic enveloped the powerful body, and a man was already in the dragon’s place.

“Gods,” Shailene hissed in a lifeless voice, approaching a huge reservoir at the bottom of which blood-red water splashed. “Before… everything was… different here,” Shayleigh choked out as if choking on her own words.

This was really not the case here. The lake, in which, “as if the sun had drowned,” as Lin called it.It sparkled, there was so much power in it. In him was life itself – the souls of thousands of dragons that, after going through the eternal cycle, again found a body. Maybe Ryrash Haymar should have been somewhere in the same place. But… now the thought was scary.

“We’ll fix it, Shayleigh,” Tyrash promised, putting his arm around her shoulders, as if trying to discourage her from rash actions.

And then strong magic, as if entangled him hand and foot. Dark, evil, hateful and familiar to the teeth gnashing.

“How wonderful that you are both here,” a very familiar voice sounded very close. – Last time, the second time was not enough for me to finally rid the world of the lizards.

CHAPTER 36

Lyrelin

Heavy, soul-tearing memories burst into the dragon’s mind along with aching pain. How could she forget? How could these events disappear from memory? What It All Started With …

Gwendoline. Her image appeared before my eyes. Red hair, a soft smile on plump lips and huge eyes.Young, lovely, trusting, kind and … in love. Her warm heart was overwhelmed with this bright, pure feeling.

– Rick! Rick, I felt it! I felt the dragon! – a melodic girlish voice sounded in my ears so clearly, as if it was yesterday.

As always, they met outside the city, in a spacious old park, away from other people’s condemning looks and ears. Gwendolyn’s parents did not approve of their daughter’s choice, condemned her behavior, but was that important for true love?

– J… very happy for you, Gweny, – the same voice familiar to the dragon, only younger, answered somewhat uncertainly, and then the young dragon embraced her beloved and began to dance.

– This feeling … incomparable! – her happy whisper cut through the memories. – I feel like … like I was born again, can you imagine ?! As if I had found what I had been looking for all my life! I can’t wait to see her!

– Me too, – the young man answered, as if reluctantly. “I love you, my Gwenie…

He picked her up in his arms and covered his lips with a kiss, enveloping her with the scent of pine needles and freshly cut grass. And she answered him with all tenderness, with all her love. The young dragon was overflowing with happiness, boundless, overwhelming. The happiness that she wanted to share only with him.

– Rick … – she whispered hesitantly, pulling back slightly. – Very soon we will be able to fly wing to wing, divide the sky in two, become … Become a real couple.

“I hope it will be so,” he spoke barely audibly, with a note of bitterness.

Gwen knew that her beloved still did not feel his dragon. She also knew that his mother … was not local. But in his veins flowed the blood of a powerful and ancient dragon family. And Gwendolyn hoped with all her heart that Rick would take the wing, that he was her true one.

Time passed, fate divorced them during their studies at the academy. But love has not disappeared. At every opportunity, they were together. Gwen and Rick. Layrelin grew stronger, gained strength, began to speak. And Rick … was in no hurry to please his beloved with the news of the awakening.But in Gwen’s heart there was still the same hope.

The day Lyrelin got on the wing, Rick was there. He watched the first flight, and as soon as Gwendolyn regained his appearance, he dropped to one knee. Wedding bracelets glittered in his hands.

– I want you to become my wife, – his voice trembled with excitement.

– Rick … – tears ran down Gwen’s cheeks, she sat down right on the ground next to her beloved and buried herself in his shoulder. – You know … It’s not possible yet.

– Possibly.We will leave the empire. We will live the way we want, you will give birth to my son …

“You don’t understand …” Gwendoline shook her head. – Rick, it’s not that simple.

– It couldn’t be simpler! I love you!

– And I, but … – The girl hesitated.

– But are you waiting for the call ?! The man stood up abruptly. – And if you never hear? Like my father!

– Rick, – she jumped up and rushed to her beloved. – I cannot resist the dragon! Your dragon will awaken. I’m sure.I’m feeling it. Rick, we still have to wait …

Memories melted into a mist of tears and bitterness.

Since that day, everything has changed. Love seemed to be a pain for her. Rick pulled away further and further, withdrew into himself. Gwen almost agreed to run away, just to be together, but … Lyrelin still heard the call. In the very heart of the empire, where the source of Life is located, she met him. Argrim. The keeper was waiting for his keeper and their magic, their eternal love was nourished by that very source.It was impossible to resist this. Gwen’s heart was breaking. After all, now Darren Haymar was her destiny. It is impossible for a true couple to resist. This bond is more than love.

Rick asked for a meeting the day before the wedding ceremony to say goodbye. He was still going to leave the empire. And … I asked to show the source. After all, he was not destined to swim in its waters, as it was supposed to be for all the dragons of the empire. This ancient ceremony was performed by dragons, barely standing on their wings. Rite of power. And … Gwendoline could not refuse him.Maybe somewhere in her heart she still hoped that the waters of the spring would help awaken the slumbering dragon … Then Rick could meet his true one. Could love someone again. Gwen felt guilty before him.

On that farewell evening, twilight was gathering over the flowering gardens at the source, the water surface reflected the pinkish sunset sky. Magic lights flickered and shimmered in the air. Silence, calmness and pacification reigned around.

Lyrelin gently sank to the ground, letting Rick slip off the wing, and a second later, Gwendolyn was standing in the place of the dazzlingly shining dragon.A soft, timid smile appeared on her lips and she took a step towards Riku.

– This is the source of life, – the girl held out her hand, inviting the man to follow her.

– I see, – he nodded curtly and pulled away.

He took a step towards the source, straightened his shoulders and fixed his gaze somewhere into the distance. Not a single emotion was imprinted on his pale, sunken face. Rick has changed a lot since their last meeting. As if life itself was leaving him. And it hurt Gwen to see that change.

– Plunge into its waters, feel the power. Perhaps the source will awaken in you …

– Dragon? – His voice rang like steel, and then Rick turned sharply. And now his face was contorted. Real hatred flashed in his eyes. “I’m not a dragon, Gwen. And he never was. All that remains of my father is a long life. Long, but worthless. After all, among you dragons, I am none. Waste, Gwen. My father gave me nothing. Unlike the mother. It is her power that flows in my veins, her powerful magic.

“You’re not a waste, Rick …” Gwendolyn’s voice cracked.

– Why didn’t you leave with me? – Rick abruptly cut the girl off. – Are you silent? I will answer for you. Because you considered me unworthy. Weak. In your eyes, I am a weak and pathetic half-breed. You are the keeper of the source, and who am I? No one.

– What are you talking about ?! Gwen screamed. Her heart was breaking with the surging pain.

“You are all dragons,” the favorite voice sounded harsh. – I studied you well. But the era of your domination in the empire will soon end.

A black dense fog spread along the bank of the spring, reaching out to the young guardian, entangling her, obscuring everything around her, making it impossible to move. Lyrelyn thrashed inside, bumping into a solid wall woven by a dark wizard. Her consciousness could not get the upper hand, she could not stand on the wing and protect young Gwendolyn.

– You will die quickly, love, – Rick, wrapped in a black fog like a mantle, picked up the immobilized girl in his arms and brought it to the source. – And the whole dragon race will perish with you.

– Roderick, – a faint rustle, an attempt to reach out to someone whom she once loved so much. But in vain!

In the next instant, a sharp, piercing pain burned through Gwendolyn’s chest. And everything that she saw before her eyes narrowed to one scarlet drop that touched the transparent surface of the water.

And then darkness fell.

Chapter 37

Tairash

– How could you? Shailene’s voice rang out with anger, even fury, over the dead plateau and the dead source.

She stared at him, unblinking, and Tyrash felt her rage.Her emotions were intertwined with his own anger, pain, hatred of this monster.

Argrim was torn, going crazy with the feeling that everything was happening again. Just like when he felt her pain, felt that she needed her, but absolutely nothing could be done.

Whatever one may say, the magic of the necromancer was strong. She seemed to be rolling on the ground, bending down, drinking strength. Shackled the second essence. And drove to despair. No matter how much he tried to turn to magic, to transform – all in vain.

Who would have thought that a sympathetic archivist with a kind face, Lier Roderick, the uncle of the Lord himself, is in fact a monster that doomed the entire dragon race to extinction.

– How could I? – Lier Roderick flared up. – I AM? It’s you … that is, Gwen! You don’t see anything around, you should hear the damn call! You don’t care if you hurt those who loved you, who were ready to give their lives for you. You are the monsters. But I fixed it.

– Killed the Firstborn. And killed over and over again? Tyrash hissed, tracing the words through his teeth.Argrim’s roar broke through his voice, but that was all he could – growl and go mad with horror, realizing that he was powerless against a creature that had been practicing in killing dragons for more than one millennium. Rush felt panic and anger at Lyrelin, but his wife still remained outwardly collected. – How did you manage to get rid of the Guardians for so many years?

– Tyrash … so much like his father, just as decisive, courageous, selfish and stupid. – Frowning at every word, dropped the necromancer. – No matter how much you give you hints, you are still marking time, unable to overcome your inner demons, open your eyes.Rush… “You can’t kill that. What is born at the moment of his death. ” Is that what Genarra told you? Roderick asked mockingly, and Tyrash lunged again. And again to no avail.

“You followed the girls who were born on the day of Lyrelin’s death,” Shayleigh concluded. – Offering help, work, what else?

A small pocket watch on a gold chain flashed in the lier’s hands. Or not a clock, rather … a compass.

– I’ve always found you, Lyrelin. Is always. Whoever hid you from me – you were always at a glance.Argrim roared, almost blinding Rush with his rage, but Roderick, as if he had not seen him, did not notice. He took revenge for centuries on the one who abandoned him, and this poison ate at himself. “Jenarra thought that by stealing the compass, she would protect you. But … I’ve always been one step ahead. Is always.

– You knew … you knew from the start that Lyrelin did not die on their wedding night. Sent Raynar. After the hounds …

– I didn’t mean to hurt you Shailene. You were a good girl, so much like Gwen. You shouldn’t have resisted the will of the priests and become the wife of Tairash, or anyone else, by all the rules.Layrelin would have died without waking up and this unpleasant moment would simply not have happened. But … everything that is done in the world is not done just like that … For me, this situation is even more profitable. If you die together, you will no longer be born. Never. So, I can get rid of the entire dragon family in one fell swoop, – concluded the archivist. – Today I will correct the mistake I made once. I will get rid of the Keepers and the accursed source.

Steel gleamed in Roderick’s hands. Argrim roared again, and Lyrelyn responded with the same roar.A new attempt to transform. And all the same unsuccessfully. It seemed to Tairash that the moments stretched out into eternity. Dripping, grain by grain in the hourglass. As if personally capturing for him Roderick’s face twisted with hatred, fear and despair in the eyes of Shailene, the roar of Argrim and Lyrelin.

– You know, I will do everything painlessly, – the voice of the archivist became insinuating and a little apologetic.

Sharp swing. Reflection of the setting sun on a sharpened blade. Heart-breaking pain … and a flash.A blinding and deafening burst of crimson fire.

One moment that unbound the dragons. The spirit of the scarlet dragon – the guardian of the Haymar house – hovered between Shailene and Roderick, covering her and Tyrash with a thick shield. This was Rengal’s last service. Last – but most important. His strength will be enough for a moment, and then he will dissolve, cease to exist. But this moment is more than enough.

A sheaf of crimson sparks flew into the sky just as Rengal’s shield disappeared.

Rush and Shayleigh morphed at the same time.And in the same way, taking in a full chest of air, they exhaled the flame. Argrim put everything into this flame – pain, loss, expectation and centuries of unconsciousness, fear of new loss and, most importantly, the desire to protect, preserve his only one, his beloved – Lyrelin.

Pillars of flame hit the dense black shield. Dragon fire flowed around him, spreading over the white-hot, and where melted, stone, scattered the ashes of the Gray Wasteland, but the shield, created from the very darkness, protected the necromancer well.

– You are a worthless protector, Argrim.You are not worthy of her. Never was worthy! – said the necromancer, when the flames died down, and the dragons took in air for a new blow.

A clot of pure darkness struck the dragon’s right wing, as if piercing it through with a spear. Blinding pain, enraging and giving strength to strike again. And Argrim breathed out fire again, wanting to wipe this bastard off the face of the earth.

Lyrelin rose into the air, hovered over the black dome, and also slammed into the shield.

And again to no avail. Where did he get so much power?

Tairash watched the stone glow, turn white and melt around the shield.How the rock boils inside the shield. Protection covered him from the air, but did not cover him from the ground. There is still too much magic and energy to withstand the onslaught of the two dragons.

“Argrim, Lin, heat the stone!” Rush said inwardly.

Argrim, overcoming pain, took to the air.

“It might work!” – he agreed, realizing what Tyrash was leading to.

Dragons hit in sync. Together. It took a moment for the stone to boil.

An inhuman scream, a howl full of pain and such a welcome silence.

Scarlet Flash and residual magic spreading across the gray wasteland.

“Is that all ?!” Lyrelin asked with timid hope.

“Looks like yes!” – answered Argrim and suddenly began to lose altitude.

Chapter 38

Shailene

– Rush ?! – I screamed, as soon as I regained my appearance. – Rush, where are you ?!

The picture of the fall of Argrim was still in front of my eyes. He folded his wings and fell straight into a dark cloud … Oh gods! If only it would be ok …..

My heart was leaping out of my chest, my breathing was long ago, the hot air that had not had time to cool down burned my throat, the ground under my feet smoldered from dragon flame, the smoke obscured my eyes, but I rushed forward, not noticing anything around. Layrelin shared my anxiety and panic.

The wound inflicted by the necromancer’s magic was dangerous. I knew about it like no one else. Dark magic was draining power, clouding the mind … And Rush has not yet recovered from his last injury!

I jumped out onto the hillock. The gloom gradually dissipated and the silhouette of a spouse, sprawled on the ground, appeared in front of my eyes.

– Rush! Rush, can you hear me ?! – the voice trembled, a sticky lump rolled up to my throat.

Come on! Say something! Come up! But … There was no answer. My heart skipped a beat. In two jumps, she overcame the distance separating us and fell to her knees next to him.

Rush lay on his back with his arms outstretched. The eyelids are covered, the face is pale, stained with ash and soot. There was no trace of blood to be seen. And breathing … I didn’t hear him breathing! Everything inside was turned over from this realization.

– Rush! – the voice broke into a cry, tears gushed from his eyes. – We made it! It’s over! You can’t … like this! …

Seized his palm, trying to concentrate on creating the portal. But in vain, the magic seemed to bump into an impenetrable wall.

And in the next instant a warm palm caught my hand and pulled it down with force. From surprise, I collapsed right on Rush. A moment, and he covered my lips with a kiss. Warm, tender, soft. Relief swept through my body.Alive …

She put her hands around his face and pulled away.

– So you on purpose ?!

There were sparks of satisfaction in his half-open eyes, and a half-smile appeared on his lips.

– Never do that again! – exhaled and buried her nose in his shoulder.

– And I really hope that I will no longer have to fight a magician who decided to destroy the dragon race, – Rush grinned wryly and stood up.

And Lyrelin’s emotions, mixing with mine, covered me with my head.Relief, timid joy, confusion … Is it really all over ?!

– How are you?

“It has been worse.” His hand slid through my hair. – And you? Layrelin?

– We’re … okay. We need to get out of here. ”I pulled away. – True, I can’t create a portal. Something is blocking the magic. But Lyrelin can give you a ride.

“I have another idea.” Rush got to his feet, his face twisted slightly in pain. – Is the source there?

The spouse pointed to the right, where there was a gap among the rising dust.

– It seems to be … – I nodded, not quite understanding where he was going. “But I think we should come back here another time. You need to see the healers, Rush. You can hardly stand!

– But I’m standing still. Let’s go, – Rush stubbornly headed towards the source, I rushed after him, grabbing Rush by the arm.

Legs parted from the hot ash, his nose itching, but Tyrash stubbornly walked towards his goal.

And then a spring appeared before my eyes, and my heart sank again in my chest.The darkness dissipated, bright sun rays illuminated the muddy water surface and only showed brighter how much everything had changed here. And again the memories of the dragon flashed before my eyes. Green meadows, spreading crowns of huge trees, living creatures around, there is coolness and moisture in the air … With the death of Gwendolyn, this place also became extinct.

Rush approached the withered spring, bent down, ran his hand over the water surface, and then began to unbutton his shirt, and a moment later she already flew to the ground.

– What are you doing? It’s not safe! Who knows what has become of the source over the years? Rush!

– Let’s check it at the same time! – the belt rang and after the shirt the trousers and then the boots fell to the ground. I immediately shyly looked away from this sight. – The dragons said something about the properties of this source … It seems that it restores strength. This is the source of Life, not death, right?

The silence was broken by a loud splash. She turned her gaze to the source. Rush disappeared under the water, but emerged a moment later.And … The water seemed to have changed! Flickered, sparkled, brightened.

– Shayleigh? Rush brushed his wet hair back from his face and cast a narrowed gaze in my direction.

The water shimmered around him, and the whisper … The whisper became louder, the source seemed to be speaking to me!

– Turn away! – I began to unfasten the belt.

“I don’t think so,” he chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest.

She sucked in a breath, closed her eyes and quickly threw off her trousers, and for a moment, thinking about her shirt, remaining in her underwear.I walked a couple of steps forward and felt cool under my feet. The water glided gently over the skin.

And then a strange, incomparable sensation appeared … Magic. Powerful stunning pierced through the body. But she didn’t hurt. Vice versa. Filled the body with new strength.

Rush pulled me to him. Everything inside clenched painfully from such close contact. He’s here. Nearby. So dear and so beloved. There is nothing more to be afraid of …

Back to the card of the book “Spouses against their will (SI)”

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