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Can An Ear Infection Cause Nightmares?

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Posted on Fri, 17 Apr 2015
Question: Can an ear infection cause nightmares? When I go to bed I feel these odd pressure changes in my ears. It is almost like a pop but that's not quite how to describe it either. I notice it more when I have the fan on. My ears will do this every couple of minutes so when I can finally fall asleep I wake up about 20 minutes later from a nightmare, but not what I consider a typical nightmare. It's almost like I know I'm dreaming and fighting to wake up. I will feel like I'm fighting to open my eyes or I feel like I'm screaming but I'm not. It sounds crazy I'm sure. What is going on?? I don't know how the two can be related, and if it is, then why am I not having normal dreams for those few seconds instead of panic stricken nightmares? My ears have been doing this for a couple weeks now. Other symptoms... Ringing sometimes and a bad case of vertigo.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Neel Kudchadkar (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
To get better instantly, do the following...

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXX,

I am Dr. Neel Kudchadkar and I will help you.
I appreciate your faith in healthcaremagic.com

Your health problem can be very easily solved. Thank goodness. Imagine the relief you will feel after you follow these very simple rules and enjoy perfect ear function and a very refreshing restful sleep. You may not get sweet dreams, But I am confident that there will be no nightmares ever. From tonight, in fact.

I sincerely appreciate that you have provided all the fine details of your case. Thank you.

I detect that you are under stress, tension, anxiety or pressure of some sort due to a life challenge or situation.

When you go to sleep, your brain commands all the voluntary muscles to your body (except the muscles that help you breath) to cease function. This is a state of physiological paralysis, that helps you, because, say what if, you fell off from your bed and hurt yourself while sleeping?

After that you enter a deep state of sleep called "REM sleep". REM means Rapid Eye Movement. In this state of sleep you get "dreams". The problem is that you get "nightmares" too.

Please visit a psychiatrist (a shrink) because he or she will give you these medicines, lorazepam tablets and Zolpidem tablets. Lorazepam will prevent you from entering REM stage sleep, so the nightmares will vanish. Zolpidem will ensure a regular steady sleep pattern. The doctor might give you melatonin tablets, actually this is not a chemical drug but a hormone packaged in a tablet that "resets" your brain and body to normal. The problem? It takes 4 weeks. But so what? Lorazepam will "cure" your "unbearable" problem instantly.

Let me give you a tip. What you are experiencing is medically called as "sleep paralysis". The next time you get a nightmare and can't wake up, try taking deep breaths, while your body is still "asleep" but your mind is "awake". This is medically possible. Try it. You'll instantly break the nightmare and wake up.

Lorazepam will also help you in the bad case of dizziness that you have. If not, Diazepam can help you gain in both problems. As for your ear, I seriously think that you are experiencing a functional problem (psychological - stress related) and not an organic problem (Physical-ear infections)

Lastly, the real practical treatment for your ears is Epley or Crawthorne exercises which do not involve medicines at all.

Please try following these suggestions. They'll really help you.

If you have any other problems, or doubts, contact me.

Dr. Neel Kudchadkar
Medical Consultant
healthcaremagic.com
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Neel Kudchadkar (36 minutes later)
Did you even read all of the information? I already went to the Dr and know I have ear infections. They gave me medication for it but it did not clear it up, so I know the ear infections have gotten worse. There is nothing out of the ordinary going on in my life and who doesn't have some sort of stress? That is just part of life. All of it started with the ear infections. I do not need to see a shrink for the nightmares.Your reply, while empathetic, provided no real insight to the question asked. It was very generic and copy and paste. Hardly worth the money. If you or one of your colleagues are unable to provide a response then kindly give back the money I spent and we will call it a lesson learned. Otherwise, please provide a less generic response and I don't even mind if you leave out all the empathy statements.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Neel Kudchadkar (23 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Labyrinthitis and nighmares.

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXX,

You have reason to feel offended. And I would take it rather seriously if your
feelings were hurt by an allusion, direct or inadvertant to see a psychiatrist.
As you are the center of our medical universe at healthcaremagic.com, we have not been behind handed in leaving even a grain of sand unturned to diagnose (figure out), palliate (corner), prognose (see to it that it never happens again) your otitis.

XXXXX, as you probably know otitis is an infection of the ear. You have
categorically perseverated that you are afflicted with vertigo. Let's explore this.
You mentioned having had used "Sudafed" under medical supervision. Sudafed is called as pseudoepherine, and constricts blood vessels to relieve nasal congestion. It can be used "off the shelf" for ENT (ear, nose and throat) problems also.

It would be a rather valuable investment if you were to see an ENT Doctor to get a second opinion. Voice all your concerns vocally. In all good probability, you'll be prescibed scopolamine and diazepam.

Your question explicitly states "nightmares", "sleep disturbances" and the like.
You have explicitely questioned how on earth could an ear infection, which according to you was not resolved, be linked with the above.

I thereby, provisionally diagnose you with labyrinthitis. An infection of the inner most ear. There is a non casual link between labyrinthitis and ALL OF THE SYMPTOMS YOU HAVE VIVIDLY DESCRIBED.

I thereby request you to visit an ENT doctor. It requires a physical examination of the ear.

Regards,
Dr. Neel Kudchadkar
Medical Consultant
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Neel Kudchadkar

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 532 Questions

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Can An Ear Infection Cause Nightmares?

Brief Answer: To get better instantly, do the following... Detailed Answer: Dear XXXXX, I am Dr. Neel Kudchadkar and I will help you. I appreciate your faith in healthcaremagic.com Your health problem can be very easily solved. Thank goodness. Imagine the relief you will feel after you follow these very simple rules and enjoy perfect ear function and a very refreshing restful sleep. You may not get sweet dreams, But I am confident that there will be no nightmares ever. From tonight, in fact. I sincerely appreciate that you have provided all the fine details of your case. Thank you. I detect that you are under stress, tension, anxiety or pressure of some sort due to a life challenge or situation. When you go to sleep, your brain commands all the voluntary muscles to your body (except the muscles that help you breath) to cease function. This is a state of physiological paralysis, that helps you, because, say what if, you fell off from your bed and hurt yourself while sleeping? After that you enter a deep state of sleep called "REM sleep". REM means Rapid Eye Movement. In this state of sleep you get "dreams". The problem is that you get "nightmares" too. Please visit a psychiatrist (a shrink) because he or she will give you these medicines, lorazepam tablets and Zolpidem tablets. Lorazepam will prevent you from entering REM stage sleep, so the nightmares will vanish. Zolpidem will ensure a regular steady sleep pattern. The doctor might give you melatonin tablets, actually this is not a chemical drug but a hormone packaged in a tablet that "resets" your brain and body to normal. The problem? It takes 4 weeks. But so what? Lorazepam will "cure" your "unbearable" problem instantly. Let me give you a tip. What you are experiencing is medically called as "sleep paralysis". The next time you get a nightmare and can't wake up, try taking deep breaths, while your body is still "asleep" but your mind is "awake". This is medically possible. Try it. You'll instantly break the nightmare and wake up. Lorazepam will also help you in the bad case of dizziness that you have. If not, Diazepam can help you gain in both problems. As for your ear, I seriously think that you are experiencing a functional problem (psychological - stress related) and not an organic problem (Physical-ear infections) Lastly, the real practical treatment for your ears is Epley or Crawthorne exercises which do not involve medicines at all. Please try following these suggestions. They'll really help you. If you have any other problems, or doubts, contact me. Dr. Neel Kudchadkar Medical Consultant healthcaremagic.com