Hello, I'm new to this forum. I'm 23 and have Aspergers Syndrome.
I have recently been diagnosed with a "Fungal Ear Infection" due to prolonged use of ear plugs (Sensory Integration Dysfuncton).
I wear EarPlugs all the time, literally 24/7.
Being perfectly honest I'm not very aware of the common dangers of things until they get very bad.. I have very bad hygiene when it comes to ear cleaning.
For about a year I've been having recurring ear infections of which I have never checked out with a doctor nor have I treated it with medication.
For the past 5 months I've have the most terrible brain fog of which I cant explain in words, I find it hard to read and take the information in even when repeating the sentences over and over again..
Finally I went to the doctor and he took a swab of the infection of my ear and it came back as a fungal infection.
When I asked the doctor if this infection could cause the neurological problems, he almost assured me that it was definitely the ear infection.
I'm sorry to bother people on here, I'm normally a very internal person, but when I ask for help from doctors they humour me because of the Aspergers Syndrome.. I'm a walk over, not very assertive and I trust everyone..
I was just wondering does this sound like a plausible cause of the brain fog?
Thank you :o)
Nicki x
The following user gives a hug of support to nickay12: palmtreegirl (02-27-2012)
Fungal infections grow in warm dry places. You need to find a way to not wear earplugs all the time, or this will continue. Could you wear an ear muff style headset instead? Could you go without any ear protection at night? Your ears need to dry out. You are not bothering anyone. It is good to ask for advice!
The Following User Says Thank You to palmtreegirl For This Useful Post: nickay12 (02-28-2012)
I am trying to reduce the amount I wear them, it's a bit of a paradoxical situation because when I don't wear them I feel seriously unstable and suicidal, but I really will try. (I listen to white noise alot, so this helps)
I have been prescribed anti-fungal ear drops, I've been using them for 2 weeks.
I guess what I'm really curious about is, can an outer ear infection cause "neurological symptoms"?
(the fungal infection is very bad, the ear canal has pretty much closed up so the doctor couldn't see if there was any damage to eardrum or to the middle ear.)
You may need to clear up the outer ear before they can assess the ear drum. Untreated ear infections can lead to mastoiditis (I have that). The bone behind your ear has tiny holes in it like a sponge. Infection can back up and fill these holes. It can be viral, bacterial or fungal. It shows up on an MRI. It is difficult to clear up. I have a tube in my left ear and have had ear drops which pass through the tube. Inner ear infections definitely cause brain fog, etc. I did some reading on outer ear fungal infections. They can be difficult to clear up, and may come back. I google searched it, and there was a lot of information out there. You are not alone!
