My memory seems to be functioning okay, because almost word for word what I was going to say before noticing the date, I'd already said - but forgotten to look at the date.
We fiddled the pressurization and stayed two k down from normal cruise but when we had to climb due to fuel, I was totally incapacitated. When we landed I was fine, but the memory of that pain made me scrumple up my new roster and walk away from serious flying for many years. It was all down to being pressured to fly while sick with colds. The crews were dropping like flies, but still crewing put on the pressure.
It's over 40 years ago, but the memory of the pain is like yesterday.
Don't muddle it with the eustachian tube or inner ear issues.
Infecting the entrance to the cavity by douching? It's probably already infected, and with a very poor prognosis for antibiotics helping - unless there have been some new findings. The use of anti-inflammatory drugs seems to be what they're doing these days. I'm glad to hear it's being recognised and treated aggressively.
The Geoffrey Wellum (age 96!) in First Light was suffering terribly in Malta and eventually needed surgical treatment back home. Doubtful even he would have been given the few drops of penicillin they had back then. I thought it odd they stopped him swimming, though it hadn't helped by then.