It was probably just an outer ear infection then. I didn't have any problems with balance either and I thought that was an inner ear thing.
I've never had balance problems with inner ear infections.
Mild inner ear infections are not excruciating. Inner ear infections often come with a cold. Eustachian tube gets blocked, and the inner ear loses the draining that tube offers. So, fluid builds up, you hear less, and, then you can get an infection on top of that. At it's hight, the eardrum gets lots of pressure from within, and that really hurts.
A nasal spray does to the Eustachian tube what it does to the whole nose area too, it de-clogs, and thus helps your ear to heal itself. The body can do this without nasal spray too, if you're lucky.