Whats The Best Antibiotic For An Ear Infection
Because each person and each ear infection is unique, there is no simple answer to this question. One of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics for ear infections is amoxicillin. However, some types of bacteria are becoming resistant to it because of its frequent, and usually unnecessary, use.
Ciprofloxacin is another commonly used antibiotic for fighting bacterial ear infections. The important thing is to follow the directions for whichever antibiotic your medical provider prescribes and to complete the entire treatment. Not completing the entire treatment increases the risk for recurrent infections and evolving bacteria that becomes resistant to antibiotics.
A couple days after starting the antibiotic, you may feel like the infection is gone. However, not completing the medication can allow the infection to return and for the bacteria to grow resistant to that antibiotic.
What Should I Expect If I Or My Child Has An Ear Infection
Ear infections are common in children. Adults can get them too. Most ear infections are not serious. Your healthcare provider will recommend over-the-counter medications to relieve pain and fever. Pain relief may begin as soon as a few hours after taking the drug.
Your healthcare provider may wait a few days before prescribing an antibiotic. Many infections go away on their own without the need for antibiotics. If you or your child receives an antibiotic, you should start to see improvement within two to three days.
If you or your child has ongoing or frequent infections, or if fluid remains in the middle ear and puts hearing at risk, ear tubes may be surgically implanted in the eardrum to keep fluid draining from the eustachian tube as it normally should.
Never hesitate to contact your healthcare provider if you have any concerns or questions.
You May Like: What Is The Ivy League Formula For Tinnitus
What Is The Treatment For Ear Infections
Medications used to treat ear infections include:
- Pseudoephedrine to ease ear pressure
- Antibiotic ear drops for infections of the ear canal
- Steroid ear drops for infections of the ear canal
- Oral antibiotics for infections of the middle ear , and severe infections of the outer ear
For mild cases of ear infection, doctors often recommend watching and waiting before starting use of antibiotics, as many cases will go away on their own. Consult your childs pediatrician before giving any over-the-counter medications to your child.
Home remedies to relieve symptoms include:
- Warm compresses applied to the area to help soothe pain
- Over-the-counter pain eardrops
Recommended Reading: How To Diagnose Ear Infection At Home
Southern Cross Medical Library
The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.
Also Check: Does Warm Compress Help Ear Infection
How To Cope With Side Effects
What to do about:
- weight gain try to eat well without increasing your portion sizes so you dont gain too much weight. Regular exercise will also help to keep your weight stable.
- indigestion take prednisolone with food to reduce the chances of stomach problems. It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food while youre taking this medicine. If symptoms carry on, ask your doctor if you may benefit from taking an additional medicine to protect your stomach.
- sleep problems take prednisolone in the morning so the levels are the lowest at bedtime
- restlessness if youre restless when youre trying to sleep, take prednisolone in the morning so the levels are the lowest at bedtime
- sweating a lot try wearing loose clothing, use a strong anti-perspirant and keep cool with a fan. If this doesnt help, talk to your doctor as you may be able to try a different medicine.
Read Also: Ear Infection Clear Up On Its Own
Don’t Miss: Amoxicillin For Tooth Infection 500mg
What Can I Do To Prevent Ear Infections
Middle ear infections are often a result of a simple cold. While its hard to prevent colds, good hygiene can help lower your chance of catching one.
Keep your child away from cigarette smoke. Exposure to cigarette smoke increases your childs risk of ear infections.
If your child keeps getting ear infections, they may need grommets put in their ears to prevent recurring infection.
Your risk of an outer ear infection may be reduced by:
- ensuring that you or your child drain water out of your ears after swimming
- using ear plugs for swimming if you are prone to these infections
- not putting anything into your ear, not even a cotton bud, even if your ear feels blocked or painful
Home Remedies And Complementary Medicine
Many parents also use home remedies or complementary medicine methods to treat middle ear infections. But the effectiveness of most of these treatments has either not been tested in scientific studies at all, or has not been confirmed by research.
Cooling wet towels are sometimes wrapped around the childs lower legs to reduce a fever. Some parents also place onion wraps on their childs ear, or they warm the affected ear with infrared light. Although these home remedies have not been scientifically proven to work, some children find them soothing.
Other parents use homeopathic or herbal remedies. But here again, there is no proof that these kinds of remedies can help in children with acute middle ear infections.
Also Check: Can A Yeast Infection Spread
How Are Ear Infections Treated
To treat an ear infection, health care providers consider many things, including:
- the type and severity of the ear infection
- how often the child has ear infections
- how long this infection has lasted
- the child’s age and any risk factors
- whether the infection affects hearing
The type of otitis affects treatment options. Not all kinds need to be treated with antibiotics. Because most ear infections can clear on their own, many doctors take a “wait-and-see” approach. Kids will get medicine for pain relief without antibiotics for a few days to see if the infection gets better.
Antibiotics aren’t routinely prescribed because they:
- won’t help an infection caused by a virus
- won’t get rid of middle ear fluid
- can cause side effects
- usually don’t relieve pain in the first 24 hours and have only a minimal effect after that
Also, overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are much harder to treat.
If a doctor does prescribe antibiotics, a 10-day course is usually recommended. Kids age 6 and older who don’t have a severe infection might take a shortened course for 5 to 7 days.
Some children, such as those with recurrent infections and those with lasting hearing loss or speech delay, may need ear tube surgery. An ear, nose, and throat doctor will surgically insert tubes that let fluid drain from the middle ear. This helps equalize the pressure in the ear.
Who Shouldn’t Use Ear Drops
Ear drops can be helpful when treating an ear infection, but there are times when you shouldnt use them. For example, if you or your child has a perforated eardrum, you should avoid the use of certain ototoxic ear drops because fluid from the drops can get deep into the ear and cause more problems.
You May Like: Vagisil Wipes For Yeast Infection
How Can Ear Infections Be Prevented
Once an infection has been cleared, maintaining a healthy ear environment with regular cleaning helps prevent recurrence. Unfortunately, regular cleaning isnât always enough. Underlying diseases such as allergies and skin disorders must be identified and resolved in order to help avoid future infections.
This article has been reviewed by a Veterinarian.
Dont Miss: Can I Get Rid Of A Sinus Infection Without Antibiotics
Video Answer: Prednisone: Dosing And Side Effects
Oral anti-inflammatory dosages of prednisone or prednisolone can be used initially and then tapered to the minimum alternate-day dosage that controls the clinical signs. I typically recommend oral glucocorticoids for cases of Pseudomonas otitis and for dogs that have undergone deep ear flushing.
Normally, dogs with a urinary tract infection develop painful urination, presence of blood in the urine and increased drinking. Dogs with an UTI may also develop frequent urination in small amounts. Dogs on prednisone though may not manifest such distinct signs and this is why vets often recommend routine urine tests (like every 6 months
Corticosteroids are widely used to treat acute episodes of particularly itchy FAD. They often bring about almost miraculous relief from the itching.
Read Also: Otc Oral Yeast Infection Treatment Cvs
How Do Antibiotics Work Against Ear Infections
Ear infections typically occur when fluid becomes built up behind the eardrum, causing pain and inflammation. Since most ear infections are caused by bacteria growth, they are often treated with antibiotics.
However, this is not the case for every ear infection some factors that can affect treatment options and outcomes include the cause of the infection, the severity, the location and your age. In addition, recurrent ear infections often require a different approach altogether.
If you have an ear infection, below is information that can help you understand a doctors recommendation.
Where Is The Middle Ear
The middle ear is behind the eardrum and is also home to the delicate bones that aid in hearing. These bones are the hammer , anvil and stirrup . To provide the bigger picture, lets look at the whole structure and function of the ear:
The ear structure and function
There are three main parts of the ear: outer, middle and inner.
- The outer ear is the outside external ear flap and the ear canal .
- The middle ear is the air-filled space between the eardrum and the inner ear. The middle ear houses the delicate bones that transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. This is where ear infections occur.
- The inner ear contains the snail-shaped labyrinth that converts sound vibrations received from the middle ear to electrical signals. The auditory nerve carries these signals to the brain.
Other nearby parts
- The eustachian tube regulates air pressure within the middle ear, connecting it to the upper part of the throat.
- Adenoids are small pads of tissue above the throat and behind the nose and near the eustachian tubes. Adenoids help fight infection caused by bacteria that enters through the mouth.
Recommended Reading: Can Amoxicillin Treat Kidney Infection
Are There Any Side Effects
Steroid shots can cause a few temporary side effects. You might feel pain around the injection site for a day or two, but the pain should quickly start going away. If it doesnt seem to be going away, contact your doctor.
Other potential side effects include:
- facial flushing
- high blood sugar
- infection of the injection site
Receiving steroid shots over a long period of time can have more serious, permanent effects, such as damage to nearby cartilage or bone. This is why doctors generally dont recommend getting more than three or four injections a year for any condition.
How Do You Know When A Uti Becomes A Kidney Infection
There are many common signs and symptoms of kidney infections that can help you to know.
Lets take a look at the signs of UTI and how you can judge whether it is time to take antibiotics.
Symptoms of UTI normally manifest themselves in the form of frequent urination.
Pain, burning sensation when urinating.
Other symptoms of UTI can include muscle and joint pain,lower back or leg pain, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
These are just a few of the common symptoms of UTI but there are other symptoms of UTI that most doctors operate on.
And these include blood in the urine, bladder, and bowel incontinence, dark urine, painful urination, swelling of one side of the abdomen, or any combination of these symptoms.
How do you know when a UTI has progressed from a mild case to a kidney infection?
The answer is that it becomes very difficult to detect until advanced stages.
Some of the symptoms of kidney infections include blood in the urine, loss of weight, jaundice, nausea, and vomiting, lethargy, and fever.
When urine does not pass through your body completely, you may experience pain while urinating.
How do you know when a UTI has progressed to a kidney infection?
There are many causes of UTIs including antibiotics.
Some of the bacteria that can cause UTIs are also able to multiply due to the presence of bacteria.
UTI infections are caused by organisms that can infect the urinary tract and bladder.
Many types of bacteria can live in the bladder and urethra.
Recommended Reading: Oral Antibiotics For Kidney Infection
When Do Children Need Tubes In Their Ears
If your child has frequent ear infections, or if he has trouble hearing because of ongoing fluid in the middle ear, he may need a tube inserted through the ear drum and into the middle ear. The tube helps to keep air pressure normal on both sides of the ear drum and helps fluid drain from the middle ear.
Putting tubes in requires a brief operation by an ear, nose and throat surgeon. Children usually go home the same day.
How Are Dog Ear Infections Treated
Ear infections can vary in severity and underlying cause. This determines how ear infections are treated and how quickly they resolve. For some dogs, especially those with underlying skin allergies, ear infections can become a chronic problem and require lifelong management. Treatment of outer ear infections commonly involves cleaning your dogs ears to remove wax and discharge using a medicated ear cleanser alongside topical medication. Topical medication may include anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroids to reduce inflammation, antibiotics if a bacterial infection is present and antifungal drugs if a yeast infection is present. In chronic cases, ear flushes under sedation or general anesthesia are performed to remove wax and discharge and instill medication into the ear canal.
Read Also: Can Treating A Yeast Infection Cause Bv
A Pharmacist Can Help With An Ear Infection
Speak to a pharmacist if you think you have an outer ear infection.
They can recommend acidic eardrops to help stop bacteria or fungus spreading.
- a long-term medical condition such as diabetes or a heart, lung, kidney or neurological disease
- a weakened immune system because of chemotherapy, for example
When Should I Call The Doctor About An Ear Infection
- You or your child develops a stiff neck.
- Your child acts sluggish, looks or acts very sick, or does not stop crying despite all efforts.
- Your childs walk is not steady he or she is physically very weak.
- You or your childs ear pain is severe.
- You or your child has a fever over 104° F .
- Your child is showing signs of weakness in their face .
- You see bloody or pus-filled fluid draining from the ear.
- The fever remains or comes back more than 48 hours after starting an antibiotic.
- Ear pain is not better after three days of taking an antibiotic.
- Ear pain is severe.
- You have any questions or concerns.
Also Check: How To Get Antibiotics For Tooth Infection
What Are The Harms Of Fluid Buildup In Your Ears Or Repeated Or Ongoing Ear Infections
Most ear infections dont cause long-term problems, but when they do happen, complications can include:
- Loss of hearing: Some mild, temporary hearing loss usually occurs during an ear infection. Ongoing infections, infections that repeatedly occur, damage to internal structures in the ear from a buildup of fluid can cause more significant hearing loss.
- Delayed speech and language development: Children need to hear to learn language and develop speech. Muffled hearing for any length of time or loss of hearing can significantly delay or hamper development.
- Tear in the eardrum: A tear can develop in the eardrum from pressure from the long-lasting presence of fluid in the middle ear. About 5% to 10% of children with an ear infection develop a small tear in their eardrum. If the tear doesnt heal on its own, surgery may be needed. If you have drainage/discharge from your ear, do not place anything into your ear canal. Doing so can be dangerous if there is an accident with the item touching the ear drum.
- Spread of the infection: Infection that doesnt go away on its own, is untreated or is not fully resolved with treatment may spread beyond the ear. Infection can damage the nearby mastoid bone . On rare occasions, infection can spread to the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord and cause meningitis.
What Is An Ear Infection
There are different types of ear infections. Middle ear infection is an infection in the middle ear.
Another condition that affects the middle ear is called otitis media with effusion. This condition occurs when fluid builds up in the middle ear without causing an infection. Otitis media with effusion does not cause fever, ear pain, or pus build-up in the middle ear.
Swimmers ear is an infection in the outer ear canal. Swimmers Ear is different from a middle ear infection. For more information, visit Swimmers Ear .
Read Also: Does Uti Medication Cause Yeast Infections
Do Uti Antibiotics Help Ear Infections
Now, the question can UTI antibiotics help to cure ear infections? Will have a simple yes or no answer depending on your circumstances.
If you have an acute infection and the only thing you are using to treat it is antibiotics then it will most likely require a round of antibiotics to help clear up the infection.
If you suffer from recurring urinary tract infections and your doctor has prescribed an antibiotic to help, then there is a chance that it will help.
The doctor may prescribe either of these drugs, especially if you have a cold, sinus infection, fever, recurrent ear pain, headache, and fever.
These are prescription-strength antibiotics that can be purchased over-the-counter.
If you have UTI, you will find that both Macrobid and Augmentin can work wonders for you.
This is because the antibiotics will help to clear up any of the infections in the ear.
However, you will need to consider how often you are taking these antibiotics and how often you are going to need to take them.
You need to consider the possible side effects and their severity.
Some women are still wondering if the antibiotic will help because a UTI can come back even after treatment with an antibiotic.
The best way to find out is to have the infection evaluated by a doctor.
If it is an acute infection, then antibiotics may just be able to help you get rid of it.
Sometimes you can consider using other alternatives.
These treatments can range from homeopathic remedies to vitamins and herbs.