Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDiagnosis of Ear InfectionsDo You Need Antibiotics?Oral AntibioticsHow to Take Oral AntibioticsAntibiotic Ear DropsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Diagnosis of Ear Infections
Do You Need Antibiotics?
Oral Antibiotics
How to Take Oral Antibiotics
Antibiotic Ear Drops
Frequently Asked Questions
How long an ear infection takes to clear up depends on factors such as what part of your ear is infected and the treatment used. That said, most ear infections clear up in about three days (with and without antibiotics, if they are not prescribed) in both adults and children. Any hearing loss and fluid in the ear may take up to several weeks to clear completely.
Sometimes ear infections can last a lot longer even with antibiotic treatment. In some cases, if there is fluid in the middle ear, it can take up to six weeks for the infection to fully go away.
Because most ear infections go away on their own, your healthcare provider may wait two to three days to prescribe antibiotics, especially in the absence of a fever.However, if an ear infection doesn’t get better after a few days, you will need to treat a bacterial ear infection with oral antibiotics and ear drops containing antibiotics.
This article explains how ear infections are diagnosed, when antibiotics are necessary, and what medications you may be prescribed.
Verywell / Katie Kerpel
An ear infection develops when bacteria or viruses infect the ear. Your physician will look into your ear with an otoscope, a medical instrument with a light on one end designed to get a better view inside the ear. They will look for the visual signs of ear infection, such as redness and inflammation.
To check for fluid buildup, a pneumatic otoscope, which blows air at the eardrum, will be used. If there is excessive fluid behind theeardrum, it will not move as it should when the air hits it.
In some cases, hearing tests may also be performed to assess any damage to the ear from the infection.
Different types of ear infections present with different symptoms, which can include:
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Children with ear infections, especially toddlers or infants, may not be able to describe their symptoms, but an ear infection will often present with the following signs:
How Common Are Ear Infections in Children?A majority of children will get an ear infection at some point during their childhood. By their third birthday, five out of six children will have had at least one ear infection. Ear infections are the most common reason a child will see a healthcare professional.
How Common Are Ear Infections in Children?
A majority of children will get an ear infection at some point during their childhood. By their third birthday, five out of six children will have had at least one ear infection. Ear infections are the most common reason a child will see a healthcare professional.
Your physician may recommend awatch-and-see approachrather than prescribing antibiotics right away. Typically, you will keep an eye on symptoms for three days to see if they improve. This approach usually is used for children whose ear infections cannot be definitively diagnosed or who are under the age of 2.
If the infection does not clear up, you will need antibiotics. In some cases, a doctor will write you a prescription just in case the infection does not clear up.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If you take antibiotics for an ear infection and your symptoms don’t improve, a virus may be present, or the bacteria causing the infection may be resistant to the antibiotic you were prescribed and a different one may be needed.
In many cases, oral antibiotics come in liquid form for children and pill or capsule form foradults. First-line antibiotics are Amoxil (amoxicillin) and Penicillin VK (penicillin).
Amoxicillin begins working against an ear infection with the first dose. Symptoms should improve in two to three days, but it’s important to keep taking the amoxicillin prescription until all doses are used. If a person is allergic to penicillins, they will likely be treated with Omnicef (cefdinir), Ceftin (cefuroxime), or Biaxin (clarithromycin).
Certain strains of bacteria can develop antibiotic resistance, which means that the medication isn’t as effective at killing off the infection. Your doctor will take this into account when choosing the right type of antibiotic for you or your child.
It’s important to always take your antibiotics as prescribed. It may be tempting to combine the doses, but they will not be as effective and could lead to adverse side effects, such as stomach upset.
Even if you begin to feel better, you should continue to take the antibiotics until you finish your medication to prevent the infection from returning. You should avoid alcohol while taking antibiotics.
While antibiotics are good for clearing a bacterial infection, they can also rid the body of helpful “good” bacteria at the same time. Because of this, you may want to consider taking aprobioticsupplement while you are on antibiotics.
Probiotics are living organisms that can help to prevent the imbalance of bacteria within your gut that often comes from taking antibiotics. Studies have shown thattaking probiotics while taking antibioticscan lower the chances of side effects from a bacterial imbalance, such as gastrointestinal upset anddiarrhea.
Every Antibiotics Question You Have, Answered
Antibiotics can also come in the form of ear drops. Since they do not go into the bloodstream, more medication reaches the infection in a shorter amount of time. Because of this, antibiotic ear drops can kill bacteria faster than oral antibiotics.
Antibiotic ear drops are typically used for outer ear infections and require a prescription from your physician.Various types of medications can be used to help treat an outer ear infection, including:
How to Use Ear Drops
Prior to using ear drops, you should always read the instructions provided to you with your prescription. You can also speak to your pharmacist or doctor for advice on using them. The following instructions will help youuse ear drops correctly.
For adults:
For children:
The process for infants is similar to children, but you can also cradle your infant while you administer the drops in an appropriate position that allows the medication to go into their ear properly.
Who Shouldn’t Use Ear Drops?Ear drops can be helpful when treating an ear infection, but there are times when you shouldn’t use them. For example, if you or your child has a perforated eardrum, you should avoid the use of certain ototoxic ear drops (those that have a toxic effect on the ear and the ear’s nerve supply) because fluid from the drops can get deep into the ear and cause more problems.
Who Shouldn’t Use Ear Drops?
Ear drops can be helpful when treating an ear infection, but there are times when you shouldn’t use them. For example, if you or your child has a perforated eardrum, you should avoid the use of certain ototoxic ear drops (those that have a toxic effect on the ear and the ear’s nerve supply) because fluid from the drops can get deep into the ear and cause more problems.
Summary
Ear infections are common and while you may want to get medication as soon as possible, it is not always needed. Ear infections usually go away on their own, but if they don’t, you may need antibiotics to treat them. Your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic or an antibiotic ear drop to treat your ear infection. It’s important to complete the course of antibiotics prescribed to make sure your ear infection is treated completely and won’t come back.
Frequently Asked QuestionsIf you have been prescribed antibiotics for an ear infection, the ear pain will likely clear up in two to three days. The hearing loss and fluid, however, may take up to several weeks to clear. Sometimes ear infections can last a lot longer even with antibiotic treatment. In some cases, if there is fluid in the middle ear, it can take up to six weeks for the infection to fully go away.Antibiotics for ear infections work the same way they do for other parts of the body. Some antibiotics seek out bacteria and attack the wall surrounding them. This leads to either death of the bacteria or their inability to reproduce.When bacteria are killed or fail to grow, the infection gets better and eventually clears up.If you take antibiotics for an ear infection but it doesn’t go away,you likely have a chronic ear infection and will need to explore otherforms of treatment with your physician. Your doctor may prescribe moreantibiotics for a longer duration of time. The doctor may also changethe way you take them, such as intravenously, meaning directly into yourbloodstream. There are other forms of treatment for chronic earinfections, such assurgery, depending on the type and symptoms that are associated with it.
If you have been prescribed antibiotics for an ear infection, the ear pain will likely clear up in two to three days. The hearing loss and fluid, however, may take up to several weeks to clear. Sometimes ear infections can last a lot longer even with antibiotic treatment. In some cases, if there is fluid in the middle ear, it can take up to six weeks for the infection to fully go away.
Antibiotics for ear infections work the same way they do for other parts of the body. Some antibiotics seek out bacteria and attack the wall surrounding them. This leads to either death of the bacteria or their inability to reproduce.When bacteria are killed or fail to grow, the infection gets better and eventually clears up.
If you take antibiotics for an ear infection but it doesn’t go away,you likely have a chronic ear infection and will need to explore otherforms of treatment with your physician. Your doctor may prescribe moreantibiotics for a longer duration of time. The doctor may also changethe way you take them, such as intravenously, meaning directly into yourbloodstream. There are other forms of treatment for chronic earinfections, such assurgery, depending on the type and symptoms that are associated with it.
12 Home Remedies for Ear Infections
14 Sources
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