How do you treat a middle ear infection?

How do you treat a middle ear infection?

A middle ear infection may be treated with:

1. Antibiotics, taken by mouth or as ear drops.
2. Medication for pain.
3. Decongestants, antihistamines, or nasal steroids.
4. For chronic otitis media with effusion, an ear tube (tympanostomy tube) may help (see below)

How long does a viral middle ear infection last?

How Long Do Ear Infections Last? Middle ear infections often go away on their own within 2 or 3 days, even without any specific treatment. In some cases, an infection can last longer (with fluid in the middle ear for 6 weeks or longer), even after antibiotic treatment.

Are middle ear infections serious?

Unlike childhood ear infections, which are often minor and pass quickly, adult ear infections are frequently signs of a more serious health problem. If you’re an adult with an ear infection, you should pay close attention to your symptoms and see your doctor.

What’s the worst ear infection?

Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common type of ear infection. Parts of the middle ear are infected and swollen, and fluid is trapped behind the eardrum. This causes pain in the ear—commonly called an earache. Your child might also have a fever.

What happens if you dont treat an ear infection?

If you let an ear infection go too long without treatment, you risk permanent hearing loss and possibly having the infection spread to other parts of your head.

What are the symptoms of an inner ear infection in adults?

Symptoms of Inner Ear Infection

• Vertigo, a sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving around even when everything is still.
• Having trouble balancing or walking normally.
• Dizziness.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Problems with your hearing.
• Feeling like the ear is full or blocked.
• Tinnitus or ringing in your ears.

How do doctors check for inner ear infection?

An instrument called a pneumatic otoscope is often the only specialized tool a doctor needs to diagnose an ear infection. This instrument enables the doctor to look in the ear and judge whether there is fluid behind the eardrum. With the pneumatic otoscope, the doctor gently puffs air against the eardrum.

What medicine is good for inner ear infection?

Here are some of the antibiotics doctors prescribe to treat an ear infection:

• Amoxil (amoxicillin)
• Augmentin (amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate)
• Cortisporin (neomycin/polymxcin b/hydrocortisone) solution or suspension.
• Cortisporin TC (colistin/neomycin/thonzonium/hydrocortisone) suspension.

What antibiotic is good for inner ear infection?

Penicillin is the most commonly prescribed medication for treating ear infections. Penicillin antibiotics are typically prescribed by doctors after waiting to see if the infection clears on its own. The most commonly prescribed penicillin antibiotic is amoxicillin.

How long does it take for antibiotics to work for ear infection in adults?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends waiting up to 3 days to see if a mild ear infection clears up on its own. If an infection is either severe or still active after 2 to 3 days, your doctor may decide to prescribe antibiotics.