Which antibiotics are prescribed for ear infections

List of Partners vendors. An ear infection develops when bacteria or viruses infect the ear. There are three types: inner, middle, and outer ear infections. Many ear infections clear up on their own. 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.

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. Your doctor 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 the eardrum , 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:. 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:. A majority of children will get an ear infection at some point during their childhood.

Your physician may recommend a watch-and-see approach rather 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. If the ear infection is caused by a virus, antibiotics will not be prescribed because they do not work against viruses.

Relieving symptoms while keeping an eye on the progression of the infection is the best course of treatment for a viral ear infection. Any signs of an ear infection should be addressed by your doctor.

In many cases, oral antibiotics come in liquid form for children and pill or capsule form for adults. First-line antibiotics are Amoxil amoxicillin and Penicillin VK penicillin. If a person is allergic to penicillins, they will likely be treated with Omnicef cefdinir , Ceftin cefuroxime , or Biaxin clarithromycin. Your doctor will take this into account when choosing the right type of antibiotic for you or your child. 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 a probiotic supplement 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 that taking probiotics while taking antibiotics can lower the chances of side effects from a bacterial imbalance, such as gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea.

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. There are various types of medications that can be used to help treat an outer ear infection, including:. 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 you use ear drops correctly. 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. 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. Middle ear infection acute otitis media is an infection in the middle ear. Another condition that affects the middle ear is called otitis media with effusion. It occurs when fluid builds up in the middle ear without being infected and without causing fever, ear pain, or pus build-up in the middle ear.

This list is not all-inclusive. Please see a doctor for any symptom that is severe or concerning. A healthy ear and an infected ear, including outer, middle, and inner ear, showing inflammation and fluid in the ear. Transcript txt icon [TXT — B]. A doctor will determine what type of illness your child has by asking about symptoms and doing a physical examination.

However, sometimes antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, are needed to treat severe cases right away or cases that last longer than 2—3 days. For mild cases of middle ear infection, your doctor might recommend watchful waiting or delayed antibiotic prescribing.

Be careful about giving over-the-counter medicines to children. Not all over-the-counter medicines are recommended for children of certain ages. You can help prevent ear infections by doing your best to stay healthy and keep others healthy, including:. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Antibiotic Prescribing and Use. In children, these issues can lead to hearing loss , behavioral issues, and speech development delays. In these instances, a surgery called a tympanoplasty may help. In this procedure, a doctor inserts tiny tubes , called tympanostomy tubes or grommets, into the eardrum. These tubes reduce the occurrence of ear infections and allow drainage of excess fluids.

The procedure is very common and poses minimal risks. An ear tube insertion is more common for children, who tend to suffer ear infections more often than adults.

Home treatments for ear infections may be considered for mild cases in adults only. Some remedies, such as OTC homeopathic pain relief drops , have shown some promise to help alleviate pain and discomfort. Research has also shown that acupuncture may be helpful for some people.

But more clinical studies are needed. Some herbal remedies may interact with medications, so be sure to talk to your doctor before trying to use them to treat an ear infection. If you or your child struggles with recurring ear infections, talk to your doctor about preventive measures.

Some options might include:. Antibiotics can help treat an ear infection. But doctors are increasingly reserving them for severe cases only.

This can help decrease the occurrence of antibiotic resistance. Whether you take antibiotics or not, stay in touch with your doctor regarding your condition. An ear infection occurs when a bacterial or viral infection affects the middle ear — the sections of your ear just behind the eardrum. They can be…. Here are 11 at-home earache remedies that may be just as effective at soothing your earache as over-the-counter medication. Doctors recommend trying other remedies before antibiotics.

Ear infections are often difficult to treat, and natural remedies can be hard to trust. Can essential oils be used to clear up an ear infection? A clogged ear may not cause pain, but muffled sounds and straining to hear can be a real nuisance. We'll tell you the possible causes. Learn about the relationship between COVID and ear infections, including causes, symptoms, and treatments.

It's not uncommon to feel like there is something in your ear, and we'll discuss the causes. The most common cause of an ear canal that's swollen shut is a bacterial infection known as swimmer's ear, but there a few other potential causes, too.