How are ear infections treated?

How are ear infections treated?

Jason Hamilton (Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon) gives expert video advice on: What is an ear infection?; What ear infection symptoms do children and teens experience?; What activities should I avoid if I have an ear infection? and more...

Ear infections are typically treated with antibiotics. Sometimes it's antibiotic drops if there's an outer ear infection or oral antibiotics such as amoxicillin. For severe middle ear infections, sometimes they require surgery where a small tube is placed through the eardrum to allow fluid to drain. Ear wicks are also used to treat otitis externa, as when patients have otitis externa, the ear canal itself is swollen, almost to the point of being closed off. The ear wick is a sponge that expands the ear canal and allows antibiotic drops to get all the way down to the eardrum and treat the entire ear canal. Without the otowick, the ear drops would simply just fall out of the ear and not be able to treat all the bacteria there inside the ear canal itself.