Over the counter ear drops for swimmers ear

Swimmer's ear is an infection of the ear canal, the passage that carries sounds from the outside of the body to the eardrum. It can be caused by different types of germs.

What Causes Swimmer's Ear?

Swimmer's ear (or otitis externa) is common in kids who spend a lot of time in the water. Too much moisture in the ear can irritate the skin in the canal, letting bacteria or fungi get in. It happens most often in summertime, when swimming is common.

But you don't have to swim to get swimmer's ear. Anything that injures the skin of the ear canal can lead to an infection. Dry skin or eczema, scratching the ear canal, ear cleaning with cotton swabs, or putting things like bobby pins or paper clips into the ear can all increase the risk of otitis externa.

And if someone has a middle ear infection, pus collected in the middle ear can drain into the ear canal through a hole in the eardrum and cause it.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Swimmer's Ear?

Ear pain is the main sign of swimmer's ear. It can be severe and gets worse when the outer part of the ear is pulled or pressed on. It also may be painful to chew. Sometimes the ear canal itches before the pain begins.

Swelling of the ear canal might make a child complain of a full or uncomfortable feeling in the ear. The outer ear may look red or swollen, and lymph nodes around the ear can get enlarged and tender. Sometimes, there's discharge from the ear canal — this might be clear at first and then turn cloudy, yellowish, and pus-like.

Hearing might be temporarily affected if pus or swelling blocks the ear canal. Most kids with swimmer’s ear don’t have a fever.

Can Swimmer's Ear Be Prevented?

Using over-the-counter drops of a dilute solution of acetic acid or alcohol in the ears after swimming can help prevent swimmer's ear, especially in kids who get it a lot. These drops are available without a prescription, but should not be used in kids who have ear tubes or a hole in the eardrum.

To avoid injuring an ear, young kids should not clean their ears themselves. Also, never put objects into kids' ears, including cotton-tipped swabs. Dry ears after they get wet using a hair dryer on the cool setting.

How Is Swimmer's Ear Treated?

Treatment depends on how severe the infection is and how painful it is. A health care provider might prescribe ear drops that contain antibiotics to fight the infection, possibly mixed with a medicine to reduce swelling of the ear canal. Ear drops are usually given several times a day for 7–10 days.

If a swollen ear canal makes it hard to put in the drops, the doctor may insert a tiny sponge called a wick to help carry the medicine inside the ear. In some cases, the doctor may need to remove pus and other buildup from the ear with gentle cleaning or suction. This lets the ear drops work better.

For more severe infections, health care providers may prescribe antibiotics taken by mouth and might want to run tests on discharge from the ear to find which bacteria or fungi are causing the problem.

Over-the-counter pain relievers often can manage ear pain. Once treatment starts, your child will start to feel better in a day or two. Swimmer's ear is usually cured within 7–10 days of starting treatment.

How Can I Help My Child Feel Better?

Ear infections should be treated by a doctor. If not, the ear pain will get worse and the infection may spread. At home, acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help ease pain.

Follow the health care provider's instructions for using ear drops and oral antibiotics, if they are prescribed. It's important to keep water out of your child's ear during the entire course of treatment. You can use a cotton ball covered in petroleum jelly as an earplug to protect your child's ear from water during showering or bathing.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

Call your doctor right away if your child has any pain in the ear with or without fever, decreased hearing in one or both ears, or abnormal discharge from the ear.

In addition to pain and/or itching, there may also be drainage of fluid from the ear, and decreased hearing since the ear is full of infected material. In severe conditions, there may be some redness of the outside part of the ear or the surrounding face.

Treatment:

Most cases of swimmer's ear can be treated with antibiotic ear drops, such as POLYSPORIN® Plus Pain Relief Ear Drops.

Instill one to two drops, four times a day, for 5 to 7 days. You should avoid getting water in the ear until the treatment is complete. Before use, read package insert for more complete information on dosing and cautions.

Treatment is required for various types of ear conditions, such as ear infections, bullous myringitis (infection of the eardrum), and eustachian tube dysfunction. In some cases, prescription ear drops or other types of medications will need to be used.

Over-the-counter (OTC) ear drops can be used to help relieve symptoms associated with these types of conditions, but there are no available OTC ear drops that will treat infections. In the case of other issues such as wax buildup, OTC ear drops may be used as a possible form of treatment.

Earwax Removal Drops

Excess buildup of earwax can lead to a variety of unwanted symptoms, including:

• Fullness in the ear
• Ear pain
• Hearing loss
• Ear ringing (tinnitus)
• Itchiness inside the ear
• Ear discharge
• Ear odor
• Dizziness
• Ear infections

When the wax builds up enough to cause symptoms, removal is required. It can be done using ear drops. OTC ear drops are either water or oil based. Ingredients typically found in earwax removal eardrops include glycerin, mineral oil, and saline solutions. These ear drops may also contain other substances, such as carbamide peroxide, baking soda, and acetic acid.

Causes of Ear Pain and Treatment Options

How Ear Drops Work for Earwax

All ear drops are designed to break down and dissolve the earwax buildup that is causing issues. The different substances used in the drops work in different ways:

• Mineral oil: Some OTC ear drops contain various types of mineral oil. Mineral oil softens hard and dry wax, which allows the wax to be cleared out of the ear once it becomes soft enough.
• Glycerin: Glycerin is used to soften the wax that has built up in the ears. This helps to clear any blockage or buildup, as the wax can then clear out on its own.
• Carbamide peroxide: Carbamide peroxide releases oxygen in the ear. The oxygen that’s released causes foaming within the ear, and that foam softens, loosens, and helps remove the excess buildup of wax.
• Saline solution: Saline solution helps soften the wax that has become hard.
• Baking soda: Since baking soda is an alkaline (high on the pH scale) substance, it can help clear out earwax by dissolving it. It can do this because the earwax is acidic. The chemical reaction that occurs between baking soda and earwax is what dissolves the earwax.
• Acetic acid: Acetic acid is found in water-based ear drops and helps dissolve the earwax buildup.

Although ear drops can be helpful in the removal of built-up earwax, there are some downfalls. For those who have sensitive skin, ear drops can cause irritation of the skin in and around the ear canal. Therefore, they should be used sparingly or as directed.

Some popular OTC ear drops include Polysporin Plus Pain Relief Ear Drops, Biovea Ear Soothing Oil, Hyland’s Earache Drops, and Murine Ear Drops. Be sure to read the directions and ingredient list carefully and speak to a healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are unsure which ear drops are right for you.

Fluid Drying (Swimmer’s Ear) Drops

Swimmer’s ear, also known as otitis externa, is an outer ear infection that affects the ear canal. The condition is caused by water that gets trapped in the ear, a lack of protective ear wax, and injury to the ear canal.

Symptoms include:

• Pain in the ear that can become worse if the ear is tugged or pressed on
• Pain that spreads to the side of the face closest to the affected ear
• An itchy ear canal
• Foul-smelling pus coming from the ear that is yellow or yellow-green
• Blocked ear
• Swelling and redness in the outer ear area
• Hearing loss or a decrease in hearing
• Slight fever

Prescription ear drops are sometimes used by people with swimmer’s ear if the infection requires antibiotic treatment, but OTC ear drops may be used to help dry out the ears quicker. This can help clear up the infection.

The ingredients used in ear drops that help dry out the ears include isopropyl alcohol or glycerin. The alcohol in the ear drops works by combining itself with the water in the ear. The water-alcohol combination then evaporates, drying out the ear.

If symptoms continue to persist or become worse after using an OTC ear drop for swimmer’s ear, see a healthcare provider since a prescription is likely needed.

Using ear drops properly will require you to lie down on your side with the affected ear facing the ceiling. Once you administer the drops, you will then stay lying in that position for at least two minutes.

Anesthetic (Numbing) Ear Drops

Anesthetic ear drops can help alleviate pain and swelling caused by ear infections. They aren’t often recommended, though, because they do not treat the infection, and other pain relievers can be used such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, these types of ear drops should only be used after a careful and thorough evaluation of the included ingredients. This is because they have not been evaluated for safety or efficacy for everyday use for ear pain and swelling associated with various ear infections.

Ingredients that have been shown to cause adverse reactions include:

• Benzocaine
• Benzocaine and antipyrine
• Benzocaine, antipyrine, and zinc acetate
• Benzocaine, chloroxylenol, and hydrocortisone
• Chloroxylenol and pramoxine
• Chloroxylenol, pramoxine, and hydrocortisone

If you are experiencing ear pain and think you may have an ear infection, the best thing to do is to use an approved OTC oral pain reliever and make an appointment with your primary care physician or other healthcare provider to have it checked out.

Ear Infection Doctor Discussion Guide

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When Not to Use Ear Drops

If you have or suspect you have a ruptured eardrum, you should avoid using ear drops completely. This is because if there is a hole or a way through the eardrum, chemicals can make their way into the middle ear and cause harm.

A few symptoms you may notice if you have a ruptured eardrum include:

• Hearing loss
• Ringing in the ears
• Ear pain
• Ear drainage
• Vertigo

If you think you may have a ruptured eardrum, see your healthcare provider and refrain from using any OTC ear drops.

OTC ear drops may help relieve some symptoms of various ear infections, but they will not treat the infection itself. To treat an ear infection properly, you have to see your healthcare provider. They will help determine what is causing the infection and how severe it is, and prescribe the appropriate antifungal or antibacterial ear drops.

Summary

Ear drops can help treat several health issues affecting the ear. They are generally safe and effective, but you should not use ear drops if you suspect you have a ruptured eardrum. In that case, see your healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do you get a middle ear infection?

  There are a few different causes of a middle ear infection (otitis media):

  • Eustachian Tube Blockage: If the eustachian tube (auditory tube) becomes blocked by swollen adenoids, any fluid and bacteria trapped inside can lead to an infection.
  • Bacterial causes: Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae are two types of bacteria that often cause a middle ear infection.
  • Viruses: The common cold and influenza (flu) are viruses that can lead to a middle ear infection.

  Learn More: Causes and Risk Factors of Middle Ear Infection

• Are there ear drops for tinnitus?

  Yes, there are ear drops for tinnitus, but these products have very little scientific research to back up their effectiveness. At best, they have provided users with a short-term placebo effect. However, if tinnitus is caused by earwax blockage, you can use over-the-counter earwax removal drops to treat it. Be careful using earwax removal drops if you have sensitive skin, since they have been known to cause irritation for some people.

• Can I use ear drops if my ear canal is itching and flaking?

  If you feel your ear canal itching and flaking, you should not use ear drops. These symptoms might be a sign of seborrheic dermatitis, an inflammatory skin condition. This condition is treated using an over-the-counter medicated shampoo, which are available at many drug stores. Be sure to check the product description of a shampoo to confirm that it treats seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff.

  Can I get drops for swimmer's ear over

  Is there an OTC medicine for swimmer's ear? Over-the-counter ear drops are not recommended to cure swimmer's ear. OTC pain medication such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetaminophen can help you feel better while your prescription ear drops are working to fight the infection.

  Which ear drops are best for swimmer's ear?

  Swimmer's ear is usually treatable with a 7 to 10-day course of antibiotic ear drops. Your physician may also prescribe acetic acid ear drops to help prevent another infection.

  What is the fastest way to cure swimmer's ear?

  Treatment and prevention Swimmer's ear is usually treated with antibiotics, either in the form of pills or ear drops. A homemade cure can be mixed from a solution of half rubbing alcohol and half vinegar.

  Do you need a prescription for swimmer's ear?

  The treatment of swimmer's ear usually requires prescription medication. Call your doctor if you or your child has symptoms of this condition. With treatment, symptoms usually improve within 24 hours and go away in two or three days.