home Audience 12 Choose ear drops for ear pain wisely! How to choose effective ear drops for otitis media correctly and quickly? Simple ear drops

Choose ear drops for ear pain wisely! How to choose effective ear drops for otitis media correctly and quickly? Simple ear drops

It occurs at the most inopportune moment; its intensity is comparable to a toothache. Appears suddenly and causes severe discomfort.

There are many types of ear pain: shooting, radiating to the head, stabbing and cutting. But it never appears on its own - there is always a reason: either the onset of an inflammatory process, or as a consequence of a chronic or infectious disease. This symptom should not be left to chance; treatment should be prescribed by a doctor as soon as possible.

Causes

There are several main reasons that cause pain in the auditory organ:

water getting into the ear canal;
long exposure to the wind without a hat;
excess or lack of sulfur production;
tumor in the inner ear;
labyrinthitis;
eustachitis;
complications after ARVI or FLU;
foreign body in the ear;
or heads;
intracranial tumors;
dental diseases.

ATTENTION! If pain occurs in the organ of hearing, you should immediately seek advice from an otolaryngologist.

Treatments

Therapeutic measures are aimed at getting rid of inflammation in the ear, which causes pain. Often used antibiotics, which have an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect. This medicine may be in the form ointments(placed directly into the ear using a cotton swab) or tablets(for oral administration).

Most common antibiotics for ear pain: Sumamed, Azithromycin, Ceftriaxone, Amoxicillin, Levomycetin. Warming agents can also be used compresses, which numb the affected area.

They are made on an alcohol basis or in the form of dry heat: bags of heated salt, cereal, or simply boiled eggs in their shells, wrapped in a towel.

All these manipulations bring results, however, they take a lot of time and can only be carried out in a hospital. Therefore, the easiest to use and at the same time fast-acting medications for pain in the hearing organs are ear drops.

What medications to use for colds

There are several types of drops designed to treat pain in the auditory organ:

with a combined composition (contain glucocorticoids);
single drugs (containing anti-inflammatory non-steroidal substances);
antibacterial (relieve inflammation, kill pathogenic microorganisms that cause it).

For otitis media, preference should be given to single medications in combination with an antibiotic, and for eardrum injuries, medications with a complex composition are suitable.

Using medications in the form of drops is quite simple: you need to instill the product into your ears twice or thrice a day every day until complete recovery. But you shouldn’t choose the drops yourself, because their composition and method of action are different.

Only a doctor can choose the right drug for each individual case, because there are many types of ear diseases. Moreover, the drops are not as harmless as at first glance: they can damage the auditory nerve, cause allergies or addiction. There is also a certain technology for instilling ears at home:

you need to lie on your side so that the sore ear is on top;
pull it down and back by the lobe;
You can hold the bottle with the drug in your hands so that it warms up slightly;
The pipette should also be warmed up a little by dipping it into hot water for a second;
instillation is carried out indirectly, that is, it is necessary to drip not directly into the ear canal, but onto the ear wall so that the medicine slowly flows inside;
After the procedure, you should definitely lie down for a few minutes.

IMPORTANT! When instilling ear drops, there should be no discomfort or pain. If itching, burning or redness occurs, you should stop the drug and choose another one (only with an ENT prescription).

Good and inexpensive

Sofradex- is a fast-acting antibiotic that stops the inflammatory process in a matter of minutes. Effective for otitis without traumatizing the eardrum. Average price - 220 rub.
Otipax- Suitable for the treatment of otitis at an early stage. The drops are a drug with a dual effect: analgesic and anti-inflammatory. Does not cause allergic reactions, is not contraindicated for pregnant women and infants. Price - 190 rub.
Normax- contains the strongest broad-spectrum antibiotic - norfloxacin. It has bactericidal, antiviral and analgesic effects. Contraindicated for children, pregnant and lactating women. Price - 40 rub.
Candibiotic- used for external and otitis media. It is a combination drug containing a bacteriostatic antibiotic, clotrimazole, lidocaine and a glucocorticosteroid. Effectively eliminates fungal and bacterial infections, relieves inflammation, relieves pain, and has an antihistamine effect. Price - 160 rub.
Anauran- have antiviral and local anesthetic effects. They are most effective in the treatment of chronic and acute forms of otitis, as well as in various inflammations of the middle ear, in which there are no signs of perforation of the eardrum. Price - 290 rub.
Otofa- quickly copes with any inflammation, however, does not contain painkillers. Used as part of complex treatment of purulent otitis media. Does not cause allergies. Not recommended for small children and women during pregnancy. Price - 200 rub.

Conclusion

If you experience ear pain, you should seek help from a clinic. There is no need to let the disease take its course or engage in treatment using traditional medicine. After all, it is possible to significantly worsen the general condition and lead to the spread of inflammation to adjacent organs and tissues. There is nothing wrong with the treatment: the use of drops and physical procedures are absolutely painless, but very effective.

Otitis is a very dangerous disease, accompanied by painful symptoms. Its treatment should be comprehensive and strictly with the drugs that the ENT specialist will select specifically for your case.

In addition to taking oral antibiotics, your doctor will prescribe ear drops for otitis media for local antibacterial action. What types of these drugs are currently available? What ear drops are considered effective?

Types of drops for otitis media

Drops in the ears for otitis media should combat the most important symptom of the disease - the inflammatory process caused by pathogenic bacteria. Depending on the main active ingredients, drugs in this group are:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Otinum, Otipax).
Antibacterial (Otofa, Normax).
Combined, combining antibiotics and corticosteroids (Anauran, Sofradex).

The selection of drops for ear inflammation should be made by the attending physician. An ENT specialist will determine the location of the process that is causing you pain, and, if necessary, will take the discharge for culture to find out what type of bacteria is responsible for the pathology.

Effective drops for otitis media

Drops in the ears during inflammation not only fight the pathological process, eliminating bacterial pathogenic flora, but also additionally anesthetize the affected area.

The composition of Otipax is considered safe, and the use of this drug against otitis is allowed even for the ears of small patients. Drops for the treatment of otitis media eliminate inflammation and, due to the lidocaine they contain, provide good pain relief.

The full effect of treatment is achieved within a week; very rarely therapy is delayed for 10-14 days.

A powerful combination drug that effectively fights the inflammatory process and kills bacteria and microbes on the affected tissues. But Sofradex has a whole list of disadvantages:

after instillation, a burning and itching sensation is felt in the ear canal;
the drug should not be used by pregnant women and children;
An overdose of ear drops is very dangerous.

However, Sofradex is successfully used to treat otitis media of the middle ear.

Anauran is a popular remedy for the treatment of purulent otitis media. The drops relieve pain well and fight viruses that cause inflammation of the tissues in the hearing organ. The drug is equally often included in the course of therapy against acute and even chronic forms of otitis.

Since Anauran contains an antibiotic, treatment of otitis with this drug should be strictly a course. If you stop using ear drops for otitis media as soon as the painful symptoms go away, the undertreated inflammatory process may start with a vengeance, and the pathogenic flora that causes it will already have a kind of immunity to the constituent antibacterial elements.

For the same reason, when the disease relapses, the doctor should alternate Anauran with other antibacterial drugs from disease to disease.

The drug with antibiotic effectively copes with acute and chronic forms of otitis; however, the drops do not contain any analgesic components. Therefore, if the inflammatory process is accompanied by painful symptoms, the ENT specialist will prescribe you either another remedy or additional oral analgesics.

Otofa can be used to treat the ears of young children, but they are not prescribed to pregnant women due to the antibiotic content. The use of these drops is also permissible with a perforated eardrum.

These ear drops for otitis in adults are used to treat pathologies of the middle and outer parts of the hearing organs. They perfectly fight bacterial flora that causes inflammatory processes, but have a lot of unpleasant side effects. After instilling these relatively inexpensive drops, a burning and itching sensation occurs in the ear canal.

The rather aggressive composition of otitis drops does not allow them to be used to treat patients under 18 years of age, as well as pregnant and lactating women.

Inexpensive ear drops help overcome bacterial and fungal otitis media and have virtually no contraindications or unpleasant side effects.

Question about boric alcohol

Many patients, despite the abundance of high-quality and effective drops on pharmacy shelves, are still inclined to “old-fashioned” methods and buy boric alcohol to treat otitis.

But using this drug to treat otitis media is very dangerous.

If you have had a perforated eardrum, the solution that gets into the middle ear can cause enormous damage to your hearing. In addition, both boric acid and alcohol have a pronounced warming effect, and the thermal effect on inflamed tissue will contribute to the active reproduction of pathogenic flora.

In addition, boric alcohol is very toxic and its dangerous components can accumulate in tissues - their effect subsequently manifests itself in the form of nausea, vomiting and other neurological symptoms.

If you experience symptoms of otitis media and your doctor has prescribed certain anti-inflammatory drops, do not take risks and do not change treatment regimens to please traditions and your wallet. Using boric alcohol to treat a disease can lead to unpleasant consequences.

Proper instillation

Instillation of drops into the ears for otitis should follow certain rules. Their violation will not only not speed up the healing process, but can also damage the hearing organ.

Ear drops for ear inflammation have a local effect, so they should be administered directly and most accurately to the affected areas.

Before starting treatment for otitis media, the drops should be prepared: heated to a comfortable temperature directly in the pipette. It is better to do this by holding the filled accessory in your hand or placing it in a bowl of warm water. It is not recommended to warm a whole bottle of ear drops - this will shorten its validity period.

The patient should lie on his side so that the diseased auditory organ is located on top.
To straighten the ear canal, you need to pull on the earlobe.
You cannot directly drip drugs into the ear canal - they can get on the eardrum, burn it or cause acute pain. It is better to twist a cotton wool, insert it carefully into the ear, and only after that start instilling the drug.
After instillation, the ear canal should be covered with a cotton ball.

When choosing ear drops for otitis media, you just need to buy the necessary medications and instill them in a certain way.

What is otitis media?

The ears are one of the most important organs of the human body, providing sound perception and transmitting information to the corresponding parts of the brain. Otitis is an inflammatory process that affects various parts of the ear. Depending on the location of the inflammation, otitis externa, otitis media and internal are distinguished.

Otitis externa is the mildest and rarest variant of the disease. Otitis media is more common, which, along with internal otitis, poses the greatest danger to humans. This is due to the anatomical and functional features of the ear: the inner and middle ear are located inside the skull in close proximity to the brain, so the inflammatory process easily spreads to adjacent tissues.

In accordance with the nature of the inflammatory process, catarrhal and purulent forms are distinguished. The catarrhal form can transform into a purulent form if there is no treatment or the disease is severe.

Symptoms of the disease

Signs of ear damage are quite typical and are the same at any age.

Among them the most significant:

change in general condition (fever, weakness);
pain in the area of the affected ear, which intensifies when swallowing, chewing, sometimes even when turning the head;
the intensity of pain is directly related to the nature and severity of the inflammatory process;
Some people with damage to the middle ear experience dizziness, ringing and tinnitus;
hearing loss only when the middle and inner ear are affected; if only the outer ear is affected, hearing is usually not affected;
purulent discharge from the ear is observed only in the purulent form of the disease.

A small child is often simply unable to describe such sensations.

Adults around the baby should pay attention to the following signs:

The child cries for no apparent reason, is capricious, refuses to eat, or sleeps poorly;
Swings from side to side;
Rubs ears or squeezes head with hands.

For any form of otitis, the sooner treatment is started, the more effective and short-lasting it will be. Advanced forms of inflammatory ear infection are quite difficult to treat. Complications often develop or the disease becomes chronic, which is accompanied by persistent damage to the internal structures of the ear and hearing loss.

Choosing the best inexpensive ear drops for otitis media

Most ear drops for otitis media have a combined composition. The components provide a reduction in swelling, a decrease in the severity of pain, that is, they have an anti-inflammatory effect. Typically, such drops for otitis media are effective in the initial stages of the disease. With the development of the purulent phase of the inflammatory process, the use of ear drops with an antibiotic and glucocorticosteroids is required. It is important to treat an inflamed ear for several days, until the inflammatory process disappears completely, and not until the first signs of improvement.

In a modern city pharmacy chain you can find the following options for drops for the treatment of inflammatory changes in the ear:

Drops for otitis in adults are limited in use only by the possibility of individual intolerance, as well as pregnancy and lactation in women. Treatment of a child with any ear drops requires greater care, since a number of medications are allowed to be used only from the age of 12, or a lower dosage is required.

Let's briefly look at the main advantages and disadvantages of the above listed remedies for otitis media.

Antiseptics and anesthetics

Boric alcohol is a fairly old remedy for the treatment of otitis media. Effective for external otitis and at the initial stage of otitis media.

Its evaporation from the surface of ear tissues affected by inflammation is accompanied by a decrease in swelling and, accordingly, pain. An alcohol solution of furatsilin has a similar mechanism of action and can be prepared at home.

A group of ear drops with similar names “Otinum”, “Otizol”, “Otipax” contain classic drugs from the group of analgesics and anesthetics. The first component, when it enters the ear, reduces the intensity of inflammation and gradually eliminates it completely. The second is designed to quickly reduce the severity of pain. This group of drugs does not contain an antimicrobial component, so it is quite safe even for small children. In pregnant and breastfeeding women, these drops should only be used if absolutely necessary.

Antimicrobial and hormonal agents

Garazon drops include a hormone (betamethasone) and an antibiotic (gentamicin). A product called "Dexona" contains two components: dexamethasone and neomycin. It is possible to use these drugs in the absence of evidence of otitis before the onset of this disease. The use of one antibiotic will not cause addiction and the creation of antibiotic resistance.

The drug "Normax" is an alternative remedy for the repeated treatment of the inflammatory process. Its main component is norfloxacin, an antimicrobial agent from the fluoroquinolone group. Resistance does not develop to them, as to most antibiotics, which is why Normax is the best remedy for treating people who often suffer from otitis media.

Sofradex drops have been deservedly popular for many years. This product has a combined composition, including a steroid hormone (dexamethasone) and antimicrobial components (gramicidin and neomycin). It has a pronounced anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effect. It is necessary to drip Sofradex into the affected ear no more than 4 times a day. It is recommended to prescribe them if there is no effect from treatment with antimicrobial agents.

Polidex drops also include dexamethasone and an antimicrobial component (polymyxin and neomycin). The choice of a combination product for instillation into the ear is made based on information about previously used antibiotics, as well as in accordance with the personal preferences of the doctor.

Drops "Otofa" and "Candibiotic" stand somewhat apart in the group of ear drops with antimicrobial action. "Otofa" contains rifampicin, which is a reserve drug, prescribed only in cases of chronic otitis media that are resistant to the action of other antimicrobial drops. The main component of Candibiotic is the antifungal substance clotrimazole, which is necessary for the treatment of severe forms of infectious process of mycotic origin.

The drug "Anauran" is a rare combination of almost all the advantages of modern medications instilled into the ear. It contains two antimicrobial components (neomycin and polymyxin) and the local anesthetic lidocaine. The powerful antibacterial effect of the two components quickly eliminates the infectious-inflammatory process, and lidocaine reduces pain even at the first instillation.

How to instill the product

Correctly instilling a remedy to eliminate inflammation in the ear is both a complex and simple task. Perhaps the first attempt will be unsuccessful, but as you repeat the treatment will be successful. It is impossible to bury yourself; the help of another person is required.

Any ear drops should be warmed to room temperature before use. To do this, you need to hold the bottle in your hand for a few minutes or immerse it in a bowl of hot water. It must be remembered that excessively hot drops will cause a burn in the ear canal, and too cold drops will cause dizziness or even fainting.

The sick person lies down comfortably on his side with the sore ear facing up. In order for the drops to be properly distributed inside the ear and not leak out, the adult’s ear should be gently pulled back and up, and the baby’s ear (up to two years old) should be pulled back and down. After instillation, you need to lie quietly for 7-10 minutes. It is necessary to carefully observe the frequency of use, dosage and duration of use of any drops.

The use of antibiotics for otitis media

It is necessary to treat a person with ear inflammation with antibiotics in case of a high probability of complications, as well as in severe cases of the disease. In this case, not only antibiotics with a wide spectrum of effects are used, but also those that penetrate well into the internal structures of the ear. The most commonly used are 2nd and 3rd generation cephalosporins and modern penicillins (amoxicillin). Aminoglycoside drugs (streptomycin) are used with extreme caution, as they have side effects such as ototoxicity.

The prescription of an antibiotic must be agreed upon with an otolaryngologist.

Prevention of otitis

In this case, it is correct to talk not only about the prevention of otitis media, but also about the prevention of seasonal viral infections, which are often complicated by ear inflammation.

To do this you need:

eat right, if there is a deficiency of vitamins and microelements, use appropriate multicomponent complexes;
spend a lot of time outdoors, practice outdoor activities on weekends;
dress appropriately for the weather, but do not bundle up;
If signs of an infectious process occur, begin treatment immediately.

Otitis is a common disease at any age, but not dangerous if treatment is started early. You should contact an ENT doctor at the first signs of illness in order to quickly regain briefly lost health.

Video instruction: how to properly instill ear drops in children

Otitis is one of the most common diseases of the ENT organs. Characterized by inflammation of the hearing aid. Depending on the location of the process, external, middle and internal otitis are distinguished. The infection enters the organ from the outside, with injuries to the shell, hematogenously, from an inflammatory focus in the nasopharynx. Treatment of pathology should be carried out only by a doctor. Ear drops for ear inflammation are an integral part of complex therapy.

At the first symptoms indicating otitis media, you must contact a specialized specialist at a medical institution, namely an ENT doctor. When the ears become inflamed, they hurt greatly, a splashing sensation appears, and the body temperature rises. In an advanced state, with an average localization of the process, discharge appears from the ear canal.

After an examination, medical history and diagnostic tests, the doctor will select a medicine for ear inflammation. Treatment of otitis media is carried out comprehensively; ear drops are part of such therapy.

Depending on the cause of ear inflammation, the following groups of local drugs are prescribed:

Anti-inflammatory ear drops. The products contain a component that reduces the activity of the inflammatory process and a local anesthetic that relieves pain (Otipax, Otinum).
Antibiotic drops. Destroy bacterial microflora at the local level. Effective in the early stages of the inflammatory process (Tsipromed, Tsipropharm, Otofa, Dancil).
Combined means. The composition includes an antibacterial substance with a broad spectrum of action and an anti-inflammatory component, it can be a glucocorticosteroid or NSAID (Sofradex, Polydexa, Garazon).
Antifungal drops. The drugs are prescribed for mycotic lesions of the ear; the active ingredients have fungicidal and fungistatic properties (Fugentin, Candibiotic).
Antiseptics. The use of such drugs helps reduce the activity of pathogenic microorganisms and their ability to reproduce (Miramistin, Hydrogen Peroxide, Chlorhexidine, Furacilin).

The use of drops for ear pain has a number of advantages over systemic ones:

easy to use;
cheap;
the risk of side effects is minimal;
act immediately after application;
convenient packaging.

The drug group and duration of treatment are selected by the doctor individually, based on diagnostic test data. Each clinical case is unique; self-medication can lead to serious complications.

Pharmacological action of drops for otitis media.

Anti-inflammatory drops

For lesions of the outer part of the ear, as well as for otitis media of moderate localization with involvement of the eardrum, anti-inflammatory ear drops are prescribed. They contain a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and the local anesthetic Lidocaine.

The use of these remedies helps remove pain from the inflamed ear and reduce the activity of the process. Anti-inflammatory drops have the advantage that they are approved for use in both adults and children. People with a history of allergies should be careful when using this group of drugs, since many are allergic to lidocaine.

The most famous representatives of this group:

The course of treatment is selected individually. Contraindications for use include perforation of the eardrum and allergies to any of the components.

Combination ear drops

Combined anti-inflammatory drops are prescribed in more advanced conditions or in cases of confirmed bacterial infection. This group of drugs includes a steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and one or more antibiotics. Due to this composition, the drugs have a powerful bactericidal effect, reduce the activity of inflammation, and promote rapid regeneration of damaged tissues. Prescribed for otitis media and externa, accompanied by severe swelling, an actively developing process.

Among the combination drugs most often used:

Only a doctor should prescribe drugs in this group. Uncontrolled use of even local antibacterial drugs can cause resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics. In addition, drops are not used for perforation of the eardrum, because the auditory nerve can be damaged.

Drops in the ears for otitis media with antibiotics

Local preparations containing an antibiotic are prescribed for exacerbation of chronic otitis, for acute purulent processes, for the prevention of inflammation in injuries or after surgery. Often these drugs are single-component.

The most famous representatives of this series:

Antibiotic drops should only be prescribed by a doctor. The wrong choice of remedy can aggravate the condition.

Antiseptics

Antiseptic drugs are prescribed for inflammatory processes in the outer and middle ear. The action of the products is aimed at destroying pathogenic microorganisms and reducing their ability to reproduce. In addition, antiseptics are prescribed to treat the ear canal with wax plugs and purulent discharge from the ear.

In addition, antiseptics are prescribed in the form of solutions for rinsing the ear canal. The method of application is selected by the doctor.

Special instructions when using drops

The main component of successful treatment of otitis is correctly prescribed drug therapy. Only a doctor should make these appointments after examining and diagnosing the patient. Self-medication leads to life-threatening complications.

In addition to the correct prescription of medications, the correct administration of the medication also plays an important role. To instill ear drops correctly, you must complete the following points:

warm the drug to body temperature, holding the bottle in your hands;
take a horizontal position on your side, with your healthy ear down;
pull the earlobe up and back (in children, back and down);
apply the amount of product prescribed by the doctor into the ear canal;
lightly massage the tragus;
lie down for 20 minutes.

After this, the manipulation is repeated with the other ear.

It should be remembered that not everyone is allowed to treat otitis with ear drops alone. Contraindications to the use of anti-inflammatory drops are:

aggravated allergic status;
individual intolerance to the substances included in the composition;
perforation of the eardrum;
lactation;
pregnancy.

Therapy for ear inflammation is prescribed comprehensively, especially in purulent processes, including the following groups of drugs:

antibiotics (Augmentin, Cedex, Ampicillin);
antihistamines (Zodak, Edem, Cetrin);
NSAIDs, they reduce temperature, relieve symptoms of inflammation (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen);
vasoconstrictor nasal drops (Nazivin, Rinazolin, Nazik).

Otitis is a serious disease that entails a number of life-threatening complications. Comprehensive and correctly prescribed treatment, including systemic and local drugs, will help cope with the disease without harming the body.

What ear drops should be used for inflammation of the auditory organ is described in the video.