<p>Cipro can affect tendons and really mess you up. I have a colleague who took it for a week and he has had severe ankle pain ever since - he even went to Boston for a consultation, but they couldn’t figure out any way to help him.</p>
<p>Since I’m a runner who has had Achilles tendonitis in the past, I always ask for a different antibiotic. But I’m allergic to sulfa and any type of penicillin (including amoxicillin), so my choices are limited.</p>
<p>Would otic Cipro be an option for you, missypie? There is research showing that at least in kids topical administration of antibiotics via ear drops works as well as systemic administration. As my personal N=1 experiment showed, it worked well for my D!</p>
<p>Although it has been a very long time since any of us in the family have had an ear infection, the kids used to get them a lot. And we used antibiotics a lot. Then, finally, my fourth had a bad reaction to amaxocillin, (very sudden and immense hives), and then I noticed at another point in time that she seemed to be having a bad reaction to another antibiotic (it was making her very listless – it was scary to watch as a mom). I was reading some sort of book about alternatives to antibiotics at the time and started trying homeopathy. The homeopathic remedies worked very well for us, for ear aches, at least. I tried them for some other things too, with more mixed results. I have also tried the mullein and garlic oils for the ear – I am not sure if they had much of an effect, but I think they sometimes did help. Anyway, message me if you want details. I know most people view homeopathic remedies with great skepticism, and actually, I do too. But, as I said, we got results, so there is that. Was it some sort of placebo effect? I think antibiotics are great, and I am not one to refuse to take them if it is warranted, but they are way overused, and they do come with some side effects, ranging from mild to very unpleasant. And they don’t always work. Many of the alternative approaches at least don’t have severe side effects – but do your homework, some herbs and things do have some side effects.</p>
<p>If you want to try drops, make your own from equal parts vinegar and rubbing alcohol. I used it all the time when the kids were young, it works well on swimmers ear. Three drops in the ear three times a day. The alcohol absorbs fluid in the ear and bacteria hates vinegar (or so the doctor says).</p>
<p>Basic vital information: what is being referred to here in all instances as an “ear infection” needs to be clarified. </p>
<p>There are three very distinctly different and separate (unless the tympanic membrane or ear drum is perforated) parts of the ear: 1. the ear canal (outer ear);2. the middle ear (where most children have “ear infections”…) and, 3. the inner ear (dizziness or vertigo is the most typical symptom of an issue here).</p>
<p>I think most people use the term “ear infection” to refer to an infection involving the middle ear. Any topical drops used will only affect the outer ear or ear canal. If fluids build up in the middle ear or there is negative pressure present and the ear drum appears inflamed, then most likely there is an infection present. I suppose you could take decongestants and hope that reduction in swelling allows for things to drain and clear up spontaneously, but you do run the risk of a ruptured tympanic membrane. Ouch. </p>
<p>So I’d go with what your doc says to do. Or get a second opinion…from another doc!!</p>
<p>Church music did a good job of describing the parts of the ear. </p>
<p>If you have a bacterial infection of the MIDDLE ear, drops put into your ear are not going to help. They will only reach the outer ear.</p>
<p>Missypie…your doctor should be able to tell you what kind of ear infection you have. If it is middle ear, these home remedies of any kind of drop won’t do a thing primarily because they will not reach your middle ear. </p>
<p>There are MANY different antibiotics beside Cipro that can be used to treat a middle ear infection. If this persists, and the pain either gets worse, or does not subside, go see another doctor. The risk with a middle ear infection is that there is fluid behind your eardrum that could potentially cause an ear drum rupture…and that IS painful and also can affect your hearing.</p>
<p>I’m hoping that ENT will weigh in on options to treat middle ear infections.</p>
<p>If this is an outer ear infection of some type, it would be treated differently. In my sample of one…me…outer ear issues are treated with drops of some kind, not antibiotics…but I’m just a sample of me!</p>
<p>" If you have a bacterial infection of the MIDDLE ear, drops put into your ear are not going to help. They will only reach the outer ear."</p>
<p>Sorry,thumper, that ^^ is not correct. Contrary to what has been stated in some posts, this is what the makers of the otic cipro solution say (and they would not be making these statements if the FDA have not approved their drug for this indication):</p>
<p>[CIPRODEX®</a> (ciprofloxacin 0.3% and dexamethasone 0.1%) Sterile Otic Suspension | DROPS101? Web Tool ? Home](<a href=“http://www.ciprodex.com/]CIPRODEX®”>http://www.ciprodex.com/)</p>
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<p>Worked like a charm for D’s “swimmers ear” that could not be treated with the rubbing alcohol/vinegar.</p>
<p>Bunsen, unless I’m reading wrong, cipro is useful in middle ear infections for kids with tubes in their eardrums…in other words, the medicine can get into the middle ear via the hole in the tube. Swimmers ear is an ear canal infection and I’m not surprised the drops worked like a charm. Bacteria and antibiotic were on the same side of the membrane.
Now if Missy’s eardrum has ruptured (drainage, no real pain) the drops may work. Happened to me a few years ago…painful ear after a bad cold. Sat up in bed and felt a pop and a trickle of liquid in my ear. No more pain, but hearing was affected until it healed. I imagine that putting home remedies like garlic oil into a middle ear unprotected by an intact membrane is just asking for more complicated problems.</p>
<p>Yep…in that example, the kiddos have PE tubes, and therefore a small perforation in the ear drum. Thus the drops can get to the middle ear.</p>
<p>Plus…swimmers ear is an infection of the outer ear canal from the outside to the eardrum. It is not a middle ear infection. </p>
<p>Outer ear infections like swimmers ear ARE very often treated with drops.</p>
<p>Drops can get to the middle ear. As an example, here is literature for a prescription antibiotic drop for bacterial ear infections of both the outer and middle ear with directions for inserting applying the drops. There are other reputable (Mayo Clinic, WebMD) sources available online that also reference drops for middle ear infections.</p>
<p>[OFLOXACIN</a> - EAR SOLUTION (Floxin) side effects, medical uses, and drug interactions.](<a href=“http://www.medicinenet.com/ofloxacin-ear_solution/article.htm]OFLOXACIN”>http://www.medicinenet.com/ofloxacin-ear_solution/article.htm)</p>
<p>Here’s another interesting article on the subject: </p>
<p><a href=“Remedies: Herbal Ear Drops for Infections - The New York Times”>Remedies: Herbal Ear Drops for Infections - The New York Times;
<p>My extended family - 4 kids, 10 grandkids - have used garlic oil for years and have found it does the trick, especially if applied early. I am always one for trying homeopathic methods first but keeping an eye on things and seeking medical attention if warranted.</p>
<p>My pediatrician friend recommends warm olive oil and heat ( i used hand warmers and placed on my ear) for ear pain. I had annoying intermittent pain/ congestion and this helped relieve the symptoms.</p>
<p>Yet another vote for garlic. Only I crush a clove into a paste (activates something in the garlic, anicillin?). Wash the paste down with some juice. Do this twice a day for about 4 or 5 days. I have been very successful with this for sinus and ear infections.</p>
<p>There is no question that some middle ear infections resolve without antibiotic treatment. You certainly can use alternate treatments or take a wait and see approach. But if the pain worsens, just be very careful…a perforated eardrum really IS painful, and affects hearing. Also, keep any eye on your temperature and if this goes very high, again figure out what you should do next.</p>
<p>I looked up the indications for ofloxacin drops. They are used in middle ear infections only when the ear drum has perforated. Also, pain from otitis media (middle ear infections) is usually worst during the first day when the middle ear is filliing with fluid and stretching the ear drum. The reason the homeopathic remedies work is because, as Thumper said, some middle ear infections (probably most) resolve on their own. However, the ones that don’t can cause some pretty nasty complications, which is why most doctors treat them with antibiotics, for better or worse.</p>
<p>“Wash the paste down with some juice. Do this twice a day for about 4 or 5 days. I have been very successful with this for sinus and ear infections”.</p>
<p>If your ear infection is behind the ear drum membrane there is zero chance that washing the outer ear with any thing will do anything .</p>
<p>But why in the world would you want to push culinary grade oils into your ears?</p>
<p>Drops can get past the eardrum if it is perforated. Good grief.</p>
<p>Ive had a perforated eardrum twice as a child, it is incredibly painful.
Its very unlikely that is the case here.
I wouldn’t put solids into my ears though.</p>
<p>Z-pack (Zithromax). Never had an ear infection as a child but seem to get at least one/year these days. Both my internist & EMT prescribe zpack.</p>
<p>Well, still waiting to hear if this is an outer ear infection or a middle ear infection.</p>
<p>Outer ear infections are commonly caused by a bacteria called pseudomonas. If your ENT felt you needed oral antibiotics, Cipro is the only oral antibiotic that can treat this organism. Outer ear infections only rarely require oral antibiotics and are typically treated with topical drops like Cipro dex, floxin or cortisporin after the ear is carefully cleaned in the office.</p>
<p>Middle ear infections can be caused by a variety of bacteria and viruses. Topical drops will have no effect unless there is a perforation. Many middle ear infections can clear with just time and motrin, but if the pain is too great or fever starts to mount, I will typically treat with oral antibiotics. Cipro is not really a good choice for middle ear infections. Zithromax is not much better and has over 50% antibiotic resistance in my area due to overuse.</p>