Suggestions to treat ear infections

You don't have to be a kid to get an ear infection. Adults, too, are sometimes plagued by the nagging pain and pressure of an earache. But targeted medications can bring quick relief — and sometimes aching ears even clear up on their own. Here are some ways to effectively deal with the common ear infection.

Here initial treatments when you get an ear infection:

• Prescription eardrops, antibiotics and/or pain­killers to fight germs and/or numb pain.
• Over-the-counter analgesics, such as Tylenol, or NSAIDs to reduce pain, inflammation and fever.
• Self-care strategies (proper ear cleaning, wax removal) for treatment and prevention.

• Take a drug-free approach to otitis media. If there is no evidence of fever, change in hearing, swelling or discharge from the ear, many experts suggest giving mild cases of ear infection a day or two to clear up before resorting to antibiotics.
• Stay the course. If you are prescribed antibiotics, be sure to take the full course even if you feel better in a day or two. Otherwise, harmful germs may remain, rally and strike again.
• Give your hearing aid a rest. Avoid using this device during treatment. When your ear is healthy, remove the hearing aid often to air out the canal.
• Try herbal eardrops. You can relieve a mild earache caused by otitis externa in about 10 minutes using mullein flower eardrops, available at health-food stores. Not only do the drops reduce swelling, they also help to fight in­fection-causing microbes. Avoid the drops if there’s any chance of a ruptured ear­drum. Signs of this in­clude draining from the ear or ­intense pain.

These are all effective methods to deal with ear infections. Find the one that suits your need and keep those painful infections at bay.