Treating ear infection without antibiotics?? Does it work?

MrsOlson

My DD#2 has a bulging ear infection and I took her into urgent care tonight just to be told that they won't give antibiotics without first trying Motrin/decongestant for 10 days first.

Any one have any experience with this? Does it work? She keeps crying saying " My ear erts". My heart is breaking for her.

I am worried that she will end up with a ruptured ear drum....

Would you bring her in again tomorrow to a different doctor or wait to see if it goes away?

KoriBrett

No experience with it. ?DS always went on meds and is on his 2nd set of tubes & had his tonsils & adenoids out. ?

I will say this - if it's a regular issue with her, I'd do the antibiotics hands down. ?If she never gets ear infections it'd be worth a shot, I think.

Temp108743750006959

I think you can, but it doesn't sound fun. My pedi -- who is pretty conservative with meds -- looks at a bad ear and prescribes antibiotics.

MrsOlson

She had 3 in a row last summer. The first and second were kind of combined. I don't think the antibiotics worked until the 2nd round.

I am just trying to be open minded about it instead of completely P!ssed off like I was an hour ago.

I hope that doctor gets a good nights sleep because we sure won't be.... Poor baby girl.

KoriBrett

If antibiotics didn't kick it until they went up a step, I'd say go in again & get her some meds. ?I REALLY feel ya on the no sleep bit, it's rough, I'm sorry :-(?

MediaBride

Go to the drugstore and get Simulsan eardrops.  They are natural and they work. Seriously... go now.  They are OTC and our pedi said that they've done studies recently and that the Simulsan drops work almost as well as the perscription numbing drops for ear pain.  And they are natural whcih is nice.  It will at least relieve the pain a little for her so she can maybe get some rest (you too!)

I don't know about the no-antibiotics thing.  DS2 just got tubes in his ears in Dec and it's been WONDERFUL.  But he took a LOT of antibiotics before that.  If it's obviously infected and bulging... aren't they concerned that it will rupture?   Talk about painful. 

Is your pedi open tomorrow?  If she's still complaining of pain in the AM I'd take her to your regular pedi.  We had a few rounds of antibiotics not working and needing a third.  

Good luck (now go get those drops!!  

justEK

I don't know if it can typically work without antibiotics, but we have been successful twice.

DS's right ear was just recently bulging (around Christmas). He went on two doses of antibiotics back to back. While we were at the doctor's office the last time, I asked how possible it was that the fluid was all built up from teething since he had a molar coming in. She said very possible,that many children come in with frequent ear infections between 2 and 3 years old and it very well could be from teething. I asked if it would be worth it to try claritin if he started complaining again and she said it wouldn't hurt.

DS started complaining again last week about his ear. I checked and noticed yet another molar coming through so I started him on claritin daily until it comes through. Now a second (the last one) is coming through, too so two molars. The claritin seems to be helping quite a bit; he's sleeping much better and he has not complained about his ear again. We have his well visit on Tuesday, so I'm curious how his ears look.

GL!

EMT

I'm interested in responses to this too. DS has a double EI (first one ever) which is not responding to the antibiotics he was given for pneumonia (which apparently he actually doesn't have...RSV instead). It's my understanding that these antibiotics are stronger than amox which is what DD was prescribed for her first ever EI this week. So, I'm kinda surprised that its not working and am not loving the side affects of the antibiotics anywa. Would love to try something else!

shouldbworkin

We've never tried it.  The last EI DS had came on pretty fast.  He was ok at the Peds office, just complaining of an ear ache and within a few hours he was burning up and inconsolable.  Within 2 doses of antibiox (about 12-24 hours later) he was feeling better.  I think they're a good thing.  I didn't even think you could give a child under 6 a decongestant nowadays anyway. 

ETA: maybe it depends on how it presents?  DS gets EIs a week after he's had a cold.  So, the congestion is gone, but the fluid didn't drain from his ears properly and he now has an EI.  He's never had one with a cold, which might lead a Ped to think that it's viral vs. bacterial.

CleoKitty

Not prescribing antibiotics for every ear infection is the current standard of care- they aren't always necessary and in general we take way too many antibiotics.

Our doctor will usually write us a prescription for antibiotics and tell us to wait 4-5 days before filling it. Most of the time it ends up not being needed because the kid is already better by then. Many ear infections in children will resolve themselves.

That being said, neither of my kids have been ones to have chronic infections- just a handful of them in between the two kids. Don't know how it changes when that's the case. 

Also, FWIW, if it makes you feel any better: ds's eardrum burst once and it was totally not a big deal. He cried and cried that his ear hurt and then suddenly I noticed blood/pus coming out of his ear and he stopped crying. It had come on quite suddenly following a cold. Anyhow, we were told what happened to him was common: severe pain then it bursts and the pain is suddenly gone because the pressure has been relieved, plus the infection can drain right out of the ear.  The eardrum heals exceptionally fast- the next day the doctor could barely even see where it had ruptured.

jessicaclare

My doctor generally will give us a prescription for antibiotics and ask us to wait a few days to fill it to see if it gets better (for my older DD, only once she hit 2 and could communicate her pain level). It usually does. She doesn't get chronic ear infections by any means, so it hasn't been an issue for us. For something more serious and more painful, he'd prescribe for us, though.

Having a burst ear drum actually isn't that bad. I've had it happen a few times. The pain is pretty intense beforehand, but once it bursts, everything clears up pretty quickly. I don't have any lasting hearing issues either. 

 I hope your DD is feeling better soon!

Mrs Manners

The eardrum rupture would probably make her feel better. I would not use drops of any kind if you fear a rupture because the are contra-indicated with eardrum rupture. I would take her to the regular pedi if possible for a second look.

AnneUCSB

I have 3 kids with chronic ear infections.  The pedi used to try the "treat with motrin and let it ride" course for the older boys but when it became clear that they were chronic ear infection kids, she would immediately prescribe azithromycin (they are allergic to amoxicillin).  

Ryan was just in on Tuesday night for pain and fever and found to have the beginning of an ear infection.  She suggested motrin round the clock and re-check on Thursday.  He was MISERABLE until the recheck and found to then have a raging ear infection.  At that point, she prescribed the antibiotics and within 24 hours he is a new baby again (thank goodness).

 I would say it is fine to try the motrin approach but if your DD is still miserable after 24 hours, call the pedi and just get a prescription.  No need for her to suffer (and ear infections are SO painful).  

Hang in there!  Ear infections are no fun for the kids or the parents (especially the lack of sleep for all). 

Halo79RN

CleoKitty:

Not prescribing antibiotics for every ear infection is the current standard of care- they aren't always necessary and in general we take way too many antibiotics.

this

I worked with a pedi who said he it depends on how it looks and if it's unilateral or bilateral (one or both ears).  apparently many ear infections are viral just like a cold...  so he prefers to wait and reassess in 2-3 days ... again, depending on what he sees.  he also says that urgent care centers over prescribe antibiotics... he'd recommend just waiting until you can get to your pedi, if you can.    

I did have a peds instructor who swore by garlic oil in the ear...  crush a clove, let it sit in oil overnight...then a drop or two in each ear ... the warm oil soothes...  the garlic has anti infective/antibiotic properties.  she swore by it.  ?

my kids haven't had many infections , the one dd had , she complained of ear pain and was screaming in the night 2 nights after being diagnosed with pink eye (she had a lot of pus in her eye)...  so we got antibiotics.   

goodheartedmommy

Ditto Cleo. I'd be leary of a doctor who prescribed them for every ear infection. E's had several and has only had antibiotics once, and that was after a couple of weeks. Yeah, it can be painful to deal with for a few days, but I believe it's better for them in the long run (to not have antibiotics immediately for everything).

Bride2b2004

vccake:

My pedi -- who is pretty conservative with meds -- looks at a bad ear and prescribes antibiotics.

Same here.  We always try to avoid meds and have gotten through several ei without any, but when it gets really bad, the pedi really encourages using them and we always follow her advice.  I have been there enough (unfortunately) to know if it was a raging ear infection, no way would she just Rx a decongestant.  

Couldn't they at least give her ear numbing drops for the pain?   

Littlejen22

Um, I would never give decongestant to a kid that young and my pedi would NEVER recommend it.  Go to a "real" doctor, seriously.