Ear Drop Application And Use

Ear drops are a hearing and ear medication for the treatment of infection and ear wax. Ear drops are sometimes mentioned in the treatment of ear pain although they are not approved to treat pain. They also help to reduce swelling and congestion caused by the middle ear. Disorders that are treatable with ear drops include middle ear infections, swimmer’s ear, excessive ear wax, and ear pain.

How To Apply Them

Gather your supplies in advance before applying your ear drops. Be sure to have hand sanitizer or soap to clean your hands. Tissues or a towel will be useful for wiping away any excess drops that drain out of the ear. You may also want to warm the drops in your hand for two minutes to avoid the discomfort of cold liquid in your ear. Here are tips to help you accurately insert ear drops into your ear:

• Position your head so that the infected ear is facing upward. You may sit or stand while tilting your head.
• Draw up some liquid into the dropper.
• At this point, gently pull the upper part of your ear up and back. If you are administering drops to a child, pull the lower part of their ear down and back. Squeeze out the number of drops indicated on the side of the bottle.
• Tug your earlobe up and down a few times allowing the drops to enter into the ear. Keep your head in the tilted position for two to five minutes, so the drops have the chance to spread throughout the ear.
• Recap your medication bottle and wipe away excess liquid with your cloth.
• Wash your hands thoroughly.

What About Using Eye Drops In My Ear?

Yes, you can use eye drops for ear problems like infections however you can’t use ear drops in your eyes. Occasionally ear drops burn when applied. Eye drops offer a gentler alternative that does not burn to the extent that ear drops do. It also may be cheaper to use the eye drop medication as it is often available in generic form. Here is a partial listing of eye and ear drops that are equivalent to each other:

• Floxin is an ear medication equivalent to the eye medication Ocuflox.
• Ciprodex for your ear is the equivalent of Ciloxan, an eye medication.
• Ciloxan can be used instead of Cipro HC although it does not have the steroid hydrocortisone.
• Cortisporin is available for both the ears and the eyes.
• Tobradex for your eye is similar to Cortisporin for the ears and eyes.

When To Avoid Using Ear Drops

Do not use ear drops with a ruptured eardrum. By doing so, you may allow chemicals into the middle ear. You can tell if your eardrum is ruptured if there is a sharp pain, drainage, or popping noise. Consult a healthcare professional if you believe you might have a ruptured eardrum and do not try to insert anything like swabs into your ear. The eardrum usually repairs itself within a few days time.