Do You Need Antibiotics for an Ear Infection?

Most ear infections will clear up fine on their own. Just take a pain killer if there is pain and a decongestant to help clear the blockage in the tubes that is causing the infection.

In fact, we are one of the only countrys to routinely prescribe antibiotics for ear infections. In the UK this is almost unheard of and they are only used for sever infections that will not clear up on there own. This over use is the very reason many things are popping up now that are resistant to antibiotics.

I have used them but also get the kids adjusted regularly by a chiropractor and every day when they do have one, which has only been once for each of them! Other kids I've known that had them once or chronically have been helped by chiropractic care too.

Neither me nor my daughter take antibiotics for an ear infection right away. Most are caused by viruses and go away with some pain management (tylenol or ibuprofen) and medication that supports drainage of the inner ear.

When my child was an infant she was diagnosed with 12 ear infections in 10 months and placed on abx every single time! We were talking about getting her tubes for her ears. I happened to fly to Europe with her at the time and the pediatrician there was HORRIFIED when he heard about her treatment regiment. He put her on an expectorant and medicated nosedrops to reduce the swelling of her sinuses and Eustachian tubes.
When I came back I talked to my local pediatrician about this and he told me in the face that he knew about this treatment, but that American parents just expected antibiotics, so that's what he prescribes... he agreed that from then on her would only prescribe antibiotics if the ear infection did not clear or show signs of getting better after 3 days of nosedrops and expectorant - needless to say she has not been on abx since we came back from our trip almost 3 years ago.
You can and should always ask about alternative treatment options if you are uncomfortable with what your doctor routinely suggests.
Good luck!

My kids used to get ear infections all the time. They were always prescribed antibiotics. One day I asked the pediatrician if I had to give the antibiotics or if the infection would go away on it's own, and she said..."It will most likely go away on it's own, but most mom's want a prescription, so we don't even ask anymore. There is an 80% chance that it is a viral infection and will go away on it's own. Don't fill the prescription unless he's not better in a couple of days." I haven't taken my son or daughter to the dr's for ear infections for years and I'm sure that they had one or two in those few years but I hate to dose them up on unnecessary medications. When I was a kid I never "needed" antibiotics, now this day and age we dose kids, and adults for that matter, up on all kinds of unnecessary meds instead of letting nature take it's course. If you don't think you need it, wait a few days and see if it goes away on it's own, if it starts to get bad or the pain doesn't subside take the antibiotics.

I wouldn't chance it. There is a possibility it will, but there is a bigger possibility that it will get worse and could damage your hearing for the rest of your life. It's probably just amoxicillian, a pretty low-strength antibiotic...you already bought it, just take it.

P.S. Remember to take all of it, just because you feel better doesn't mean you shouldn't finish the antibiotic! :)

I have had ear and sinus infections that I fought off without antibiotics. I think most adults can fight them off.

Children on the other hand can but it is not a good idea. If the pressure gets to the point of rupturing the eardrum they lack the ability to understand and articulate that. Yeah I know you were asking about adults but I didn't want someone to read this and think oh, I can keep junior off antibiotics as well.

I wouldn't. There is great danger in an untreated infection that close to the brain.

I mean, I *could* give birth without an epidural, but I wouldn't *choose* it! lol

Sure, most will heal eventually. After you've suffered a lot of pain, and possibly hearing loss. I've known people who suffered hearing loss from multiple untreated ear infections when they were little.

Antibiotics are a good thing, when not overused and abused.

Take them.

I have had better luck clearing ear infections without antibiotics than with them...

Yes! I would take the antibiotics. Some ear infections can damage your hearing if they are left untreated. I wouldn't risk it.

It depends on the infection, whether it's bacterial or viral.
Many ear infections are bacterial (therefore antibiotics will help those) because the tube which drain the middle ear (in one or both ears) to the throat become clogged, fluid backs up and bacteria breeds causing inflammation and a heck of a lot of pain.
I had some horribly painful ear aches as a child and a strep infection in the throat/ears as an adult. The pain alone was enough for me to do what ever the doctor wanted just so the pain would stop (that last infection made me feel like I had railroad spikes hammered into my ears it hurt so bad).
Take the medication until it's used up.
If pressure builds up till ear drums rupture - they are not easy to repair or heal and that can lead to lot's of other complications.
Additional:
It's not the over use of antibiotics in humans that's the problem with over use - it's the meat industry. Over use comes into play when they put antibiotics in chicken/cow/pig/etc feed. That's where the germs are becoming resistant then cross over to infect people - so it makes no sense to cut back on human use until they quit using antibiotics in feed.

I always take antibiotics for ear infections if they are prescribed. I have a history of ear issues that have resulted in burst eardrums in the past.
For, me definitely nothing to mess around with.
Take the medicine like the Dr. said.
:)

Yes, a certain percentage of ear infections will clear up without the antibiotics. The bacteria thrive in fluid so if there's fluid in the inner ear, even if you don't take the abx, it would be good to take something like zyrtec to dry that fluid up for a week or so.

Yeah they can, but sometimes the ear infection can swell up your ear drum and it is not pleasant when your ear drum ruptures because the fluid pushing behind it. It's hard to say without knowing how serious the ear infection is or how prescription happy your doctor is or is not.

http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/URI/ear-infect...

STOP!!!

My grandson was deaf due to ear infections that were not treated with antibiotics. He was on them but the infection was too deep or something. I kept telling my daughter something was wrong but she ignored me. The baby's foster mom told the child welfare worker she thought he was deaf, after he had only been there a couple of weeks. His testing showed him to be deaf in both ears, the bass drum did not effect him nor did any other sounds. The ENT decided to try ear tubes to see if that had any effect whatsoever. When he went in to put the tubes in he opened the ear canals and found debris. He had to clean the tubes out for nearly an hour.

When the baby woke up he could hear. So, take the antibiotics, they should clear the infection up and leave no issues. If you continue to have ear infections make an appointment with an ENT to get more specific treatment.

I usually take the presciption, but then try to wait it out and just take advil. If you don't think it has cleared up in a week or the pain becomes uncomfortable, then get the script filled.

You don't need them for every ear infection some aren't bacterial I haven't had one in a long time but I leave it up to the doctor. Mine and the boys ped aren't big on prescribing medication so if they've gotten a review of all symptoms and after checking the boys or myself out they feel antibiotics are needed then I take the script get it filled and take them as directed.

There's really no downside to taking the antibiotics. I would take some probiotics while you're taking it. I forgot about that the last time I had an antibiotic and ended up with a yeast infection. Yea!

Sometimes with alternative treatment you can heal without antibiotics, but I wouldn't take the risk. If the infection gets super bad, it could go to your brain . Take the meds and feel better!