It is widely believed that otitis media is a childhood disease, but this is not entirely true. Inflammation of any part of the ear is a very dangerous disease, which is quite common in adulthood. If it is not treated on time, the consequences may be irreversible.

If such a nuisance has already happened, then patients are primarily interested in how long it takes to treat otitis media. The answer to this question makes it possible to plan cases, calculate the length of sick leave and determine the effectiveness of the treatment package used.

Treatment of this disease should begin and continue under the supervision of a doctor, who will determine the cause of the disease and its stage. Regardless of the condition, bed rest and rest are recommended, otherwise the risk of complications increases. TO the main methods of its treatment, which may vary in each individual case, the following can be included:

1. application;
2. painkillers and antipyretics;
3. vasoconstrictor nasal drops;
4. physiotherapy;
5. drugs that strengthen the immune system.

There is a direct relationship between how long it will take to treat otitis media and the stage of its disease. But this is only if you follow all the specialist’s instructions and do not self-medicate.

Taking a responsible attitude towards your health is the first step to a quick recovery

Otitis - treatment time

After the ENT determines, the patient will know in how many days the otitis media will go away. Depending on location of the inflammatory process specialists determine:

• otitis externa– appears when the ear is damaged. It is divided into two forms: limited and diffuse.

Limited form Characteristic is the formation of boils in the ear, which are opened with an incision. This type of otitis requires treatment at least one week.

Diffuse view– inflammation that can reach the eardrum. This type can last 2 – 3 weeks and, after which the symptoms weaken and the patient recovers.

It is worth considering that inflammation can become protracted and even develop into a chronic stage, which as a result threatens hearing impairment or loss.

• otitis media– inflammation affecting the middle part of the ear. Typically, the treatment period for this form is 1-3 weeks. According to the characteristics of inflammation, this otitis is divided into catarrhal and purulent.

Catarrhal– inflammation of the middle ear in the initial stage. If you start treating it in a timely manner, you can get rid of it. in 5 – 7 days. If left untreated, it will move to the next stage with an increase in time for therapy.

Purulent– manifests itself as a complication during an illness with sinusitis and respiratory diseases. For the treatment of this type of illness, experts recommend 1-2 weeks.

Anatomical structure of the human auditory organ

• internal otitis– appears if you do not take timely treatment for otitis media of the middle ear. This type of disease is very dangerous; the patient is immediately admitted to the inpatient department and undergoes surgery. The recovery period may last about a month or even more.

However, these are only approximate dates; it is very difficult to establish the exact time, even if we consider each specific case. The point is that How many days will the ear hurt with otitis media?, also provide influence of such factors:

1. concomitant or chronic diseases;
2. features of the anatomical structure of the hearing organ;
3. congenital pathologies;
4. a person’s lifestyle, his age;
5. state of the body's immunity;
6. compliance with hygiene rules.

With careful attention to your own health and an optimistic prognosis Ear pain can go away in just a couple of days without leaving a trace behind.

Can otitis media go away on its own?

Hearing – one of the vital feelings for a person. Even with minimal discomfort in the ears, you should consult a doctor. There is no need to wait for these unpleasant sensations to go away on their own.

Otitis media will not go away on its own! And if you neglect the signals that the body gives, you can simply get a chronic form from the initial stage of the disease. Or maybe even worse - various complications that the disease is fraught with.

Human ears are one of the most important sense organs through which an individual’s understanding and assessment of himself and the world around him is formed.

Their purpose is to perceive sound vibrations. Auditory sensations for a person are as important as vision, the ability to taste food and smell around.

Ear pain is one of the most unpleasant. After all, it seems to be drilling into the head and, it seems, is about to reach the brain. It usually occurs at night or in the morning, and then bothers you all day long. It is impossible to endure such sensations for a long time, so there is no way to do without the help of a specialist. The doctor, having carried out his medical procedures, will determine the cause of the pain and will definitely prescribe the necessary procedures and medications.

Why does my ear hurt? Reasons

When your ear hurts, it is unlikely that you will be able to ignore it and do your usual activities. There may be many reasons that provoked such unpleasant and painful sensations, but there are several main ones. In most cases, the culprit of the problems that arise are colds, the treatment of which was not given due attention. And, as a result, complications and ailments of other organs, in particular the ears.

The causes of pain are as follows:

• Otitis- inflammatory process in the ear. The causative agents of the disease are pathogenic bacteria, which are activated during viral or bacterial catarrh of the nose. A person coughs, sneezes, blows his nose, and microorganisms penetrate through the auditory tube into the ear.

  Depending on which part of the hearing organ the pathological process is localized, otitis media occurs:

  • outer;
  • average;
  • labyrinthitis (inflammation of the inner ear).

  Otitis media affects children more often. Most children under three years of age have at least one episode of middle ear disease.

  The disease can occur in acute and chronic form; it can also be catarrhal and purulent.

  With otitis media, the pain in the ear is severe, and it is often impossible to relieve it with any painkillers. In addition, the body temperature rises and pus may flow from the ear canal.

  If you have otitis media, you should immediately consult a doctor, since different types of the disease are treated differently.

• Sinusitis– development of the inflammatory process in the mucous membrane of the paranasal sinuses. It can be caused by both viruses and bacteria. It occurs as a complication of acute rhinitis, influenza, and other infectious diseases. It can also be the result of injuries to the facial area. Unpleasant sensations in the sinuses are complemented by a dull pain in the ear.
• Mastoiditis. This inflammatory process covers the mastoid process of the temporal bone. The disease appears after acute otitis media and is its complication. Pain in the ear is throbbing. Possible leakage of pus. The auricle is protruding, the area behind the ear is swollen and reddened.

  The disease is very dangerous, since the developing purulent process can cause meningitis due to the anatomical proximity of the meninges.

• Otomycosis. The disease is characterized by the development of a fungal infection on the walls of the outer or middle ear. At first, the disease manifests itself quite modestly: there is a slight tingling in the ear canal, and the skin is a little itchy. But then the pain intensifies, noise and discharge of gray, dirty black or yellowish color appear. There is no way to do it without the help of a doctor. Examination of the ear and examination of the discharge under a microscope help to recognize the disease.
• Tonsillitis– inflammation of the tonsils, the cause of which is a bacterial or viral infection. Along with the throat, the ear, which is closely connected with the nasopharynx, also hurts. It is through this that the infection enters the ear canal. Painful inflammation affects both the throat and ear.
• Caries- a disease related to teeth. Its course is characterized by the destruction of enamel and bone substance (dentin).

  Pain in the affected tooth caused by acute caries often radiates to the auricle. Only a dentist can relieve these aching and throbbing sensations.

• Lymphadenitis- damage to the lymph nodes. The condition is serious and often causes ear pain. It appears due to damage to the jaw lymph node and is especially felt when swallowing saliva and chewing food. In addition to painful sensations, hearing impairment, tinnitus, and ringing are observed. As a rule, such illnesses require hospital treatment.

Ear pain can also be caused by other reasons:

• Entry of a foreign body into the ear canal. Removing it yourself is very dangerous. This foreign object may penetrate too deeply into the ear. Removing it is risky: the eardrum is at risk of damage.
• Rupture (perforation) of the eardrum. This pathological condition appears as a result of previous injuries or inflammatory processes.
• Presence of sulfur plug. It not only impairs hearing, but is often accompanied by pain in the ear canal.
• Pinched nerves. This condition is accompanied by pain in the ear, which can be described as pulling and throbbing. They often intensify as soon as you turn your head sharply or simply smile.

Ear pain: what to do? First aid

When the cause of painful sensations is a cold, then ordinary nasal drops can help out. By cleaning the nasal passage with them, you can feel relief in the ear. In addition, the pharmacy sells special drops that also help relieve pain.

If your body temperature is normal, you can prepare warm salt compress. When you apply it to your ear, you immediately feel relief. To make such a compress, you need to heat the salt and wrap it in a towel or put it in a fabric bag. But such a procedure will help only at the very beginning of the disease.

Relieves pain well boric alcohol. You need to moisten a cotton wool in it and insert it into your ear. But here you need to be careful. If there is individual intolerance, then this method cannot be used.

To relieve pain caused by wax, you can drop drops into your ear. hydrogen peroxide. It will help the wax move away from the walls of the ear canal, and it will be cleaned with a cotton swab.

No way the ear should not be warmed if there is purulent discharge and throbbing pain in the head. You should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Ear pain caused by damaged teeth can only be cured by a dentist. Caries does not go away on its own, especially if it is so deep that the nerve is exposed. You can only dull the painful sensations for a short time with the help of painkillers and rinses. You need to dissolve a teaspoon of soda and a pinch of salt in a glass of warm water, add two or three drops of iodine. Rinse the aching tooth with this remedy every hour or two.

Warming the jaw is contraindicated, as this may cause swelling. To avoid spreading the infection, you should not touch the sore spot with your hands, pick your tooth, or rub your gums. Even if the pain has subsided, you should definitely see a dentist. After all, the next time a tooth becomes inflamed, not only the ear, but also other organs (stomach, kidneys, heart) may become ill. Advanced caries is a constant source of infection, and you should not delay its elimination.

When the cause of pain is a pinched nerve, the painful sensations appear suddenly and have a paroxysmal character. They occur when brushing your teeth, eating, or even a gust of wind. This pain, like an electric shock, pierces the ear, facial spasms and redness may appear.

Home remedies are useless here; medical help is needed. A specialist, as a rule, prescribes antispasmodic drugs that should reduce pain. They are sometimes prescribed along with anticonvulsants.

You can achieve a positive effect by taking tricyclic antidepressants. But they must be used with caution, since these medications have many contraindications. It won't hurt to drink sedatives such as valerian, motherwort, lemon balm. B vitamins will help strengthen the nervous system.

In order not to aggravate the situation, you need to temporarily give up strong tea, coffee, hot and spicy foods. To prevent pain of this origin, it is important not to freeze and always dress for the weather.

A very sharp and powerful sound can rupture the eardrum. If fluid begins to flow from your ear, you need to cover it with sterile cotton wool and be sure to consult a doctor. Just in case, you need to take an antibiotic. He won't interfere.

There are, at first glance, funny situations when an insect flies into your ear. However, the situation is serious, the ear canal must be emptied immediately. To do this, pour vegetable oil or warm water into the ear. The insect should float out. If this does not happen, we go in search of a doctor.

How to get rid of ear pain at home: folk remedies

When the pain occurs at night or away from home and there is no way to get to a specialist, you need to try to help yourself.

Folk remedies will come to the rescue.

• If the ear pain is stabbing and shooting, and its cause is a cold, vegetable oil will help. You need to warm it up, put it in a pipette and add two or three drops. Then tie your head with a warm scarf.
• An onion compress will reduce pain. The middle head needs to be cut so that it turns out to be a paste. Then place it in a gauze or fabric bag. Apply the compress to the sore ear and tie it with something warm. After about twenty minutes the pain should subside.
• Prepare golden mustache tincture. Pour four tablespoons of crushed plant into 2/3 cup of vodka. Place in a dark and cool room for a week. To reduce pain, you need to moisten a cotton wool in the herbal tincture and insert it into the ear. Store the product in the refrigerator, otherwise it will become unusable.
• In inflammatory processes, a warm infusion of chamomile often helps. You can wash your sore ear with it. To prepare the infusion, you will need a teaspoon of herbs per glass of boiling water. The product is used in strained form.
• Melissa will help reduce pain. But the preparation takes a long time. For a whole week you need to infuse lemon balm herb in vodka in a ratio of 1:10. Then strain and store away from light. The infusion helps quite well: the pain subsides almost immediately after introducing a few drops into the ear.
• You can cope with unpleasant sensations, as well as suppuration and microbes, with the help of garlic. You need to prepare an oily remedy, which is infused for eight hours and instilled into the sore ear. Finely chop two cloves of garlic and add three tablespoons of vegetable oil. Boil and, after the product has infused, strain through a layer of gauze.
• Propolis helps with many diseases. Mix one part of its 10% extract with two parts of olive oil, shake well. Soak a cotton swab with the resulting product and place it in the ear for a couple of hours. This needs to be done at least twice a day, and the total number of procedures is fifteen. For prevention, such manipulations can be repeated after two weeks.
• A few drops of almond oil placed in the ear daily can help relieve pain. After the procedure, the ear canal should be closed with a small cotton swab.
• Peel the beets, grate them and squeeze out the juice. Then heat it and instill it, just like almond oil.
• Lemon also helps a sore ear. A small and unpeeled slice of it should be eaten daily. Lemon that is too sour is sprinkled with sugar or honey.
• You can stock up on juniper tincture in advance. You need to fill a hundred-gram container halfway with its fruits and fill it with vodka. Leave in a dark room for about three weeks, shake occasionally. Instill three drops of the tincture at night. It is preheated.

No matter how much a person trusts traditional methods, using only them is unsafe not only for health, but also for life. Tinctures, decoctions, and self-prepared ointments can only be an addition to the main therapy prescribed by the doctor.

Self-treatment of painful sensations in the ear can lead to hearing loss, burns, cosmetic defects and the development of serious complications. The pain will pass for a while, but the reasons for its appearance will not go away. Therefore, in order not only to stop the unpleasant sensations, but to prevent them from reoccurring, you need to consult a specialist. It’s not worth the risk, especially since most ear diseases are treated on an outpatient basis. But complications can lead to a hospital bed in a hospital.

The inflammatory process in the ear canal is always accompanied by painful sensations. Such unpleasant symptoms can lead to disruption of a person’s normal rhythm of life. There is no way to delay treatment, otherwise the process will spread to nearby organs and lead to serious complications. Therefore, it is important to know how to relieve pain from otitis media.

Therapeutic measures for diseases of the ear canal directly depend on the course and form of the disease. Doctors distinguish several types of inflammatory process.

Otitis externa often occurs without pain. The cause of its appearance is considered to be damage to the auricle. The disease can be limited and diffuse.

In the first case, the disease is accompanied by the appearance of boils in the ear. They open themselves or with the help of an incision in a hospital. ? This form of the disease disappears without a trace after about 6-8 days with active treatment.

With otitis in adults of the diffuse type, the inflammatory process reaches the eardrum. The average duration of drug therapy is 10-20 days, depending on the severity of the disease.

It is worth noting that if the inflammatory process is not treated in any way, then the disease of the ear canal becomes chronic. This threatens deterioration or loss of hearing.

If the middle ear is affected, the disease lasts for one to three weeks. It all depends on what type of illness the patient has. If treatment is started in a timely manner, you can get rid of the problem in 5-7 days.

If there is no drug therapy, the disease becomes purulent. With this course, the patient has a sore throat, because the cause is sinusitis, sinusitis or respiratory diseases. Treatment with medications is carried out for 10-14 days.

Internal otitis is a complication of the inflammatory process in the middle part of the auditory canal. This type of disease is very dangerous, so the patient is always hospitalized and undergoes surgery. If the patient experiences a headache due to otitis media, dizziness and nausea, then it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor.

How many days does the ear hurt with otitis media? This will depend on the influence of certain factors such as:

• the presence of concomitant or chronic diseases;
• features of the anatomical structure of the auditory organ;
• congenital pathologies;
• lifestyle and his age;
• state of the immune system;
• compliance with hygiene measures.

If you pay attention to this problem in a timely manner, the painful sensations in the ears will disappear after 2-3 days. But only a doctor will tell you after an examination how to relieve pain from otitis media in a child or an adult.

First aid

As soon as the patient has identified the first symptoms of inflammation in the ear canal, he needs to visit a doctor. If this is not possible, then first aid must be provided:

1. Otitis without ear pain can be cured using traditional methods. If there is no purulent discharge, you can apply a warm compress with alcohol or oil. If otitis is detected, but the ear does not hurt, use vasoconstrictor drops in the nose. Ear drops like Otipax have a good therapeutic effect. They have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect.
2. How to relieve pain from otitis media in a child? Cotton buds soaked in boric alcohol have a good analgesic effect. Turundas must be kept for at least 3-5 hours. To lower the temperature, give your child an antipyretic drug based on paracetamol or ibuprofen.
3. If your neck hurts, this indicates inflammation of the lymph nodes, larynx and throat. In such cases, one cannot do without the use of tablets and lozenges with antiseptic, antibacterial and analgesic effects. In this case, rinsing with saline or soda solution, Miramistin or Chlorhexidine is also effective. For irrigation use Lugol, Hexoral or Chlorophyllipt.
4. If your jaw hurts and otitis media is observed, then perhaps the cause lies in sinusitis. Inflamed maxillary sinuses put pressure, thereby causing discomfort. With this illness, it is necessary to rinse the nasal passages with saline solution and drip vasoconstrictor drops. Inhalations and warming can be performed. But there are a number of contraindications such as high fever and purulent discharge.
5. If your temple hurts, the cause may lie in damage to the frontal sinuses. Then the patient feels pressure in the eye sockets. Otitis media acts as a complication. In such cases, the patient must urgently consult a doctor. This threatens a serious complication in the form of damage to the membranes of the brain.

Headaches with otitis media indicate an inflammatory process inside the auditory tube. In such a combination of circumstances, the patient is admitted to the hospital and urgent surgery is performed. You should not hesitate to see a doctor, otherwise everything could end in death.

Otitis therapy

How much the ear hurts with otitis depends on what form of the disease is observed. The sooner the disease is detected, the faster the discomfort will pass. To eliminate the symptoms, you first need to identify the root cause. If it lies in the inflammatory process, then it is enough to use special medications.

It is worth noting that the main signs of otitis media are painful sensations of a pulsating or shooting nature. In addition to all this, there is an increase in temperature values, weakness and separation of secretions from the ears.

If there is pain in the ear, but not otitis, then the cause may be hidden in the development of arthrosis. The auricle is located directly with the jaw area. This disease is characterized by symptoms such as a crunching sound when opening the mouth, stiffness in the movement of the lower jaw, stabbing pain in the temple and ear.

Complications in the ear are also observed with arthritis. This disease is characterized by hearing loss, noise, clicking and congestion, swelling and swelling of the joint, fever and pain in the head.

How to reduce pain in an adult? In addition to painkillers, the patient is prescribed antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. If the disease is complicated by a purulent process, then surgical intervention is performed.

How to relieve pain if a child has otitis media? First of all, a pediatrician is called to the house. If no other dangerous symptoms are observed, then small patients are prescribed Otipax or Otinum ear drops. Drug therapy also involves taking antipyretic and painkillers in the form of Paracetamol and Nurofen, and using vasoconstrictor nasal drops.

Symptomatic treatment of otitis media

Drug therapy is prescribed only by a doctor after making an accurate diagnosis. Particular attention is paid to the presence of additional symptoms: headache and toothache, swelling and swelling of the facial area, increased temperature, difficulty opening the mouth when talking.
Symptomatic treatment involves the use of:

• antifungal agents in the development of otomycosis. Fluconazole tablets are prescribed internally, and Candibiotic for local therapy;
• ear drops for pain relief and infection control in the form of Otipax, Anauran, Otinum;
• vasoconstrictor drops into the nasal passages. After removing swelling, it is effective to use Albucid, Protargol, Saline.

The duration of the treatment course is from 5 to 7 days for catarrhal form and from 10 to 14 days for purulent disease.

Systemic drugs

To eliminate infection inside the body, the following are used:

• systemic antibiotics from the group of penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides in the form of Amoxicillin, Augmentin, Cefuroxin, Azithromycin. At the same time, probiotics are taken to maintain the intestinal microflora in a normal state. This group includes Atsipol, Normabact, Linex;
• antihistamines. They eliminate swelling and itching. Frequently prescribed ones include Suprastin, Zodak, Zyrtec, Claritin;
  non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Reduce pain and lower temperature;
• vitamin complexes. They improve the general condition of the patient and restore strength after illness;
• biostimulants in the form of Apilak or Actovegin.

Systemic medications are taken for no more than 7 days.

Local treatment

Local therapy involves the use of special drops. They have an analgesic effect, restore the patency of the auditory tube and fight infectious agents directly.
If there is a perforation of the eardrum, the patient is recommended to drip antibacterial drops in the form of Tsipromed or Otofa.

Antiseptic solutions are used to clean the ears: hydrogen peroxide, Chlorhexidine, Miramistin. After instillation, the ear canal is cleared of wax plugs and accumulated pus.

Boric alcohol has a good effect. Cotton flagella are soaked in the solution and inserted into the ears for 2-4 hours.
To speed up recovery, you can use Vishnevsky ointment. Used in the form of compresses.

How to relieve pain from otitis media in a child

It is most difficult to identify the symptoms of otitis media in young children. Not everyone understands where it hurts, so they communicate their condition by crying and screaming.
To cure otitis media in a baby, doctors advise:

• drip Otipax up to three times a day. It contains lidocaine, which has a pronounced analgesic effect;
  apply warming, alcohol or oil compresses twice a day;
• put turundas soaked in boric alcohol overnight;
• use vasoconstrictor drugs. They relieve swelling in the nose, thereby removing congestion in the ears.

You might be interested in the article - What is the use of boric alcohol in a child’s ear and how to use it?

In childhood, physiotherapy may be prescribed. The most common include:

• dry heat;
• massage of the eardrum;
• ultraphonophoresis with lidase;
• electrophesis using potassium iodide;
• ultrasound therapy.

Full recovery takes from 7 to 14 days.

During treatment, you should avoid visiting the street and water procedures. The patient is also advised to adhere to bed and drinking regime.

After the acute period is over, you can use additional treatment methods in the form of physiotherapy, warming procedures, and folk methods.

It is strictly forbidden to interrupt drug therapy to avoid side effects and exacerbation of the inflammatory process. If there is no positive result from the use of medications within 2-3 days, then you need to contact your doctor again.
After treatment, special attention is paid to restoring strength, strengthening the immune system and hygienic procedures in the ears.

Severe pain in the ear can be compared to toothache - it appears suddenly and is very difficult to endure. All the patient’s thoughts are only about how to get rid of painful sensations. But before carrying out therapeutic measures, you should find out why your ear hurts. The treatment program and its effectiveness will depend on this.

In addition to the lack of the desired result, improper therapy can lead to serious complications, including complete hearing loss. Effective treatment methods prescribed by a specialist will help avoid unwanted consequences and quickly get rid of ear pain.

Main causes of violation

The most common disease that almost every person has encountered at least once in their life is otitis media. The disorder is an inflammatory process in the organ of hearing, which causes acute pain in the ear.

Otitis media can occur on its own, but more often this disorder is a complication of colds. Otitis in the acute form is difficult - severe pain in the ear of a shooting nature develops, pus forms, temperature increases, and the general condition of the body worsens.

Another common cause of ear pain is mechanical trauma to the ear canal. When experiencing itching in the ear cavity, many people try to cope with the problem with the help of improvised means - hairpins, toothpicks, matches. Using such items can not only damage the integrity of the inner lining of the ear canal, but also cause infection.

Otitis externa may develop due to foreign objects entering the ear. With this disorder, a boil forms in the area of ​​the outer ear, which causes discomfort and pain.

If there is pain in the ear without fever, caries may be the cause. Painful sensations from carious teeth can radiate to the neck, temples, and ear. In this case, naturally, you need to visit the dentist and have your bad teeth treated.

Also, if your ears hurt, the following conditions may be the cause:

• pinching of the facial nerve, which causes nagging pain in the ear;
• migraine attack, after stopping the attack, pain in the ear cavity disappears;
• wax plugs, in the absence of sufficient ear hygiene, a large amount of wax accumulates in the ear canal, which can cause ear pain in adults and children.

If your ears hurt, naturally, you need to find out the cause of the pain. It is dangerous to use any medications without a specialist's prescription. This may further aggravate the current situation.

In situations where the ear hurts very much, you can provide first aid yourself.

It is important to take into account that if the ear hurts and the body temperature is elevated, warming the ear is strictly prohibited.

Exposure to heat in the ear area is also contraindicated if the cause of the pain is carious teeth.

If the temperature does not exceed normal values, you can prepare a dry warm compress - heat salt or sand, pour it into a fabric bag and apply it to the sore ear.

A good therapeutic effect is obtained by lubricating the skin around the ear with warm camphor oil. You can also soak cotton pads in oil and insert them into the ear canal. It is recommended to carry out the procedure before bedtime.

After relief of acute pain, you should contact a medical facility to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment.

If the outside of the ear hurts and there is a boil, the specialist will remove the abscess, treat the affected area with an antiseptic and prescribe the drug Sofradex. This medicine should be used locally - drop 2 drops into the ear 3 times a day for a week.

If an adult or child has an earache, medications are prescribed taking into account the underlying disease, its form and the intensity of the pain.

If there is a sharp pain in the ear, to reduce the pain, use Paracetmol (4 times a day, 1 mg) and Otipax ear drops (instilled 2 times a day).

If pain occurs in the left ear or in the right and there is swelling of the ear canal, use vasoconstrictor nasal drops (Tizin, Naphthyzin). This will improve the outflow of purulent masses from the middle ear cavity. To eliminate swelling, your doctor may also prescribe antihistamines.

If severe pain is accompanied by suppuration, the attending physician will prescribe antibacterial drugs. Because in this case, painful sensations are the result of exposure to infectious agents.

Surgery may be required to cleanse the ear cavity of purulent masses. After the operation, drops are instilled into the ear canal, accelerating the tissue healing process and destroying pathogenic microflora.

It is important to remember that you cannot instill the medication directly onto the eardrum. The medicine is applied to a cotton swab and inserted into the ear canal.

Before using an antibiotic, you need to test for sensitivity to it. Although most often there is no time to carry out such manipulations. When choosing a particular antibacterial agent, it should be taken into account that some medications can cause hearing damage. This applies to a greater extent to drugs of the aminoglycoside group. Even a single use of such drugs for otitis media can cause deafness.

If severe pain occurs in the right ear or in the left and it is necessary to use antibiotics, then it is better to opt for the drug Amoxicycline. Use the medicine 3 times a day for 10 days. If after three days of treatment there is no necessary therapeutic effect, Augmentin or Cefuroxime should be used instead of this medicine.

To completely eliminate the inflammatory process, the course of treatment with antibacterial drugs should be at least 8-10 days.

Even if the patient’s condition has returned to normal, the therapeutic course should not be interrupted. Otherwise, a relapse of the disease and the development of hearing loss are possible.

If drug therapy is ineffective, surgical intervention is performed. Depending on the location of the inflammation, the doctor may prescribe:

• myringotomy (during the operation the eardrum is punctured and purulent contents are removed);
• anthrotomy (in this case, pus is removed from the inflamed area in the ear canal).

The operations are performed under anesthesia, so you should not be afraid of them. The rehabilitation period is also short - after 2 weeks the person will be able to return to their normal lifestyle.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

Physiotherapy is used today for many diseases. If your right ear (or left) hurts, this treatment method will also help get rid of the discomfort.

Microwave or ultra-frequency therapy (MW), ultra-high-frequency inductometry (UHF), Sollux lamp, inhalations, and semi-alcohol compresses on the area of ​​the sore ear have a good effect.

Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment effectively eliminate swelling, stop the development of the inflammatory process, activate tissue regeneration, and have a bacteriostatic and vasodilating effect.

Physiotherapy significantly speeds up the healing process. However, when using this technique, it should be remembered that physiotherapeutic treatment is not suitable for everyone. The above procedures are carried out with caution in people over 60 years of age, in patients with chronic pathologies of the digestive and cardiovascular systems, as well as in cases where there is a history of stroke, heart attack, mental disorders, or surgical interventions.

In addition, physiotherapeutic treatment is prohibited at elevated temperatures and exacerbation of chronic pathologies.

If a nagging pain in the ear occurs at night, and the necessary medications are not at hand, you can use proven methods of alternative medicine.

Let's look at the most effective recipes:

Aromatherapy

If there is an acute or dull pain in the ear, essential oils will also help eliminate the discomfort, in addition to the recommendations described above. You can use them in the following way:

• add 5 drops of chamomile or lavender essential oil to 0.5 liters of boiling water. You should breathe over the steam for about 10 minutes.
• in 2 tsp. olive oil add 3 drops of lavender oil, the mixture can also be supplemented with St. John's wort or mullein oil. Drop the medicine into the ear canal and then cover it with a piece of cotton wool.
• 2 tsp. Mix almond oil with olive oil. Rub the product into the skin in the ear area.

If there is suppuration or bleeding from the ear cavity, it is impossible to instill it with any drops (both medicinal and self-prepared) - this can lead to disruption of the integrity of the eardrum.