There are many ways to treat a middle ear infection, depending on the age, medical history, type, and severity of the infection. Often, when a child has an ear infection the doctor will take the wishes of the parents into account when deciding how to treat it.

Most ear infections will clear up by themselves over time. Because of this, many physicians, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend a “wait and see approach” for the first 72 hours. In some cases, the doctor may recommend pain relief medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help with the pain, or prescription eardrops that contain local anesthetic.

In addition to pain relief, another treatment for an ear infection is antibiotics. However, antibiotics only help when the infection is caused by bacteria. Most ear infections are caused by viruses, like the rhinoviruses that cause the common cold, and antibiotics will do nothing to treat them

Drainage tubes are a treatment option for children who have recurrent ear infections that affect their hearing and do not respond to antibiotics. These are small tubes inserted through the eardrum under general anesthesia that provide another route for fluid to leave the ear besides the Eustachian tube. The tubes come out by themselves over time and the hole in the eardrum heals itself. If your child has drainage tubes, they must wear earplugs in the water to keep water from getting into the middle ear.