Ear Infections - Treatment

Treatment for ear aches involves home treatment for symptom relief. Some doctors prescribe antibiotics for all ear infections while other doctors ask parents to watch their child's symptoms for a couple of days, since more than 80% of ear infections get better without treatment.

Some steps you can take at home to treat ear infection include:

• Using pain relievers. Pain relievers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (such as Advil, Motrin, and Aleve) and acetaminophen (such as Tylenol and Tempra) can help make your child more comfortable. Giving your child something for pain before bedtime is especially important. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20 because its use has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a serious illness that needs emergency treatment.

• Applying heat to the ear, which may help relieve the earache? Use a warm washcloth or a heating pad. Do not allow your child to go to bed with a heating pad, because he or she could get burned. Use a heating pad only if your child is old enough to tell you if it's getting too hot.

• Encouraging rest. Encourage your child to rest to let his or her body fight the infection. Arrange for quiet play activities.

• Using eardrops. Doctors often prescribe pain-relieving eardrops for earache. Don't use eardrops without a health professional's advice, especially if your child has ear tubes.