They are treated using ear drops that have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects. Local use of drugs reduces the drug load on the body's organ systems and suppresses the activity of pathogens directly at the site of the lesion.
Ear drops are used for otitis media when the eardrum is intact. In case of a damaged eardrum, Otofa and Tsipromed are used. To effective, inexpensive means for otitis include Otinum, Otipax, Normax.
The main groups of drugs intended for instillation into the ears for otitis media:
- antiseptic solutions;
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- antibiotic medications;
- combination drugs.
Medicines with antiseptic
For otitis media, solutions containing an antiseptic are instilled. Such drugs include Miramidez, Auridexan, hydrogen peroxide,.
Medicines with an antiseptic stop the growth of pathogenic fungi and bacteria, reduce the manifestation of inflammation, weaken or eliminate.
Miramidez
Drops with Miramistin Miramidez are used for purulent otitis media. The drug acts on most pathogenic bacteria, increasing the permeability of their surface membranes.
Miramistin is active against ascomycetes, dermatophytes, and candida fungi. The antiseptic has been found to exhibit antiviral effect with herpes infection.
Anti-inflammatory drops
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ear drops Otipax, Otinum are prescribed for ear pain, inflammation, swelling of the Eustachian tube in the initial stage of the disease.
Otinum
Otinum relieves pain and has an anti-inflammatory effect. The active component of the drug is choline salicylate. This substance also has an antifungal effect.
Otinum is used for otitis media, and, in addition, is used to cleanse the outer ear from the accumulation of earwax. The drug is not used to treat pregnant women; it is not given to children under 6 years of age due to the presence of salicylate.
Otipax
Otipax ear drops have an anti-inflammatory, analgesic effect due to the lipocaine and phenazone it contains, an analgesic with anti-inflammatory properties.
Lidocaine, in addition to eliminating pain, enhances the dilution of mucus in the middle ear, which promotes its removal from the Eustachian tube.
Antibiotic products
Drops in the ears with an antibiotic are used for otitis in a course, no longer than indicated in the instructions for use. Like any antibiotics, although they do not penetrate into the blood, the drugs can negatively affect the microflora of the skin with long-term use.
For otitis in adults, ear drops Otofa, Normax, Fugentin, Cipropharm are used. For purulent otitis media, they sometimes resort to instilling a solution of chloramphenicol into the ear. The product is not used for children under one year of age, pregnant women and lactation.
Otofa
The active component of Otofa ear drops is the antibiotic rifamycin from the ansamycin group. This group includes such strong antibiotics as rifampicin and rifabutin.
These drugs suppress the activity of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, tubercle bacilli, and legionella. The antibiotic copes with strains of bacteria resistant to penicillins and cephalosporins.
The wide spectrum of action allows Otofu to be used against suppuration from the ear and severe pain.
Tsipromed
The antibiotic cycloprofsacin, on the action of which the use of Tsipromed is based, belongs to the fluoroquinolones. Medicines in this series have a bacteriostatic, bactericidal effect on most bacteria and protozoa.
Tsipromed can be instilled in case of perforation of the membrane after removal of pus from the tympanic cavity. These drops are suitable for treatment during the recovery period after ear surgery.
Drops help get rid of pain and discomfort in the ear after water penetrates into it with the development of “swimmer’s ear.”
Combined products
The list of combined-action ear drops that are used in the treatment of otitis in adults and children includes the drugs Sofradex, Candibiotic, Anauran, Polydexa, Dexon, Combinil-Duo.
Sofradex
Ear drops Sofradex is an inexpensive and effective medicine for acute otitis with antibiotics for children and a remedy for inflammation of the middle ear in adults. Drops can be instilled into the ear for otitis in adults and children for no longer than 7 days; the medicine is contraindicated in infants.
Sofradex includes 3 active components:
- aminoglycoside antibiotic framycetin sulfate;
- glucocorticosteroid dexamethasone;
- the antibiotic gramicidin C is a product intended strictly for external use.
The presence of Gramicidin C ensures the effectiveness of drops for purulent otitis media caused by streptococci and anaerobes.
Dexamethasone has an anti-inflammatory effect by suppressing the synthesis of inflammatory factors and blocking the activity of mast cells. The latter prevents the release of histamine, and reduces the risk of an allergic reaction.
Anauran
The combined antibacterial drug Anauran contains the antibiotics polymyxin, neomycin and the anesthetic lidocaine. The drug is used for otitis, complications after operations on the eardrum, bone labyrinth.
Polydexa
Polydex ear drops are used in the treatment of inflammation of the middle ear, provided that the eardrum is intact. The medicine contains the glucocorticosteroid dexamethasone, the antibiotics neomycin and polymyxin B.
Polydexa is ototoxic to the fetus, which is why the use of this drug is limited during pregnancy.
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the rules for using the drug in the article.
Candibiotic
Candibiotic drops are a combination remedy with an antibiotic for the treatment of allergic otitis media, inflammation of the middle ear, and complications after operations. The product exhibits antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial activity and acts as an analgesic.
The antifungal effect is ensured by the presence of the synthetic antimycotic clotrimazole in the drops. The activity of clotrimazole extends to yeast, mold fungi, and dermatophytes.
The antibiotic chloramphenicol in the drops suppresses the activity of bacterial microflora and has a bacteriostatic effect. The antiallergic effect is provided by the hormonal compound beclomethasone.
The medicine is not used to treat otitis media in children under 6 years of age, during pregnancy, or in case of a ruptured eardrum.
Garazon
The hormonal agent beclomethasone is part of Garazon complex ear drops. The second active component of the product is the antibiotic gentamicin from the group of aminoglycosides.
Although aminoglycosides are ototoxic and can adversely affect hearing, when used topically they do not have a negative effect on the hearing organ.
Garazon is used to treat eyes and ears, but is contraindicated in cases of severe myopia (myopia), pregnancy, and children under 8 years of age.
In addition to this topic, read:
Ear drops for otitis.
Otitis is a disease that almost every person has suffered from at least once in their life. This inflammatory disease ears often occurs against the background of a cold, sinusitis, prolonged runny nose and other infections of the nasopharynx. Quite often, antibiotics form the basis of treatment for otitis media. To speed up recovery, complex therapy also includes drops for otitis media in adults and children.
Benefits of ear drops
Ear drops are a very convenient form of medicine for the treatment of otitis media. They have many advantages:
- act directly in the area of inflammation;
- have virtually no systemic effect on the body;
- quickly remove the symptoms of the disease or reduce its severity;
- most drops can be used in the treatment of children, pregnant and lactating women, patients with liver and kidney disorders;
- minimum contraindications and side effects;
- ease of use at home;
- affordable price;
- most drugs can be purchased without a prescription from a doctor;
- economical use.
Types of ear drops
Provided on the pharmaceutical market big variety ear drops. However, if you experience pain or discomfort in your ears, you should not go to the pharmacy for a bottle of ear drops, but rather contact an otolaryngologist to get qualified help. Self-medication of otitis media and other ear diseases can have very negative consequences. This includes the transition of the disease to a chronic form, the development of complications of the disease, and even hearing loss.
Depending on the effect exhibited by the active substances of the drug, drops for otitis media in adults and children are conventionally divided into several groups:
- drugs containing antibiotics;
- anti-inflammatory medications for the ears;
- combination products containing glucocorticosteroids;
- antiseptics;
- drops with antifungal effect.
Antibiotic drops
The main components of these products are antibiotics, which destroy pathogenic microflora in the area of the inflammatory process, which contributes to a speedy recovery. This group includes many drops: Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Anauran, Tsipromed, Otofa, Normax, Uniflox, etc.
Norfloxacin
- Norflox,
- Normax.
Ciprofloxacin
The drug is also named after the active substance. The drops exhibit antibacterial activity against bacteria that cause otitis media. Ciprofloxacin is not used if there is hypersensitivity to it, under the age of 1 year, during pregnancy and breastfeeding. There are many ear medications with a similar active substance available:
- Ciproxol,
- Phloximed,
- Tsipromed,
- Ciloxane.
Otofa
The basis of these drops is the antibiotic rifampicin sodium, which exhibits antimicrobial activity against most microbes that cause otitis media. This drug is used to treat purulent otitis media. Its advantage is the possibility of use in cases of violation of the integrity of the eardrum. The drug can also be used in children of any age, during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Anauran
This drug contains 2 antibiotics (neomycin sulfate and polymyxin B) and a local anesthetic (lidocaine hydrochloride). This combination of active substances allows the drug to destroy a wider range of pathogenic microbes and at the same time exhibit an analgesic effect. Anauran is prescribed for external and otitis media, as well as in the postoperative period.
The drug is well tolerated, only local irritation reactions are possible. Used in adults and children from 1 year. Treatment of pregnant and lactating women is allowed after assessing the risks to the child.
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic drops
Drops with an anti-inflammatory effect are also very popular for otitis media. They help quickly eliminate the inflammatory process, and many of them additionally exhibit an analgesic effect. Representatives: Otipax, Droplex, Otirelax, Otinum, Otizol.
Otipax
This drug has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties due to the presence of 2 active ingredients– phenazone and lidocaine. The use of drops can significantly reduce pain and prevent the spread of inflammation. The drug is approved for children with infancy, as well as women during pregnancy. Contraindications to the use of the drug are hypersensitivity and perforation of the eardrum.
The following drugs have a similar composition and effect:
- Droplex,
- Otibru,
- Ototon,
- Otix,
- Otirelax.
Otinum
The active component of the drug is choline salicylate, which exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, the glycerin contained in the composition softens earwax and helps cleanse the ear canals.
Prescribed for otitis in adults and children over 1 year of age. The use of the product is not recommended for intolerance to the components, perforation of the membrane, during lactation and pregnancy.
Otizol
The medicine contains 3 active components (antipyrine, benzocaine and phenylephrine), due to which it exhibits anti-inflammatory, analgesic and vasoconstrictor effects. At the same time, pain is quickly relieved, swelling of the ear canal is eliminated and the severity of inflammation is reduced. Allowed for use by adults and children from 6 months of age. Do not use if the eardrum is damaged or if you are hypersensitive to the ingredients of the medicine.
Combinations with glucocorticoids
- Sofradex,
- Polydexa,
- Aprolat,
- Combined Duo.
Polydexa
These drops contain 2 antibiotics (polymyxin B and neomycin) and a glucocorticosteroid (dexamethasone). The special composition provides pronounced antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to the presence of a hormonal component, the medicine has a greater number of contraindications, but at the same time it stands out for its effectiveness. Polydex is not prescribed for hypersensitivity to the components, viral infection of the ear canal, or damage to the eardrum. The drug has no age restrictions.
Sofradex
The drug also contains 2 antibiotics (gramicidin and framycetrin) and a glucocorticosteroid (dexamethasone). Shows antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous and antipruritic properties. The drops cope well with external otitis, but have a number of contraindications: hypersensitivity to the components, damage to the tympanic septum, childhood, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Drops with antifungal effect
Drugs in this group contain an antifungal component and can be used to combat otitis media of a fungal nature.
Auridexan
The active ingredient of these drops is an antiseptic. Therefore, classifying the drug as an antifungal agent is very conditional. Auridexan is effective against most pathogenic microbes, fungi and viruses. It is due to the presence of an antifungal effect that the medicine is classified in this group, because very few drugs have such properties. The drug is prescribed for the treatment of otitis of a bacterial, viral and fungal nature only for adults and children over 12 years of age.
Candibiotic
The drops exhibit antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anesthetic and antiallergic properties due to the content of several active ingredients from different pharmaceutical groups. Compound:
- chloramphenicol – antibiotic;
- beclamethasone – glucocorticosteroid;
- lidocaine – anesthetic;
- Clotrimazole is an antimycotic agent.
Candibiotic is used for various otitis in adults and children from 6 years of age.
Antiseptics
These drugs are intended for washing the ear canals, as well as treating uncomplicated otitis media. Representatives: Auridexan, hydrogen peroxide solution, boric alcohol, Miramistin, etc.
Boric alcohol
This drug is prescribed less and less today, as there are more advanced and effective modern drugs. Boric alcohol has an antiseptic effect and helps speed up recovery. It can be used after reaching 1 year.
Miramistin
This drug is a very effective remedy for the treatment of otitis media of any nature. Miramistin exhibits antiseptic, antifungal and antiviral properties. It can be used from 3 years of age.
What are the best drops for otitis media?
This question cannot be answered unambiguously. After all, the effectiveness of a medicine primarily depends on the correct selection of the medicine, taking into account all the features of the course of the disease. An important factor is correct use drops, as well as following all doctor’s recommendations.
Most people believe that treating otitis with drops is absolutely harmless and cannot harm health, but this is absolutely not the case. Each individual product has its own characteristic properties that must be taken into account when choosing it. For example, having purchased antibacterial drops, no improvement will be observed if the otitis media is of a fungal nature. So for choice effective treatment First of all, you need to determine the source of the pathology, they will help differentiate its type.
That's why best drops for otitis - those prescribed by the otolaryngologist. The doctor will be able to accurately determine the cause of the disease and the severity of its course. If necessary, not only ear drops will be prescribed, but also concomitant treatment that will enhance their effectiveness.
Cheap ear drops
Ear drops are presented on the pharmaceutical market in different price categories. Typically, drops from foreign or well-known manufacturers, as well as those that consist of many components, are much more expensive.
The cheapest solution for ear diseases is a solution of peroxide and boric acid. However, treatment with these drugs is not always possible.
Inexpensive ear drops include both antibacterial and antiseptic drugs: Auridexan, Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin.
Also available to the general public are Sofradex, Otinum, Otirelax.
How to properly drip ears
In order for the drops to exert their maximum effect, you should adhere to the rules for their use. Below are general recommendations, which fit all ear drops. But any individual drug may have its own characteristics, so before starting treatment you should carefully read the instructions for it.
General rules:
- It is necessary to adhere to the doses and frequency of use of drops indicated by the attending physician.
- To bury your ears, it is better to take a lying position on your side so that sore ear was on top.
- Immediately before use, warm the drug in your hands until it reaches body temperature. This will avoid discomfort during the procedure.
- It is advisable to clean the ear canals with a solution of hydrogen peroxide before instilling the drug.
- During instillation, it is necessary to pull the earlobe slightly down and back, and then press on the tragus of the ear.
- Some doctors recommend covering the ear canal with a cotton swab for best results.
- After instillation, you need to continue to lie down for another 5 minutes. If necessary, instill in the second ear, after this time you need to turn to the other side and repeat the procedure.
- If the eardrum is damaged, then drops are introduced into the ear through a cotton wool tube inserted into the ear canal.
- During treatment and after its completion, you need to protect your ears from drafts and hypothermia.
Ear drops usually last 3-7 days. In this case, the use of systemic drugs is often required.
According to statistics, 60% of children under the age of seven have suffered from otitis media at least once. This disease is indeed very common and most often develops in childhood. But even among the adult population, there is a large number of people who have suffered from ear inflammation. Anyone who has encountered this problem knows that due to untimely and incorrect treatment, serious complications can develop, the most harmless of which is hearing loss. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right ear drops in time to get rid of the disease within a week.
The range of drops with different mechanisms of action is wide: some contain antibiotics, others contain anti-inflammatory or painkillers. Only some of them can be used in the treatment of otitis media in children, while the rest are intended for adults.
Characteristics of the disease
Otitis is a general name for all inflammatory processes in the ear that may have different reasons. Inflammation is usually caused by microorganisms: viruses, pathogenic fungi and bacteria. Of the bacteria, the most common causative agents of otitis are streptococci, staphylococci and pneumococci. They can enter the ear from the external environment, but much more often they penetrate there from the nasal cavity and pharynx. That is why it is extremely important to treat a runny nose and ARVI in a timely manner, without leading the process to complications. In the same way, migration of pathogens occurs in the opposite direction, so ear inflammation can lead to the spread of infection to the nasopharynx. In a child, the disease may be associated with measles, diphtheria, whooping cough or scarlet fever.
In order to understand the types of otitis, you need to imagine how it works human ear. It is conventionally divided into external, middle and internal. The outer ear is the auricle itself and the external auditory canal, that is, everything that is in contact with external environment up to the eardrum. But behind it begins the so-called middle ear, where the auditory ossicles are located. This is where they most often develop inflammatory processes. The inner ear contains the organs for sound perception and balance.
Depending on the affected part and the nature of the inflammation, several types of this disease are distinguished. Diffuse suppurative otitis externa develops due to mechanical damage to the skin of the outer ear, for example, due to scratching. His hearing is not impaired. It is treated by washing the ear with a three percent boric acid solution or a 0.05% furacillin solution. This disease is rare. Much more often, children and adults are bothered by the symptoms of otitis media: acute serous or purulent, chronic or tubo-otitis.
Acute serous otitis media
This form is caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses that enter the middle ear from the upper respiratory tract. This happens if adequate treatment for ARVI, influenza and other infections is not carried out. In response to the penetration of microorganisms in the middle ear, as well as in the nasal passages, a larger amount of fluid begins to form than normal. Edema is added to this process. As a result, due to the accumulation of mucus and swelling, pressure on the walls of the middle ear cavity increases. High blood pressure causes pain. And due to the fact that the fluid filling this part of the ear transmits sound vibrations worse, hearing impairment occurs.
Do not forget that the course of any otitis media is noticeably aggravated by nasal congestion. If you have an ear infection, be sure to use vasoconstrictor drops or nasal sprays: Nazivin, Naphthyzin, Tizin and others.
As a result, a patient suffering from serous otitis media complains mainly of decreased hearing, congestion in the ear and a feeling of fluid transfusion in the ear area when tilting the head. The pain is present, but not too intense.
It is this version of the disease that can be cured using only drops. IN in this case Products that do not contain antibiotics may be effective:
- Otipax
- Otinum
They will relieve inflammation and symptoms that bother the patient, but will not affect the cause of the disease. For serous inflammation this may be sufficient, but in each individual case the result of treatment depends on the condition immune system specific patient, so you should definitely consult your doctor about the choice of drops. Those containing antibiotics may also be needed.
Acute purulent otitis media
This is, in fact, the stage of development of otitis media, following serous one, if it is not treated. During this stage, the fluid in the middle ear turns into pus due to the body's immune response to the infection. Just like serous purulent otitis, it is caused by various pathogenic microorganisms. Of these, more than others tend to cause purulent inflammation staphylococci.
In addition to the spread of bacteria from the nose and throat, there are other ways of developing a purulent process. It can occur after surgical interventions on the ENT organs, for example, after a tonsillectomy - removal of the tonsils. This is due to a local decrease in immunity due to surgery. Bacteria can also penetrate from the outside if the eardrum ruptures: not related to infection, but traumatic.
This variant of the course differs from the previous one by a sharp increase in the patient’s temperature. It can rise to 38-39 degrees. At the same time, very intense pain in the ear begins. It has a stabbing, shooting, drilling or pulsating character. Pain can cover the entire half of the head, intensify when swallowing, and can be felt in the area of the jaws and teeth. Other signs of otitis media do not go away - congestion in the ear and decreased hearing acuity.
If all these symptoms occur, you should immediately call a doctor, and he will definitely prescribe antibiotics: local in drops and systemic in the form of tablets. Antibiotic ear drops:
- Otofa
- Tsipromed
If left untreated, pus accumulates in very large quantities and ruptures. eardrum from the inside. This relieves pain but leads to possible hearing loss. Therefore, therapy should be started in a timely manner.
How to bury your ears correctly?
In order for the medicine to reach the source of inflammation, it is necessary to use drops in accordance with the following algorithm:
If a rupture of the eardrum, called perforation, has already occurred and the doctor advises the use of drops, then they are used differently. A cotton swab is carefully inserted into the affected ear and the medicine is dripped onto it. If you do not use cotton wool and instill in the same way as before the rupture, hearing loss may develop.
Drops for adults
Medicines in the form of drops, depending on the composition, may have the following properties: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic. There are drugs that have only one of these effects, and there are combination drugs that combine two or three actions at once.
Adults can use any of the drops on the market. Therefore, when treating adult patients, doctors give preference to the most powerful means: those that have several mechanisms of action on the disease. When using any drops with antibiotics, it is important to remember about possible side effects in the form of allergic reactions, especially in people who have already suffered from allergies at least once in their lives.
Candibiotic
These drops belong to the combined means. They are unique in some way: their impact is aimed at several possible reasons illness immediately. This is ensured by a complex composition. The basis is chloramphenicol - it is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, that is, it is active against both gram-positive bacteria (staphylococci and streptococci) and against gram-negative ones (Escherichia coli). Contacting these microorganisms, it suppresses protein synthesis in them, that is, the construction of new structural elements microbial cell. Such antibiotics are rarely used in the production of ear drops; usually even antibacterial drops act unidirectionally. It also contains clotrimazole, an antifungal substance directed against various types of pathogenic fungi that could cause otitis media.
In addition to directly affecting the cause of the disease, Candibiotic fights the processes occurring in the ear during the period of illness. Due to its glucocorticosteroid content, it suppresses inflammatory reactions. But because of this same component, it is undesirable to use it for more than ten days or regularly throughout life. Since a patient with otitis, especially purulent one, is most concerned about pain, the medicine should cope with it too. To do this, lidocaine, which has analgesic properties, is added to it.
The main disadvantage of this powerful drug is that it is strictly forbidden to be used by children under 6 years of age, and it is at this age that otitis media most often occurs. Contraindications also include a previously ruptured eardrum. Pregnant and lactating women should consult their doctor before using Candibiotic, and if possible, it is better to do without it. Clinical studies on its use in this group of patients have not been conducted. Due to the large number of components, Candibiotic is slightly more expensive than other drops: prices start at 218 rubles.
Adults and children over 6 years old instill 4-5 drops into the ear canal three to four times a day. Improvement in well-being usually occurs after three to five days, but the course of treatment must be continued until the symptoms disappear completely. It occurs on average after a week or ten days.
Tsipromed
This drug is not a combination drug: it contains only the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Therefore, its action will be aimed exclusively at the bacteria that caused otitis media. Such targeted treatment is good in cases where the doctor knows exactly what pathogen caused the development of the disease. In this case, a potent remedy against specific microorganisms will speed up the healing process. Ciprofloxacin, which these drops are made of, is also a broad-spectrum antibiotic, and bactericidal. This means that it not only stops the proliferation of microbes, like Chloramphenicol, but also kills all existing bacteria.
Tsipromed can be used for both otitis media and external otitis. Contraindications include pregnancy and lactation due to the lack of research on this topic. These drops are suitable exclusively for adults and older children: they can only be used from 15 years of age. A separate advantage of this medicine is that they are the cheapest among ear drops, and at the same time they are not inferior in effectiveness to their analogues. The minimum price for Tsipromed is only 76 rubles, while all other ear drops cost about two hundred and differ in cost from each other by no more than 30 rubles.
According to the instructions, it is recommended to instill 5 drops of this medicine into the ear canal three times a day. After the symptoms of otitis media completely disappear, treatment must be continued for another 48 hours to ensure that the disease does not recur.
Otinum
Another medicine for the treatment of otitis, recommended for adult patients. Its main active ingredient is choline salicylate. It belongs to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Once at the site of inflammation, it blocks the enzyme responsible for the construction of inflammatory mediators. These are chemical compounds that cause all manifestations of inflammation: swelling, redness, pain. As a result, two effects of this medicine are realized - anti-inflammatory and analgesic.
For otitis, Otinum is instilled into the ear in the amount of three to four drops 3-4 times a day. It should be used within ten days. In addition to inflammatory diseases, these drops have another indication for use - softening hardened earwax before the procedure for its mechanical removal. To do this, instill 3-4 drops into the ear with a “wax plug” twice a day for 4 days.
This drug is absolutely contraindicated in all children, pregnant women and nursing mothers. The same applies to patients with a perforated eardrum. A separate contraindication is the presence of a diagnosis of status asthmaticus. It includes intolerance to acetylsalicylic acid, nasal polyposis and bronchial asthma. If all these signs are present, you should consult a doctor to select therapy.
Medicines for children
More often otitis media, both serous and purulent, develops in children under seven years of age. Therefore, many manufacturers of ear drops focus specifically on them. Pediatricians recommend these drugs because they are the safest and have been involved in the most clinical trials, which means they have proven their effectiveness.
Otipax
In terms of their effect, these drops are a children's analogue of Otinum. But their components are different. Otipax contains two substances. The first is phenazone. It is responsible for relieving inflammation and pain in the ear. The second is lidocaine hydrochloride, that is, a local anesthetic. It reduces the local sensitivity of receptors, including pain ones, helping the main active ingredient fight pain. Like other anesthetic drops, this medicine can be used not only in cases of otitis media, but also when pain in the ear area is caused by injury.
The main undeniable advantage of Otipax: it is prescribed even to newborns. That is, it can be used at any age, of course, including adults too. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the use of this drug is permitted under the strict supervision of a doctor and only if there are serious indications. It is not used only in cases where the eardrum is damaged. Athletes should keep in mind that the drug gives a positive doping test result.
Patients of any age are prescribed 3-4 drops of this substance into the ear canal two to three times a day. Therapy is continued for ten days, during which time the symptoms of the disease cease. If this does not happen, other ear drops are prescribed.
Otofa
These children's drops are designed to destroy the causative agent of otitis media; their only mechanism of action is antibacterial. For acute purulent otitis, this is exactly the treatment that the child needs immediately. They contain ansamycin, an antibiotic from the rifampicin group. This group differs from others in that it was introduced into clinical practice relatively recently, so pathogenic species of bacteria have not yet had time to develop resistance (insensitivity) to it. The more often people use a particular antibiotic, the less effective it becomes as populations of microorganisms develop resistance to it.
The main advantage of Otofa is that it is allowed and even prescribed after a ruptured eardrum, unlike most other drops. The range of diagnoses for which this remedy helps is very wide: these include serous and purulent otitis media, otitis externa, chronic inflammation ear. This medicine is prescribed to all children, but there is not yet enough scientific data on use in pregnant and breastfeeding women, so doctors recommend it to these patients only in extreme cases.
The dosage for adults is 5 drops three times a day. There is another way to use: drops are poured into the ear canal for a few minutes twice a day. Children are prescribed 3 drops into the ear canal three times a day. This therapy is continued for seven days, during which time the signs of the disease regress.
Anauran
These are the only ear drops for children that are a combination drug. It contains two antibiotics that are designed to fight different bacteria. As a result, their total effectiveness is greater than when used separately. The first of these substances is neomycin sulfate, a broad-spectrum bactericidal antibiotic that destroys many types of microbes and cannot fight only streptococci. The second is polymyxin B, which is effective only against gram-negative bacteria - Escherichia, Shigella, Salmonella. In addition to these two substances, Anauran contains lidocaine for quick pain relief.
At chronic otitis media, both external and internal, this drug can be used. But for acute otitis, it, like many other remedies, is used only at the stage before the tympanic membrane ruptures. Pregnant women and children under one year of age are prescribed Anauran, but only under the strict supervision of a doctor and in case of absolute necessity. In addition to local treatment, antibiotic tablets are needed in most cases. But it is extremely important to remember that Anauran cannot be combined with some of them. This will lead to side effects in the form of toxic effects on the ear. Such drugs include:
- Netilmicin;
- Amikacin;
- Gentamicin;
- Monomycin;
- Streptomycin.
Adults are prescribed 4-5 drops of Anauran two to four times a day. Children's doses depend on the severity of the disease in a particular child and are individually selected by the pediatrician. They range from three to four applications per day, each of which involves placing 2 or 3 drops into the ear canal.
General information
All listed drugs differ in composition, treatment effect and age groups to which they can be used. A brief comparison of them is provided in the table:
| Name of ear drops | Presence of antibiotic | Anti-inflammatory effect | Anesthesia | Use in children |
| Candibiotic | Yes, against bacteria and fungi | Eat | Eat | Contraindicated under 6 years of age |
| Tsipromed | Eat | No | No | Contraindicated under 15 years of age |
| Otinum | No | Eat | Eat | Contraindicated in all children |
| Otipax | No | Eat | Eat | Allowed from birth |
| Otofa | Eat | No | No | Allowed from birth |
| Anauran | Yes (two different ones) | No | Eat | Applicable from 1 year |
This information will help you understand the range of ear drops on the market, but only the attending physician, who is well acquainted with the characteristics of the patient’s body, can select the correct therapy in each specific case.
Otitis - very dangerous disease accompanied by painful symptoms. Its treatment should be comprehensive and strictly with the drugs that the ENT specialist will select specifically for your case.
Besides oral administration antibiotics, your doctor will prescribe ear drops for otitis media for local antibacterial effects. What types of these drugs are currently available? What ear drops are considered effective?
Types of drops for otitis media
Drops in the ears for otitis media should combat the most important symptom of the disease - the inflammatory process caused by pathogenic bacteria. Depending on the main active ingredients, drugs in this group are:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Otinum, Otipax).
- Antibacterial (Otofa, Normax).
- Combined, combining antibiotics and corticosteroids (Anauran, Sofradex).
The selection of drops for ear inflammation should be made by the attending physician. An ENT specialist will determine the location of the process that is causing you pain, and, if necessary, will take the discharge for culture to find out what type of bacteria is responsible for the pathology.
Effective drops for otitis media
Drops in the ears for inflammation not only fight pathological process, eliminating bacterial pathogenic flora, but also additionally anesthetize the affected area.
The composition of Otipax is considered safe, and use this drug against otitis is allowed even for the ears of small patients. Drops for the treatment of otitis media eliminate inflammation and, due to the lidocaine they contain, provide good pain relief.
The full effect of treatment is achieved within a week; very rarely therapy is delayed for 10-14 days.
A powerful combination drug that effectively fights the inflammatory process and kills bacteria and microbes on the affected tissues. But Sofradex has a whole list of disadvantages:
- after instillation, a burning and itching sensation is felt in the ear canal;
- the drug should not be used by pregnant women and children;
- An overdose of ear drops is very dangerous.
However, Sofradex is successfully used to treat otitis media of the middle ear.
Anauran - popular remedy for the treatment of purulent otitis of external and middle locations. The drops relieve pain well and fight viruses that cause inflammation of the tissues in the hearing organ. The drug is equally often included in the course of therapy against acute and even chronic forms of otitis.
Since Anauran contains an antibiotic, treatment of otitis with this drug should be strictly a course. If you stop using ear drops for otitis media as soon as the painful symptoms go away, the undertreated inflammatory process may start with a vengeance, and the pathogenic flora that causes it will already have a kind of immunity to the constituent antibacterial elements.
For the same reason, during relapses of the disease, the doctor should alternate Anauran with other antibacterial drugs from disease to disease.
The drug with antibiotic effectively copes with acute and chronic forms of otitis; however, the drops do not contain any analgesic components. Therefore, if the inflammatory process is accompanied by painful symptoms, the ENT specialist will prescribe you either another remedy or additional oral analgesics.
Otofa can be used to treat the ears of young children, but they are not prescribed to pregnant women due to the antibiotic content. The use of these drops is also permissible with a perforated eardrum.
These ear drops for otitis in adults are used to treat pathologies of the middle and outer parts of the hearing organs. They perfectly fight bacterial flora that causes inflammatory processes, but have a lot of unpleasant side effects. After instilling these relatively inexpensive drops, a burning and itching sensation occurs in the ear canal.
The rather aggressive composition of otitis drops does not allow them to be used to treat patients under 18 years of age, as well as pregnant and lactating women.
Inexpensive ear drops help overcome bacterial and fungal otitis media and have virtually no contraindications or unpleasant side effects.
Question about boric alcohol
Many patients, despite the abundance of quality and effective drops on the shelves of pharmacies, they are still inclined to the “old-fashioned” methods and buy boric alcohol for the treatment of otitis.
But using this drug to treat otitis media is very dangerous.
If you have had a perforated eardrum, the solution that gets into the middle ear can cause enormous damage to your hearing. In addition, both boric acid and alcohol have a pronounced warming effect, and the thermal effect on inflamed tissue will contribute to the active reproduction of pathogenic flora.
In addition, boric alcohol is very toxic and its dangerous components can accumulate in tissues - their effect subsequently manifests itself in the form of nausea, vomiting and other neurological symptoms.
If you experience symptoms of otitis media and your doctor has prescribed certain anti-inflammatory drops, do not take risks and do not change treatment regimens to please traditions and your wallet. Using boric alcohol to treat a disease can lead to unpleasant consequences.
Proper instillation
Instillation of drops into the ears for otitis should follow certain rules. Their violation will not only not speed up the healing process, but can also damage the hearing organ.
Ear drops for ear inflammation have local action, therefore they should be administered directly and most accurately to the affected areas.
Before starting treatment for otitis media, the drops should be prepared: heated to a comfortable temperature directly in the pipette. It is better to do this by holding the filled accessory in your hand or placing it in a bowl with warm water. It is not recommended to warm a whole bottle of ear drops - this will shorten its validity period.
- The patient should lie on his side so that the patient auditory organ was located on top.
- To straighten the ear canal, you need to pull on the earlobe.
- You cannot directly drip drugs into the ear canal - they can get on the eardrum, burn it or cause acute pain. It is better to twist a cotton wool, insert it carefully into the ear, and only after that start instilling the drug.
- After instillation, the ear canal should be covered with a cotton ball.
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