Gentamicin Eardrops for an Outer Ear Infection

Has anyone used gentamicin eardrops for an outer ear infection?

I can see a paper shows there are concerns about using this antibiotic even in the outer ear In case there are tears in the tympanic membrane. However it is the only antibiotic eardrops available.

 

I used neomycin eardrops and that brought me back into tinnitus world (I got it in 2015 but had habituated to the point of forgetting I had it).

 

Do you suspect your ear drum is perforated?

Both my daughter and I used Tobramycin eye drops in the past after surgery (with a healing ear drum, not supposed to be perforated).
I've also used ofloxacin with a non-perforated ear drums.

Finally, we've also used Ciprodex with perforated ear drums (tympanostomy tubes). I was worried about the cipro part and was reassured by the studies I found on pubmed.

 

Crikey. Do you think you might have had a tear in your eardrum?

 

I think it worries me that the doctor wasn’t able to fully visualise it because of the swelling in my ear.

So you and/or your daughter didn’t have any exacerbation of your tinnitus?

 

Thankfully, my daughter doesn't have T. When she used Ciprodex with tubes, it went through the middle ear (as expected, since there is a perforation), and she complained about the sting. My surgeon said it's to be expected because it's acidic. No other adverse effect, thankfully.

I never experienced any exacerbation of my T with the drops.

 

Since gentamicin is one of the few drugs whose ototoxicity is undisputed, it is very strange that drops containing gentamicin are used for the therapy of otitis externa. In the case of a tympanic defect, the substance reaches the middle ear and from there it is not far to the inner ear...
I do not recommend gentamicin for the treatment of otitis externa!

 

I don't think there is any problem. It is probably a question of the dose you use, and the time you are on gentamicin.

 

@JohnK

I am sorry you had a bad reaction to Neomycin. I also had a bad reaction to Neomycin oral form for stomach. On the third day of a fourteen day pack I got slammed. Ear ring was low at first then got progressively louder and caused ear pain and soreness. The experts at a JHU Hosptal prescribed it. It completely turned my life upside down. I, too, want my life the way it was before Neomycin... You and I made the best decision we thought at the time. Coincidentally, I had an aunt taking it at the same time she had no reaction. Go figure. I pray we both get relief and some semblance of our lives back. Stay strong, trust me I am telling myself this as well God Bless. Peace.

 

@JohnK

Hi,

Do any of the looming discoveries hold any promise for you?
What is the extent of damage to your ear(s).