Otitis Externa, Antibiotic Ear Drop Experiences?

So it turns out that I have a mild infection in my good ear. My tinnitus in this ear got louder, this alarmed me. I was sure I had an middle ear infection but my M.D swore that she couldn't see any fluid behind my eardrum or anything else that suggests otitis media. I still believe I can feel some fluid when I lay down to the side. Anyway, what she could see is that my ear canal was slightly irritated and that I apparently had dry blood somewhere near the entry. I'm wondering if somebody else has experienced louder tinnitus during otitis externa? Especially from a mild one. Tinnitus is apparently not a too common symptom of otitis externa.

My doc prescribed antibiotic ear drops with cortisone. The drops mostly contain oxytetracyclin, hydrocortisone, polymyxin. I am skeptical of putting anything into my ear, especially antibiotics but I want this infection to go away. I know that some ear drops contain ototoxic antibiotics such as mycines that can be dangerous even as drops. I can't find anything that suggested that the drops I was prescribed are ototoxic, but who knows? I am still taking them but if anyone has had any experience with similar ear drops, good or bad I'd like to know. Thanks.

 

I have used the drops a few times and went on ok with them.
A infection can cause tinnitus and can take a few weeks to settle down after a infection spike.
The main thing is to treat the infection so it does not get worse .
After your treatment had finished it's wise to get 're checked to make sure the infection has gone
.....lots of love glynis

 

I am struggling with otitis externa in both ears (started in right ear, bad Doctor). I definitely got contact dermatitis from the Neomycin drops and that led to weeping skin in both ears (right ear worse, left ear got fixed faster). Tinnitus is much worse because post-debridement inflammation in ear canals. Also, do not POP your ears, this has made my tinnitus worse also (did it to try to clear my ears from stuffiness caused by weeping skin). You have to get rid of this infection but more than 1/3 of people who use Neomycin drops get contact dermatitis and that causes weeping skin, a whole cycle of visits to sub specialist ENT who must manage the condition until it clears up. If you have a sudden symptom after beginning any medication, talk to the Dr. AND the pharmacist, your medication might need adjustment.

 

@ellzeena Thank you for your answer. I know about the terrible side effects of mycines. Luckily I was not prescribed one and so far I'm not experiencing any unwanted effect from my ear drops.

Good to know that I am not alone about the ear popping. My ENT's, M.D's have recommended this for years despite all the times I've told them it doesn't help. They will as usual never listen to their patient. Last time I tried to "pop" my ears my hearing got muffled for a week. I never ever pop my ears anymore.

 

@glynis Thank you for your answer Glynis.

It's just so strange that a slightly irritated ear canal, especially at the entry of the ear could cause such spike.

 

It's external infection, how could they be ototoxic? Ear drum protects you.

 

I use garlic mullein ear drops

 

Believe it or not but antibiotics can be ototoxic when applied topically too, especially aminoglycosides.

 

Hi Elinor,
I used some antibiotic drops and an oral which were effective in clearing up a middle ear infection I had four weeks ago.
The tinnitus that accompanied it (probably caused by a session in the studio and a couple of live gigs whilst had the infection) has remained. I still live in hope that it will go away or at the very least reduce in volume.
I feel your pain with regard to ENT's not listening to their patients. I have seen 3, as well as 2 GP's here in Doha where I live, and there attitude to Tinnitus in particular is disgraceful, void of sympathy and any duty of care. 3 said I had an infection and 2 said there was no infection, and all of them said that I should 'pop' my ears. I get far more help from people on this forum.

 

A summary of my experience using ear drops containing Oxytetracyclin, hydrocortisone, polymyxin B. (Just in case someone in the future finds this thread because they too are worried about the ototoxcicity). I used these drops for a week, three times a day and it did not affect my T in any kind of way, nor did it irritate my ear canal.

 

OH but it does! After ear canal debridement, the tinnitus worsens in my ear(s) until normal (even slight) swelling subsides.

 

I just wrote a thread about the same drops! thank you for updating, now I know they are safe!

 

@Elinor, did you feel your ears got full while using the eardrops? My doctor told me to use 5 drops (he said it wasn't very important how many so could be less or more but the important thing was that it reached the ear) before sleeping (once a day). First two days were fine, the third day I felt that my ear got full and blamed it on my boyfriend dropping it differently than the first two days. It's sort of feels like I used too many drops and it just got clogged, yesterday (4th day) I only used 1,5 drops and felt it reach the canal but still have some clogged feeling. The eardrops are not very fluid so I figured that was the cause, but feels very annoying to have a little bit of full ear so you hear normally most of the time but your T is amped up and you sometimes hear yourself :/ Just wondering if that is something I need to check up or if you noticed the same and it went away after you stopped using the drops?

 

I recall feeling a fullness shortly after using the drops but this feeling went away the same day, until I reapplied the drops.

 

Thank you for replying, it's better the morning after but always a little muffled, however I had a bit of that for weeks now, which is why I went to an ENT to begin with. It's just a bit worse with drops..

 

Is Amoxicillin safe?
A day clinic dr thought I have an outer ear infection - Otis externa.

I also have garlic mullein drops.

 

What should one do with outer ear infections? Just take the prescription? That's if the dr was accurate. He looked inside and seemed convinced.

I discussed Otis externa with member Ed209 but I can't find those posts.

It seems worse than an infection but I need it to heal or go away. It's awful - there is pain and a creaking sound plus this sensation that is hard to describe.

 

Take the medicine.

 

I have often otitis externa - I would never again use any kind of ear drops for it as some antibiotics made my tinnitus worse.
Ciprofloxacin ! Don’t take this one.

I prefer a mild ointment by the ENT first and then keep your ear canal dry. This is very important that the bacteria inside can not reproduce and will die.

I do this with a hair dryer by holding my ear lobe in a specific way that the wind can go inside and dry the canal. Of course you should do this with enough distance to your ear. Otherwise it’s too loud of course. But the air will find its way inside- it’s physic.
Dont hold the dryer frontal to the ear- this will not work. Better from the side behind your head.
This teqnique was proposed by an ENT and you must do this several times a day for minimum 5-10 min. Just until You have the feeling it gets better.

Some ENT put alcoholilc medicine inside , yes it kills the bacteria but your skin inside of the ear becomes rough and very vulnerable for a new infection. But sometimes it’s ok to get a hard infection healed.

Good luck.

 

What about amoxicillin?

 

Amoxicillin is the safest option for tinnitus sufferers.