The Best OTC Ear Infection Medicines - GoodRx (2024)

Ear infections can be frustrating, especially if you get them often. They can cause pain and other irritating symptoms. Ear infections can happen at any age, but they’re most common in kids ages 2 and younger. Estimates show that half of all children will have at least one ear infection before they turn 2 years old.

There are two main types of ear infections. Outer ear infections (swimmer’s ear) can be thought of as a skin infection inside the ear canal. Middle ear infections (otitis media) are more like a sinus infection.

Mild-to-moderate ear infections of both types often get better on their own. In the meantime, over-the-counter (OTC) ear infection medicines and ear drops can help manage your symptoms and discomfort. But some ear infections can be more serious. Read on to learn when and how to treat an ear infection at home, what your options are for OTC relief, and when to visit your doctor’s office.

How do you know if you have an ear infection?

Bacteria, viruses, or fungi can cause ear infections. But since you can’t see very far inside your ear with the naked eye, your symptoms are the main clue to a possible infection. And symptoms can vary depending on the area of the ear that’s infected.

Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa)

Swimmer’s ear occurs when the ear’s outer canal gets infected with bacteria or fungi. The ear canal is open to the air — it’s the part of your ear you can see or touch from the outside.

Water trapped inside the ear canal — from swimming, bathing, or showering — is often the cause of swimmer’s ear. When the ear canal is partially blocked with earwax, water and germs are easily trapped against the skin, and swimmer’s ear is likely to develop. Inflammation and injury inside the canal — like from cleaning or removing wax — can also increase the risk. Swimmer’s ear is often treated with prescription ear drops or oral antibiotics.

Common symptoms of swimmer’s ear include:

• Muffled or decreased hearing

• Itching inside the ear canal

• Ear pain

• Pain when the outer earlobe is tugged or moved

• Drainage from the ear

Middle ear infection (otitis media)

The middle ear is behind the eardrum. The eardrum, or tympanic membrane, is a floor-to-ceiling window that separates the ear canal from the middle ear. Air and fluid can’t enter the middle ear from the outside — unless the eardrum is damaged or you have ear tubes.

Infections in the middle ear happen when fluid from the sinuses gets trapped inside the middle ear. Germs, like bacteria, can grow in this fluid. Viruses and allergies create swelling that makes fluid more likely to get trapped.

This type of ear infection is common in young children and can be extremely painful. The treatment is often prescription oral antibiotics. Otitis media can’t be cured with ear drops (unless there’s a hole in the eardrum or you have ear tubes).

Symptoms of a middle ear infection include:

• Ear pain

• Fever

• Cough

Young children might also have:

• Tugging at the ear

• Trouble sleeping

• Irritability

• Headache

Keep in mind that more serious symptoms can also develop that need prompt medical attention (more on these later). To confirm an ear infection, a medical professional typically needs to use an otoscope to look inside your ear. This lets them see the skin of the ear canal. They can also see through the eardrum to figure out if there’s fluid or pus in the middle ear.

What is the best over-the-counter ear infection medicine?

Many ear infections — both otitis externa and otitis media — clear up on their own. So the first-choice treatments for many mild ear infections focus on managing symptoms. Let’s take a look at some OTC medicines for ear infection relief.

Pain relievers

OTC pain relievers — such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) — can help manage pain and inflammation caused by ear infections, according to the CDC. For moderate pain, your primary care professional may recommend that you alternate between acetaminophen and ibuprofen throughout the day.

These medications are generally safe to take, but make sure to ask your primary care professional or pharmacist about the best dosage of these medications for you.

Keep in mind: Not all OTC pain relievers are appropriate for children. Anyone younger than 19 years shouldn’t take aspirin. This is because it can cause a dangerous illness called Reye’s syndrome. Children younger than 6 months should also avoid ibuprofen. Acetaminophen is the main pain relief option for young kids.

Ear drops

The FDA hasn’t recommended any OTC ear drops to treat ear infections. That said, many different types of ear drops are available. These medications can help to:

• Dry out the ear canal

• Soothe pain in the ear canal or eardrum

• Remove earwax that’s blocking the ear canal

• Decrease itching in the ear canal

Using ear drops to dry out the ear canal can sometimes help prevent swimmer’s ear. This works best if used before an infection starts. Many different OTC drops are available for this. One make-at-home way to dry the ear canal is with a mix of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar.

Ear drops that are used to reduce pain can be helpful when you need immediate relief. That said, they aren’t as effective as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for ear pain. And they don’t treat or stop any infection, so medical care is recommended if the pain continues.

Be very cautious about using any OTC ear drops if there’s drainage from the ear. Sometimes ear drainage and pain can be signs of a torn (perforated) eardrum. Using ear drops when you have a perforated eardrum can cause big problems.

Ear drops should never be used by people who have ear tubes, unless the drops were prescribed by a medical professional.

Which OTC products are not recommended for ear infection?

Not all OTC products are suitable for treating an ear infection. Despite the claims, here are OTC products to avoid:

• Decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)

• Nasal steroids, such as fluticasone nasal spray (Flonase)

• Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or loratadine (Claritin)

• Ear candles

Can you use allergy medicine for ear infections?

Not really. Allergy medicines can sometimes help prevent otitis media in people who have allergic rhinitis. But they don’t do a good job of treating ear infections that have already started.

Decongestants and nasal steroid sprays are used to open clogged sinuses. And antihistamines can dry out excess fluid in the body. For this reason, all three types of medications sound like they’d be good choices for treating an ear infection. But data shows they just don’t work very well. And since they can all cause side effects, it’s generally a good idea to avoid them.

Do ear candles help ear infections?

No, you should never use ear candles — especially for ear infections. Ear candling is claimed to suction out earwax by lighting a hollow candle inside the ear canal. Ear candling hasn’t been proven to work for any ear condition. They can lead to serious injuries, such as puncturing your eardrum or burning your head.

Can you treat an ear infection at home?

Whether you can treat an ear infection at home depends on how severe it is. Mild-to-moderate ear infections often go away on their own. You can usually treat your symptoms at home in these situations. The main home remedies for ear infections are rest, plenty of fluids, and pain relievers.

But don’t try to treat severe ear infections at home. Severe infections need to be treated with an antibiotic. And antibiotics aren’t available OTC — they require a prescription.

What is the ‘watch-and-wait’ method?

The “watch-and-wait” method, or watchful waiting, is when your care team recommends waiting 2 to 3 days to see if you need antibiotics. This gives your immune system time to work against the infection. Antibiotics are effective in curing infections, but they should only be used when necessary to avoid side effects.

Can you get rid of an ear infection with just OTC medicine?

Sometimes OTC medication and watchful waiting are enough for an ear infection to clear. Many ear infections are from a virus or weak bacteria. And these mild infections can resolve without needing to go to your doctor’s office.

But sometimes your immune system can’t fight off the infection. When this happens, ear infections can turn into bigger health problems.

Get medical attention right away if you have any of the following:

• Symptoms that last for more than 2 to 3 days

• Worsening symptoms

• A fever of 102°F or higher

• Pus or fluid coming from the ear

• Hearing loss