Ear Pain

EAR PAIN

GETTING THROUGH THE NIGHT

• · Encourage your child to sleep with the sore ear up.
• ·Tylenol or Motrin are effective pain relievers for ear pain.
• · Warm compress – apply a warm washcloth to the ear.
• · Warm olive oil, vegetable oil, or garlic oil – put several drops of one of these into the ear. MAKE SURE THE OIL ISN'T TOO HOT.
• · Anesthetic eardrops – if the above remedies aren't enough, these are available by prescription and can numb the eardrum to minimize the pain for an hour or two.
• · WARNING – if you see any liquid or pus draining out of the ear, DO NOT PUT ANY OF THE ABOVE DROPS INTO THE EAR. See below under ear drainage.

Although ear pain can be troublesome and cause a difficult, sleepless night for both parents and child, IT IS RARELY A REASON TO RUSH INTO AN EMERGENCY ROOM OR CALL YOUR DOCTOR URGENTLY FOR ANTIBIOTICS. Whether the cause is infection, swimmers ear or pain for another reason, starting antibiotics in the middle of the night won't help as it usually takes 24 – 48 hours to start working.

Try the above remedies to get you child through the night, and then seek medical attention in the morning.

EAR DRAINAGE – if you see any liquid or pus draining out of the ear, DON'T PANIC! This is probably a ruptured eardrum from an ear infection (in which case the pain of an ear infection will be relieved) or swimmer's ear. Try the warm compresses and pain medications above, and seek medical attention in the morning.