Symptoms

The symptoms of an ear infection usually start quickly and include:

• pain inside the ear
• a high temperature
• being sick
• a lack of energy
• difficulty hearing
• discharge running out of the ear
• a feeling of pressure or fullness inside the ear
• itching and irritation in and around the ear
• scaly skin in and around the ear

Symptoms common in children

Young children and babies with an ear infection may also:

• rub or pull their ear
  
• not react to some sounds
  
• be irritable or restless
  
• be off their food
  
• keep losing their balance

If you, or your child, have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better.



Causes & Prevention

What causes ear infections? Can I prevent them?

You cannot always prevent ear infections, particularly inner ear infections caused by colds and flu.

To help avoid inner ear infections:

• make sure your child is up to date with vaccinations
• keep your child away from smoky environments
• try not to give your child a dummy after they're 6 months old

To help avoid outer ear infections:

• do not stick cotton wool buds or your fingers in your ears
• use earplugs or a swimming hat over your ears when you swim
• try to avoid water or shampoo getting into your ears when you have a shower or bath
• treat conditions that affect your ears, such as eczema or an allergy to hearing aids
  

Treatments

Do

• use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen (children under 16 should not take aspirin)
• place a warm or cold flannel on the ear
• remove any discharge by wiping the ear with cotton wool

Don’t

• do not put anything inside your ear to remove earwax, such as cotton buds or your finger
• do not let water or shampoo get in your ear
• do not use decongestants or antihistamines – there's no evidence they help with ear infections

Speak to your pharmacist if it's particularly painful and doesn't go away. We can help.

A pharmacist can help with an ear infection

Speak to a pharmacist if you think you have an ear infection.

They can recommend eardrops to help stop bacteria or fungus spreading. They can also provide other treatments if you need them, without you seeing a GP.

Antibiotics are not usually offered because infections inside the ear often clear up on their own and antibiotics make little difference to symptoms, including pain.

Antibiotics might be prescribed if:

• an ear infection does not start to get better after 3 days
• you or your child has any fluid coming out of the ear
• there are other factors that increase your or your child’s risk of complications, such as having a weakened immune system
• if your child is less than 2 years old and has an infection in both ears.

If antibiotics are not prescribed, eardrops containing a painkiller and an anaesthetic might be prescribed.