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Earache can be very painful. Let's do something.
Pharmacist

The first thing to do is get a warm moist cloth and apply over the ear that hurt. 

When you have done that, see available over the counter earache medications below.

We will use this information to make a good decision on how to take care of this earache you are experiencing.

 

Girl holding her ear


Pain relievers

NSAIDs

You will start with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs if the child can take something like ibuprofen or naproxen which are good examples.

This would help with any swelling which is typical of earaches and ear pain. Most of the time, an inflammation is causing the ear pain.

Acetaminophen

This is the second choice if the child cannot take ibuprofen or naproxen.

 

Hemoepathic eardrops

Hylands, Similasan or store brands.

These eardrops should temporarily relieve ear pain and congestion or at a minimum soothe the ear.

We recommend you add an oral anti-inflammatory pain reliever to this if you want your child to sleep at night.

 

 

Warming soothing oils

Olive/sweet oil, mullein/garlic oil, tea tree oil.

Use any of these if the ear is not draining pus. We recommend starting with sweet oil or olive oil. Don't go looking for sweet oil at the pharmacy. Get olive oil, warm it up and put 2 to 3 drops in the affected ear(s). Make sure you heat the olive oil by putting it in a container and putting the container in hot water or running it under hot water. Test the temperature on the forearm and apply the drops.

Warning. Stay away from these if an earache is caused by swimming or water in the ear. It will make it worse. The oil will just be floating on the water. You will need drying agents for this situation.

 

 

Let's use this information to choose a good over-the -counter remedy.

 


Earache could be caused by different things, which of these listed below apply to your child?
Pharmacist

Young girl holding her ear in pain

Choose your child's symptoms from the list below and see what is recommended.

 

 

Selection require a pain reliever.
Pharmacist

 

Selection require soothing ear drops.
Pharmacist

 

Selection require a decongestant.
Pharmacist

 

Selection require a warm compress.
Pharmacist

 

Selection require you to seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a pain reliever and soothing ear drops.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a pain reliever and a decongestant
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a pain reliever and warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a pain reliever and you should seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require soothing ear drops and a decongestant
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require soothing ear drops and a warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require soothing ear drops and you should seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a decongestant and a warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a decongestant and you should seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require warm compress and you should go to the nearest urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, soothing ear drops and a decongestant.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, soothing ear drops and a warm compress.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, soothing ear drops and go to the nearest urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, decongestant and a warm compress.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, decongestant and seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, warm compress and seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require soothing ear drops, decongestant and a warm compress.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require soothing ear drops, decongestant and seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require soothing ear drops, warm compress and seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require decongestant, warm compress and seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, soothing ear drops, decongestant and a warm compress.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, soothing ear drops, decongestant and seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, soothing ear drops, warm compress and go to the nearest urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, decongestant, warm compress and seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require soothing ear drops, decongestant, warm compress and go to the nearest urgent care
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require pain reliever, soothing ear drops, decongestant, warm compress and seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Something to prevent?

 

Preventive measures


Preventive measures

 

Ruptured ear drum? You should take the child to the nearest children's hospital.

Seek urgent care


Apply a warm compress for now.

Give a pain relief medication like ibuprofen to ease the pain while you are heading for the hospital or nearest children's urgent care clinic.

 

All of these?
You must have this earache really bad.
Pharmacist

 

None of these?
We must have left something out.

Please choose what closely apply to your child's earache and see what we recommend.

Pain Reliever

NSAIDs

You will start with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs if the child can take something like ibuprofen or naproxen which are good examples.

This would help with any swelling which is typical of earaches and ear pain. Most of the time, an inflammation is causing the ear pain.

Acetaminophen

This is the second choice if the child cannot take ibuprofen or naproxen.

 

 

Soothing ear drops

Olive/sweet oil, mullein/garlic oil, tea tree oil.

Use any of these if the ear is not draining pus. We recommend starting with sweet oil or olive oil. Don't go looking for sweet oil at the pharmacy. Get olive oil, warm it up and put 2 to 3 drops in the affected ear(s). Make sure you heat the olive oil by putting it in a container and putting the container in hot water or running it under hot water. Test the temperature on the forearm and apply the drops.

Warning. Stay away from these if an earache is caused by swimming or water in the ear. It will make it worse. The oil will just be floating on the water. You will need drying agents for this situation.

Hylands, Similasan or store brands.

These eardrops should temporarily relieve ear pain and congestion or at a minimum soothe the ear.

We recommend you add an oral anti-inflammatory pain reliever to this if you want your child to sleep at night.

 

 

Decongestants

This will be useful if an earache is due to sinus pain and pressure or resulted from a cold or allergy.

Get pseudoephedrine. Ask for this at the pharmacy counter. 

 

 

Warm Compress

This should help with the inflammatory pain and ease congestion in the affected ear.

 

 

Urgent Care Clinic

You should take your child to the nearest urgent care clinic for this.

 

 

Combination Products

 

 

Worth doing

 

 

Last updated by pharmacist on 02/16/2016

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Know this about the safe and effective use of this recommendation.
Article photo

Our disclaimer

  • Recommendation is the opinion of a registered US Pharmacist currently practicing as a community pharmacist.
  • Recommendation is not an attempt to discuss all possible self care or treatment approach to this health challenge.
  • The responsibility of the recommending pharmacist is limited to this question:
    "If a patient presents with these symptoms, what will you recommend and why?"
    It is not an attempt to publish an article on the treatment of any condition. Just what would you tell a patient who present with so and so in the usual course of your practice.
  • The pharmacist image presented in this article may or may not be the actual image of the authoring pharmacist.
    Because we insist on using articles written by currently practicing community pharmacists, these pharmacists may choose to remain anonymous especially if they are employed by an employer to avoid being pressured to recommend a particular product to drive sales.
  • Please read the policies and terms of use for self-care OTC, selfcarepharmacist.com and it's affiliates by clicking on the button below.

 

 

 

 

What if your child is currently experiencing the condition listed below?

Or if you have a question for the pharmacist?
Pharmacist


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