Pain caused by acute otitis media can be extremely severe. Analgesics such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) are often beneficial. Applying a heating pad or hot water bottle to the outer ear may help. Analgesic ear drops, such as the prescription medicine Auralgan, may also help; the dose is five drops placed in the ear canal every four hours, as necessary. If Auralgan is not available, relief may be obtained by warming vegetable oil and instilling five drops into the ear. It is essential to test the temperature of the oil before administering it to avoid burning the ear canal. The pain may be so severe that a combination of these measures will be needed to give relief.
The pain from an ear infection may subside spontaneously. Nevertheless, it is still important to take your child to the doctor, because the ear drum will usually be inflamed and pain may return. An untreated ear infection could result in hearing loss, spread to the mastoid sinuses, or even lead to meningitis. If you see yellow material draining from the ear, this usually means that the ear drum has perforated, releasing pus. A child may feel better after this happens. Perforations are normally not serious, but the doctor must check your child several weeks after the acute infection to make sure the perforation has healed.