Ear Infection Remedies: Safe Home Care and Reader Tips

Apply 1-2 drops of mixture in affected ear, as often as needed. Do Not use GFSE full strength in ears

You can consider making apple cider vinegar (acetic acid 5%) diluted with water 1:1 ratio ear drops/solution will make a 2 ½ solution. This is a mild vinegar solution that stops the overgrowth of bacteria/fungi and helps with itchy ears. Irrigate this solution in the ear morning and evening for 7 to 10 days. Your ear should improve 48 – 72 hours after starting treatment. Most people get better within 7 – 10 days.

STUDIES.

Vinegar in Chronic Otitis externa and Myringitis (inflammation of the eardrum)
June 2010 Indian Journal of Otology Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286298164_Vinegar_in_chronic_otitis_externa_and_myringitis

Role of Vinegar in medicine is known from ancient time, specifically for dressing of wounds. A prospective study of vinegar (4% acetic acid with 1:1 ratio of normal saline and vinegar 4% with 1:1 ratio of 95% isopropyl alcohol was conducted to conclude its role in chronic otitis externa and myringitis. Vinegar with saline was effective in 45.52% otitis externa, 54.47% in otomycosis and 81.03% in myringitis while vinegar with alcohol was 90.62% effective in swimmer's ear.

Role of 1.5% Acetic Acid (Apple Cider Vinegar) Irrigation and Medical Management in Chronic

Persistent Suppurative Otitis Media.

Department of otorhinolaryngology, Santhiram Medical College and General Hospital, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh,

India

ABSTRACT

Background: Chronic ear discharge in chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) persisting for more than two weeks has become difficult to treat for ENT specialists due to resistance to the available antibiotics and patient's affordability for its cost. Also, biofilms have been responsible for the disease and cause tympanic membrane perforation and deafness. The use of 1.5% acetic acid irrigation acts as an antiseptic, and altering the middle ear's pH to treat otorrhea in CSOM needs to be studied. Aim of the study to assess results of 1.5% acetic acid irrigation and topical and systemic antibiotic in CSOM and to consider the most appropriate medical management.

Methods: A total of 100 patients of CSOM was divided equally into two groups. Group 1 patients were treated with 1.5% acetic acid irrigation every other day, and group 2 was treated with topical and systemic antibiotics three drops' times daily. Follow up of both groups every week up to symptomatic relief.

Results: Otorrhoea resolution in the group treated with acetic acid was 88%, and healing of perforation was noted in 28 %, while the failure rate of 12%.

Conclusions: Medical management of persistent CSOM with tubotympanic type by frequent aural cleaning, 1.5% acetic acid irrigation can be the more desirable choice than the topical and oral antibiotics. It is safe without any side effects and economical. Alteration of ear canal PH is one of the main factors for healing, in addition to mechanical disruption of biofilm and removal of deep-seated debris.

A Comparative Study of Acetic Acid vs Ciprofloxacin Topical Ear Drops in Achieving Dry Ear in Tubotympanic CSOM Patients.

Source: https://jptcp.com/index.php/jptcp/article/view/7850

Abstract
Aim: To study the effect of topical instillation of ACETIC ACID V/S CIPROFLOXACIN EAR DROPS in medical management of tubotympanic CSOM.

Materials and Methods: 100 patients including Male and Female above 15 years attending ENT OPD, at Index Medical College and having perforation in pars tensa (tubotympanic CSOM) will be evaluated. These patients underwent ENT examination. Oto-endoscopic examination was done. Further, patient were advised to undergo X-ray bilateral mastoid and pure tone audiometry.

Results: The results of the present study showed that dry ear was significantly achieved in patients using acetic acid (92% patients) than ciprofloxacin (66% patients) ear drops.

Conclusion: Medical management of tubotympanic type of CSOM is better achieved using 2% acetic acid ear drops rather than 0.3% ciprofloxacin ear drops.