Regular ear drops, only five or six types.
Usually, ear drops can enter the middle and inner ear after chronic otitis media and other causes of tympanic membrane perforation, thus playing a therapeutic role. However, if the toxic liquid enters the middle and inner ear, it may also affect the function of the inner ear, and in serious cases, it may cause vertigo, tinnitus and deafness.
Because of this, the national requirements for the approval and production of ear drops are relatively strict. Nowadays, there are not many types of regular ear drops on the market, only five or six types, which patients should know about to avoid being deceived. Moreover, each of these ear drops has its own characteristics, and patients should be aware of them and use the right ones to get good results.
Cerumen water.
It is a 5% sodium bicarbonate glycerin ear drops, which is mainly used to soften and dissolve cerumen (commonly known as earwax) and scabs.
Reminder: After the ear drops, the patient will have a mild ear swelling and some may experience a little swelling discomfort because the solution has dissolved the cerumen. After 2 to 3 days of medication, the outer ear canal needs to be flushed to flush out the cerumen.
Hydrogen peroxide.
General ear drops with 3% concentration, which has disinfection, cleaning and deodorizing effects, are used for patients with more pus in the tympanic chamber after tympanic membrane perforation.
Reminder: 3% hydrogen peroxide is also irritating to mucous membranes and skin. It is recommended that the foam must be wiped away with a cotton swab after each dose. If there is not much pus, it is enough to wipe the pus from the ear with a cotton swab, and it is not necessary to clean it with hydrogen peroxide.
2% phenol glycerin ear drops.
It has antiseptic, pain-relieving and swelling-reducing effects and is used for otitis externa and acute otitis media.
Reminder: It is prohibited for patients whose eardrum has been perforated because phenol (carbolic acid) can damage the middle ear mucosa.
Antibiotic ear drops.
Such as chloramphenicol ear drops and oxyfloxacin ear drops are a class of broad-spectrum antibiotic ear drops that can be used for otitis externa, acute and chronic otitis media.
Reminder: Although ear drops are topical and have a low probability of causing systemic reactions, they should be used with caution, especially in children and infants. In addition, topical application of antibiotic ear drops should not be used for more than two weeks in general, otherwise it is easy to cause drug resistance and local fungal infection.
Salicylic acid alcohol and muscarinic alcohol.
This is a class of ear drops with the drug dissolved in alcohol (medically known as ethanol), the concentration is usually in the range of 1% to 2%, which has the effect of stopping itching and inhibiting fungus, and is mainly used for external ear canal fungal disease.
Reminder: Because these medicines contain alcohol, there is a slight tingling sensation when you apply the ear drops, especially when the medicine is applied for the first time or when the skin is ulcerated. Also, be careful to keep it sealed, as this type of medicine is prone to volatilization.
Five principles of ear drops.
If you do get otitis externa or otitis media, topical medication is very important, but the key is how to use it. Patients can follow the following five major principles.
① Clean the external ear canal and remove the cerumen before local medication. Swab the external ear canal of any secretions or pus.
② Hold the ear drop medication bottle firmly in your hand to warm it up before dropping it. The cold drops may induce vertigo in the ear.
③Phenolic preparations are prohibited for those whose eardrum is already perforated.
④In general, powder should not be used. Poorly soluble powder sprayed into the ear not only has poor anti-inflammatory effects, but also often gels with the secretions in the ear, preventing pus drainage and continued treatment, which can cause intracranial and extracranial complications in serious cases.
⑤ Ear drops prepared from ototoxic drugs that can cause inner ear damage, such as streptomycin, gentamicin, neomycin, etc., should not be used because they can enter the inner ear through the membrane and cause secondary inductive deafness.