Treatment of Chronic Draining Ear Infections Using Antibiotic Powder

Rarely, some unfortunate souls have chronic draining ear infections that do not respond well to oral antibiotics nor antibiotic ear drops. What many people and even physicians are unaware of is that there are alternative ways of addressing the chronic draining ear including use of antibiotics in powder form.

The method I like best is by using the Sheehy-House Powder Insufflator Bulb.

The pharmacy will make up gelcaps containing antibiotics (anti-bacterial as well as anti-fungal) and even steroids (usually hydrocortisone).

One first removes the tip of the insufflator bulb.



Than open up the gelcap such that the powder is all in one side and insert into the insufflator tip compartment.



Than replace the bulb tip.



During an active infection, the powder is "puffed" into the ear twice a day. Once back to normal, one puff weekly prevents the ear from becoming infected again. This method eliminates adding more "moisture" to the ear (as when happens when using antibiotic ear drops) as the powder not only addresses the infection, but the drainage itself becomes a medium for the antibiotic powder to do its thing.

Keep in mind that this method requires a prescription and the gelcaps must be compounded. As such, not all pharmacies may be able to fill and not all health insurances will cover compounded medications.

Rise In MRSA Head & Neck Infections Among American Kids

MRSA infections among American children increased during a five-year-period up to the end of 2006, according to an article published in Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, January 2009 issue.

The article explains that up to 1980, MRSA infections were generally acquired in hospital. But, over the last decade, community-acquired MRSA (ca-MRSA) infections have become significantly more common in nursing homes, prisons, and among chronically ill patients and in individuals considered to be low risk.

In recent years, there have been increasing reports of community-acquired MRSA infections in children involving the head and neck.

Iman Naseri, M.D., Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta looked at data regarding pediatric head and neck infections that took place at over 300 hospitals across the USA during the period 2001 - 2006. Infection sites were divided into oropharyngeal/neck (head and neck), sinonasal (nose and sinuses) and otologic (ear), and demographic and antibiotic resistance patterns were reviewed.

21.6% of the 21,009 S. aureus infections that occurred during this period were MRSA. These rates rose from 11.8% to 28.1% during that five-year period. 34% of MRSA infections were found in the ears, 28.3% sinonasal, and 14.2% head and neck.

Let's hope that this disturbing trend does not continue and it reinforces the need to give antibiotics ONLY if a true bacterial infection exists and not for colds, URIs, laryngitis, etc for which antibiotics are worthless.

Click here to read more.

New Webpage on Ear Tube Placement Has Been Posted

A new webpage describing ear tube placement for chronic ear infections or eustachian tube dysfunction has been added to our practice website. The webpage goes into why tubes are place and how they help as well as risks associated with this very common procedure. Click here to read more about it.

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Over-the-counter products that may be helpful to treat eustachian tube dysfunction: