The medicine "Levomycetin" in the ear is prescribed for various diseases that are of bacterial origin and are accompanied by severe inflammation, ear pain, congestion and other unpleasant symptoms. This drug contains an anti-inflammatory element and an antibiotic, and it is as a result of this complex action that it gives a positive result.
However, you must be careful when using a pharmacological agent, since it is intended for the treatment of eye diseases. Taking this into account, a logical question arises: is it possible to instill the medicine “Levomycetin” into the ear?
Pharmacological properties of this medication
The solution "Levomycetin" is intended for use exclusively for ophthalmic pathologies. However, to date, clinical trials and studies have proven that this medication is also quite effective in the treatment of otitis media of bacterial origin.
For otolaryngological diseases, it is advisable to use alcohol based on chloramphenicol. However, the use of such a solution must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist, since various side effects may develop.
Levomycetin ear drops contain the active antibacterial element chloramphenicol. It is as a result of its influence that the use of the drug is more effective.
An alcohol solution in the ears has a detrimental effect on the following types of bacterial infections:
- streptococcal;
- staphylococcal;
- pneumococcal;
- enterococcal.
In addition, this medical product suppresses the proliferation of gram-negative bacteria, therefore, in case of pain in the ear caused by this type of pathogenic flora, in some cases it is even necessary to instill it.
Treatment of ear pathologies with this drug alone is impossible, since complex treatment is required. And even if the medicine “Levomycetin” in the ear for otitis and purulent inflammation is prescribed by a specialist, it will be only one of the components of the treatment regimen.
Drug Tsiprolet
Tsiprolet antibacterial drops are produced in the form of a clear liquid with a whitish or yellowish tint. Sold in pharmacies in 5 ml dropper bottles.
Compound
The antimicrobial drug includes:
- The active ingredient is ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, which is an antibiotic of the fluoroquinyl group.
- Additional substances:
- sodium chloride;
- hydrochloric acid;
- disodium edetate;
- benzalkonium chloride;
- water for injections.
How it works
The bactericidal effect of Ciprofloxacin is based on the suppression of the bacterial enzyme gyrase, which leads to disruption of protein synthesis in the pathogenic cell and its destruction. As a result of this process, the infectious agent dies. It is prescribed when identifying bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics such as penicillin, tetracycline, cephalosporin and aminoglycosides. Gram-negative (salmonella, enterobacteria, shigella, morganella, chlamydia, etc.) and gram-positive (staphylococci, streptococci, enterococci) bacteria are highly sensitive to Ciprofloxacin. Resistance of microorganisms develops rather slowly to this substance due to the absence of functional units or enzymes that can slow down or inactivate the action of the antibiotic.
Can I put it in my ears?
The drug is often used in the practice of otolaryngologists in the treatment of otitis media, if drugs containing another antibiotic are ineffective. Tsiprolet eye drops are sterile, so if the question arises whether they can be dripped into the ears, any doctor will give a positive answer.
Features of application
If the drug is used for self-medication, you must carefully follow the instructions for its use.
An alcohol solution of "Levomycetin" in the ear for otitis is sold in glass bottles without a special dispenser, so it must be introduced into the ear cavity using a pipette. Dosages for children and adults are practically the same, but methods of proper administration should still be considered separately.
For the treatment of ear diseases in adults, a 3% drug in the form of drops is used. Thus, according to the instructions, Levomycetin should be instilled 1-2 times a day, two drops. The medication should be administered using a sterile pipette, and only into the diseased ear canal. It is not recommended to use Levomycetin ear drops for preventive purposes - this can greatly harm a healthy organ.
If the patient has pain in both ears, the prescribed dosage of the drug must be administered into each of them. After treating one ear canal, it is recommended to lie on one side for 1–2 minutes, and then begin treating the second (if necessary).
After instilling the medicinal solution into the ear canal, it is necessary to insert a small piece of cotton wool into the auricle, which will help retain heat and will help keep the medicine in the ear for the maximum period.
Ear drops for otitis media with antibiotics: a brief overview
Any drops in the ears for otitis with an antibiotic should be prescribed by an ENT doctor. Self-medication of otitis is unacceptable and can lead to serious complications, such as decreased or loss of hearing, inflammation of the mastoid process (mastoiditis), paresis of the facial nerve, osteomyelitis of the lower jaw, meningitis, etc.
Combinil®
The antimicrobial effect is achieved by inhibiting bacterial DNA gyrase with ciprofloxacin ® . As a result, protein synthesis and DNA replication in the pathogen are disrupted, which leads to cell death.
The bactericidal effect of ciprofloxacin ® includes a wide range of pathogens: Escherichia, Proteus, Haemophilus influenzae, staphylo- and streptococci, Corynebacteria, Listeria, chlamydia, Moraxella, Legionella, Shigella, Salmonella, Gardnell, etc.
Dexamethasone ® is a glucocorticosteroid hormone that has anti-inflammatory, vasoconstrictor, anti-exudative and mild analgesic effects.
Combinil ® can be used for external and otitis media with the presence of granulations and otorrhea (with eardrum shunt).
If there is a perforation in the tympanic membrane (ET), the drug is contraindicated. Also, the drug is not prescribed for:
- the presence of individual intolerance to fluoroquinolones;
- patients under 18 years of age;
- pregnant and breastfeeding women;
- with viral and fungal etiology of inflammation;
- eye tuberculosis.
When applied topically, it is low-toxic and does not have side effects specific to fluoroquinolones that may occur with systemic use.
Side effects when instilling an antibiotic can include pain and itching in the ears, a feeling of stuffiness, skin rashes and a temporary disturbance in the sense of taste.
Combinil ® is instilled into the ear twice a day, four drops. The course of treatment is seven days.
After use, it is not recommended to change the position of the head for several minutes so that the drops completely drain into the ear canal. Afterwards, you can put a cotton pad in your ear.
Before using the drops, the bottle should be held in your palms for several minutes so that the liquid warms up to body temperature.
Dancil®
The main active ingredient of the drug is the fluoroquinolone ofloxacin ® . The bactericidal effect of the product is ensured by blocking bacterial DNA gyrase.
Dancil ® is highly effective against Escherichia, staphylo- and streptococci, meningococci, mycoplasmas, Legionella, chlamydia, Klebsiella, Haemophilus influenzae, etc.
For ear infections, the drug can be prescribed after 12 years of age. Dancil can be prescribed to young children only when absolutely necessary. Dosage, frequency of use and duration of treatment are prescribed individually.
After 12 years of age, it is used for external otitis and otitis media. Unlike Combinil ® , Dancil ® can be used for perforation of the eardrum.
For external otitis, it is necessary to instill ten drops into the affected ear, once a day. Duration of treatment is 10 days.
For the treatment of suppurative otitis media (acute and chronic):
- for perforation of the BP - ten drops twice a day;
- after installing a tympanostomy tube - five drops twice a day.
After instilling the drops, it is not recommended to change the position of the head for five minutes.
Dancil ® is contraindicated for use by pregnant and breastfeeding women, and is also not prescribed in the presence of individual intolerance to fluoroquinolones, viral or fungal infections. In ophthalmological practice, Dancil is not recommended for use under 18 years of age.
Undesirable effects may include tinnitus, burning, pain, and skin rash.
Uniflox®
The main active ingredient is ofloxacin ® (the same as in Dancil ® ).
Uniflox ® is used for the treatment of external, acute and chronic otitis media (including otitis media with BP perforation), as well as for prophylactic purposes during ear surgery.
Contraindicated:
- children under 3 years old;
- pregnant and breastfeeding women;
- patients with individual intolerance to fluoroquinolone antibiotics;
- for viral and fungal otitis.
For children, Uniflox ® is prescribed five drops, twice a day (the exact dosage and duration of treatment should be selected individually by an ENT doctor). Adults are recommended to instill 10 drops into the sore ear twice a day. The course of treatment is ten days.
Undesirable effects may include itching and tinnitus, impaired taste, and dry mouth.
Tsipromed®
The main active ingredient of the drug is ciprofloxacin ® (fluoroquinolones). The product has a wide spectrum of bactericidal action, including Escherichia, streptococcus and staphylococcus, Enterobacter, Morganella, Legionella, chlamydia, Shigella, Citrobacter, etc.
Tsipromed ® can be used for external and medial purulent otitis with perforation of the ear, ear injuries, ear surgeries, and when removing foreign bodies from the ear.
Contraindications to its use are individual intolerance to fluoroquinolones, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Also, Tsipromed ® is not prescribed to children under one year of age.
Tsipromed ® is prescribed five drops, three times a day.
Side effects of the drug can include pain and itching in the ears, bitterness in the mouth, and skin rash.
For children
How to instill "Levomycetin" in a child's ear? When treating children with medications, the age of the patient must be taken into account. According to the instructions for this medication, dripping it into the ears is only allowed for children over 1 year of age. The solution administration regimen is the same as for adults, but only the dosage differs.
Thus, the alcohol solution “Levomycetin” is instilled into the ears of children 1-2 times a day, 2 drops. If there is copious discharge of purulent contents from the ear during otitis media, the dosage can be increased to 4 drops. It is advisable to use the medicine at regular intervals. This helps to control the treatment regimen and avoid overdose.
The medicine "Levomycetin" can be administered into the child's ear not directly, but through the use of cotton swabs. It is necessary to make turundas from pieces of cotton wool, which should be moistened in a 3% medicinal solution, and then insert such tampons into the ears for 20 minutes.
Use of Albucid for otitis
How to instill Albucid into the ears for otitis media in children? Despite the fact that the instructions for use of the drug do not contain any data regarding the use of drops for ENT diseases, Albucid is prescribed very often in pediatrics. They are easy to use, show high effectiveness in the treatment of many ear infections and practically do not cause any adverse reactions.
But it is necessary to bury Albucid in the ear, adhering to some rules:
- Before dripping the medicine into the ears, it should be warmed to a temperature of 36-37°C. This is necessary in order to minimize the risks of worsening the course of the disease and prevent the development of complications. The easiest way is to warm the solution by holding it in your hands for several minutes.
- Before carrying out the instillation procedure, you must thoroughly wash your hands and wipe the auricle with an alcohol solution. Thanks to this, it will be possible to eliminate the factor of pathogenic bacteria entering the ear canal.
- During instillation, the patient should lie on his side, with the affected ear facing up. The pipette with the medicine is inserted no deeper than 5 mm, and after the procedure the patient should remain in the original position for another 5-10 minutes. This approach will allow the medicine to be better distributed in the ear.
Now regarding the dosage and duration of treatment with Albucid. 5-6 drops are dripped into each inflamed ear, and the course of treatment is 7-10 days. However, these are average data. The doctor determines a more specific treatment regimen during the examination of the patient and identification of the problem that provoked the pathology.
Contraindications
When using the drug "Levomycetin" in the form of alcohol for ear instillation, you must pay attention to the contraindications contained in the instructions. This medication should not be used for ear pain in the following cases:
- individual intolerance to the drug;
- pregnancy, lactation period;
- fungal or infectious diseases of the skin of the ears (in this case, the medication can cause severe itching and burning);
- liver dysfunction;
- impaired renal function;
- damage to the eardrum;
- age less than 1 year.
Side effects
The most common side effect of this medication is itching after instillation into the ear. If the medicine "Levomycetin" is administered correctly, no adverse reactions should occur. However, to avoid this, you should follow your doctor's recommendations and not increase the dosage of the medication.
When using Levomycetin solution, the following side effects may be observed:
- itching;
- irritation;
- burning;
- peeling of the skin of the ears;
- allergic reactions that are accompanied by skin rashes;
- swelling of the ear tissues;
- hyperemia of the ear epidermis.
If any negative reactions occur when instilling the medicinal solution "Levomycetin", you must stop using this drug and consult a specialist. In case of adverse reactions, symptomatic treatment is carried out.
Special recommendations for the use of the drug
During the period of use of this medication, systematic monitoring of the peripheral blood picture is required, since the active elements tend to be absorbed into the systemic bloodstream. When used simultaneously with ethanol, disulfiram-like effects may occur, which manifest themselves in the form of vomiting, nausea, convulsions, reflex cough, skin hyperemia, and tachycardia.
Reviews about the drug
The drug has been known for a long time. Many patients did not even know that it was used for ear drops in case of ear pain and the development of otitis media, but after the doctor prescribed this medication, they began to use it successfully.
Reviews contain very contradictory information about this drug. Some patients use it constantly, for any ear pathologies, and they say that the Levomycetin solution is a fairly effective remedy in the fight against ear diseases. Despite the fact that it is not recommended to use it for preventive purposes, many patients still do it, for example, when discomfort occurs, which often becomes a harbinger of the disease. During use in this category of patients, practically no adverse reactions were observed, and people tolerated the effects of the medication well.
Another category of patients left negative reviews about this pharmacological agent. They consider this medicine to be sufficiently outdated to be used at modern stages of medical development. They prefer to use newer medications developed specifically for the treatment of ear diseases, which also contain antibiotics and anti-inflammatory substances.
We reviewed the instructions for use of Levomycetin in the ear.
Albucid drops: brief description
According to the annotation, Albucid is an eye drop. The main range of their use is the treatment of eye diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria.
In addition, in some cases, doctors prescribe the drug for preventive purposes when there is an infection in the body, which may cause eye pain.
But in the last few years, in modern medicine, doctors began to practice the use of this medication in otolaryngology. The medication is characterized as an antibacterial agent that can actively resist and fight gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms.
Due to its wide spectrum of action, Albucid has an inhibitory effect on pathogenic microorganisms that parasitize and multiply in the cavity of the auditory organs. In addition, Albucid is often indicated as drops in the ears for otitis media of various shapes and locations.
The medication, according to the manufacturer, is safe and does not have any contraindications for use, with the exception of individual intolerance to the active ingredients of the drug.
In pediatrics, Albucid, as drops for the ears and eyes, is prescribed from a very early age. Moreover, the medication is approved for use during pregnancy and lactation. And even in the maternity hospital, doctors in practice use Albucid according to indications, instilling it into the ears and eyes of newborns.
Attention! The use of Albucid drops without a doctor's prescription is not recommended. Self-medication is fraught with aggravation of the pathology and the development of complications!
Composition of the drug
According to the instructions for use, Albucid does not belong to the group of antibiotics. From a pharmacological point of view, it is a chemical medicine of the sulfonamide group. It contains the following components:
- Sulfacytamide. The main active substance of the drug. It prevents the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms, due to which, in the first few days of using the product, the focus of the disease stops spreading and the disease quickly recedes.
- Sodium thiosulfate. The component is in the form of transparent, odorless crystals. The substance dissolves well in water and plays the role of an antiseptic, disinfecting tissue treated with drops.
- Hydrochloric acid. A component that is odorless and colorless. It helps relieve the inflammatory process.
- Distilled water. It is used as a solvent for the main components, thereby reducing their concentration and eliminating the risks of overdose.
All the substances described above that are part of Albucid drops do not pose a danger to the body and in rare cases can cause an allergic reaction.
If a person has hypersensitivity to one or another component of the drug, the following symptoms may occur:
- itching;
- burning;
- swelling in the ears or eyes - at the site of application of the medication;
- redness.
If such symptoms occur, you must immediately stop taking the medication and consult your doctor to replace the medication with a similar mechanism of action.
Read on, when can you take Albucid for otitis media?