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Will
an outer ear infection affect hearing?
How
long does FLOXIN Otic or FLOXIN Otic SINGLES need to
be used for otitis externa?
What
about allergic reactions after taking FLOXIN Otic or
FLOXIN Otic SINGLES?
Important Safety
Information
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Introduction
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Otitis
externa, or infection of the outer ear,
can cause you or your child pain and
discomfort.
We
invite you to read through this site for
a better understanding of what an outer
ear infection is, and how it is treated.
You may want to read parts of this site
with your child if he or she is curious
to learn about where the pain in his or
her ear comes from.
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What
is an outer ear infection?
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An
outer ear infection is an infection of
the outer ear canal. The outer ear canal
starts at the outside opening of the ear
and leads inside to the eardrum. When
you look into an ear, you can see part
of the canal, but you probably won’t
be able to see the eardrum without a
special light. An ear canal that is
infected may look red and swollen, but
it also may not look any different from
one that is not infected. |
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How
does the doctor know there is an outer
ear infection?
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Your
doctor can tell a lot from the
information you and your child provide.
Your child may have cried because his or
her ear hurt. Or, your child may have
complained of itchy ears, or ears that
feel ticklish. You and your doctor may
have noticed that your child pushes on
the skin on the outside of the ear. A
child may do this to try to make the
itching and pain in the ear canal go
away, although this sometimes makes an
infected ear hurt more. Often, chewing
makes the infected ear hurt more, too.
These signs and symptoms in adults and
children may indicate an outer ear
infection. When pain is present, the
pain can range from mild to severe.
The
information you provide, as well as the
doctor’s findings on exam, are clues
that help diagnose an outer ear
infection. |
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How do you get an
outer ear infection?
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Outer
ear infections come about when bacteria
are able to grow freely in the ear
canal. There are different reasons why
bacteria can get so comfortable in a
place where they normally don’t grow.
When the ear canal regularly gets wet
and stays damp for hours at a time, such
as when a child goes swimming a lot, the
ear canal becomes a place where bacteria
feel at home. That’s why an outer ear
infection is sometimes called “swimmer’s
ear.” Children who love to be in the
water often get outer ear infections. It
can happen whether the child swims in a
pool, a lake, or in the ocean. And outer
ear infections don’t happen only in
children. Teenagers and adults can have
them, too.
An
outer ear infection can also come about
if you use cotton swabs to clean or to
dry the ears. Cotton swabs have a
tendency to push dirt and water back,
close to the eardrum, making it easier
for bacteria to live and grow. The same
thing can happen when a child makes a
habit of poking a finger in his or her
ear.
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Will
an outer ear infection affect hearing?
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An
outer ear infection can cause blockage
in the ear canal, which may affect
hearing. As the infection gets better,
hearing should return to normal. You
should discuss any concerns you have
about hearing with your doctor.
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How
long does FLOXIN Otic or FLOXIN Otic
SINGLES need to be used for otitis
externa?
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FLOXIN
Otic or FLOXIN Otic SINGLES is
approved to be used once-daily for 7
days in otitis
externa (outer ear
infections). Be sure to use FLOXIN Otic
or FLOXIN Otic SINGLES exactly as your
doctor has told you. Even if you or your
child start to feel better after a few
days, be sure to keep using the drops
for as long as your doctor has ordered.
It is very important to use the drops
for the right number of days. This will
help ensure that the bacteria causing
the infection are killed.
The next section explains the rare times
when you or your child may need to stop
using FLOXIN Otic or FLOXIN Otic
SINGLES. |
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What
about allergic reactions after taking
FLOXIN Otic or FLOXIN Otic SINGLES?
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Before
prescribing FLOXIN Otic or FLOXIN Otic
SINGLES, a doctor will probably ask you
if your child has allergies, in order to
decide if FLOXIN Otic or FLOXIN Otic
SINGLES is the right medicine.
It
isn’t always possible to know if an
allergic reaction will occur. However,
sometimes allergic reactions do happen.
For example, you or your child may
develop something as simple as a rash or
as serious as trouble breathing. At the
first sign of an allergic reaction, stop
the medicine and contact your doctor
immediately. In addition, it is possible
that you or your child’s ear will itch
a little from the medication. If this
happens, the itching shouldn’t last
long. However, if this itching continues
or gets worse, call your doctor before
continuing the medication. Itching may
be a sign of an allergic reaction.
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