How To Put Ear Drops In
- If there is discharge visible, wipe it away with a damp tissue
- Wash your hands
- Warm the drops to body temperature, ie place in armpit for 3 minutes
- Lie the person on their side
- Pull the ear out from the head to open the ear canal
- Drip the right number of drops into the ear canal. Be very careful not to touch anything with the top of the bottle to prevent contamination
- Gently move the ear to pump the drops around
- If there is a grommet or perforation, it is good to pump the drops through to the middle ear – it is okay if the patient tastes them
- Continue to lie on your side for 5-10 minutes
- Then turn over to drain the drops onto a tissue and lie still for a further 5-10minutes
Hints
- Do not block the ear with cotton wool or tissues etc
- If you have a reaction to the drops, stop using them and contact your GP
- Some drops are unsafe to use if there is a perforation or grommet, check with your GP or pharmacist
- At the end of your prescribed course of drops, dry your ear and avoid water entering it for a few days
- Exostoses or surfers ear – alternate between pumping the ear and popping the ear to dislodge any air block so the drops go down to the ear drum
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