1. If there is discharge visible, wipe it away with a warm damp tissue
2. Wash your hands
3. Warm the drops to body temperature, ie place in armpit for 3 minutes
4. Lie the person on their side
5. Lift the ear out from the head to open the ear canal
6. 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
7. Gently pump the ear to move the drops around
8. If there is a grommet or perforation, it is good to pump the drops into the middle ear, the patient may taste them
9. Lie still for 5-10 minutes
10. Then tip over to drain the drops onto a tissue
11. Lie still for a further 5-10 minutes

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

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