What to do about ear infections that keep coming back?

Does anybody else have ear infections that keep coming back about every 3 or so months? It's been over two years I've been dealing with this and doctors give me drops or antibiotic. It goes away but comes back. I do not swim. And if you do have this problem, did anything work for you?

I'm not sure if you are referring to outer ear infections (i.e. in the ear canal) or middle ear infections (i.e. fluid behind the eardrum). Since you mentioned that they give you drops & mentioned that you don't swim, I am assuming that you are referring to outer ear infections. In which case this could be caused by a number of things, but most of them stem from putting something in the ear (i.e. Q-tips). It takes VERY little to cause an abrasion in the ear canal, as the skin is streched very tight & is very thin. Once an abrasion is present, it is left open for bacteria to invade, causing infection. The best prevention for this is to not stick anything in the ear.

If you are referring to middle ear infections (fluid in the ear) that has a completely different cause. That is caused by inflammation in the Eustachian Tube (the tube that connects the middle ear to the back of the throat). This tube is responsible for keeping the pressure in the middle ear the same as outside pressure. When the tube is inflamed (as it often gets when one has allergies or an upper respiratory infection of some type) it doesn't open as it should when you yawn, chew, swallow, etc. Thus causing negative pressure in the middle ear & allowing fluid to build up in the middle ear. When this becomes a chronic problem the physician usually puts tubes in the eardrum to allow pressure equalization in the middle ear & allow fluid to drain out.

If your regular physician is not taking care of the problem I suggest you request a referral to an ENT (ear, nose & throat physician).

Hope this helps some!

are you having problems with your skin or immune system? that would be the first couple things i looked into. one of my children has skin problems and he used to get ear infections around every 2 months, but we already knew what it was from.

My ex-girlfriend had this problem too. I think it was because of some genetics or that she wasn't breast-fed as a child. Regardless of the cause, you just wanna do as the doctor tells you. It happens to so many people, so you're not alone, and don't worry! Just take antibiotics when needed.

actually your doctor by now should of said putting tubes in your ears maybe of some help. and for anyone who has fluid in there ears a doctor actually told me to put a little rubbing alchol in ears and use a blowdryer on them.

my friend has the same thing. what she does is puts ear drops from the doctor in the morning and takes a cotton swab of beer and dabs it in her ear. i dunno she told me it worked really well

I would say having tubes placed in your ears is a strong possibility at this point. I would have your general doctor refer you to an Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist.

Like Dr.Eeyore, I'm an Audiologist, and I want to add to her excellent response that some people's ears curve in such a way that fluid may not fully drain out again - it can get in there not only from swimming, but even when showering/bathing/washing your face or hair. The water can become a breeding ground for bacteria and/or fungus that leads to an external ear infection. So if this is the type of problem you are having, you may want to consider getting a pair of custom molded ear plugs to keep your ear canals dry.