In your experience, how long after starting antibiotics for sx to go away

[klone, MSN, RN]

With otitis media?

[vanilla bean]

I think I started to get relief from the pain within the first 24-48 hours. It took much longer for the fluid-like effects to resolve (muffled sounds/difficulty hearing) - perhaps a week or so? It's been a few years since my last ear infection, so can't exactly remember. I just remember when the "crackling" and "popping" sounds started, symptoms were almost gone, lol.

[Mia415]

if you mean for infants and children then I think within 3 days or less. Im not sure with adults obviously im sure you know as a nurse to continue the abx tx till the end!!

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Okay, my kids are in college, so take this with a grain of salt:

I'm thinking the worst was over within 24 hours.

My breast fed babies had numerous ear infections, so go figure. Also chronic croup, and colic. Where did I go wrong?!

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Most OM is viral so antibiotics don't help.

[ontnursec]

I've heard 48-72 hrs.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Most OM is viral so antibiotics don't help.

Right, it's assuming it's a bacterial infection.

Thanks all. I've had 3 children, and my youngest is 7 years old, and this is the very first time I've had to deal with an ear infection, if you can believe it! Poor guy had OM AND strep throat! I was assuming that like with strep throat, the pain from the OM would go away fairly quickly after beginning antibiotic tx. Turns out, that seems to be a much more gradual process. We're almost at 72 hours since beginning, and he started really feeling better yesterday afternoon.

[ontnursec]

Right, it's assuming it's a bacterial infection.

Thanks all. I've had 3 children, and my youngest is 7 years old, and this is the very first time I've had to deal with an ear infection, if you can believe it! Poor guy had OM AND strep throat! I was assuming that like with strep throat, the pain from the OM would go away fairly quickly after beginning antibiotic tx. Turns out, that seems to be a much more gradual process. We're almost at 72 hours since beginning, and he started really feeling better yesterday afternoon.

My older son had a viral ear infection. Symptoms were drastically reduce by 24 hrs and gone within 48 hrs. Hope that helps.

[klone, MSN, RN]

My older son had a viral ear infection. Symptoms were drastically reduce by 24 hrs and gone within 48 hrs. Hope that helps.

Why did he get antibiotics for a viral ear infection?