MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staph aureus) is the name of a feared, antibiotic resistant, species of bacteria that can cause serious infections, especially in hospitals or in those whose immune systems have been compromised. But this bacteria is now turning up in the ears of otherwise healthy children in otherwise healthy communities, according to a study in the October 2005 Archives of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery.
Ear drainage is common after ear tubes are placed in children. The authors of this study obtained cultures of this discharge, and found that MRSA is now commonly present. The good news is that, when it is isolated to the ear, it is usually easy to treat with topical antibiotic ear drops. But far more important than treating the MRSA is preventing this infection, which can be quite serious if it spreads.
The authors suggest that minimizing oral antibiotic use for ear infections to situations where the antibiotics are important can help prevent MRSA. The kids whose ear drainage had MRSA in the study averaged having had twice as many courses of oral antibiotics, lasting twice as long, as did their counterparts whose ear drainage featured much more benign bacteria. The AAP 2004 guidelines for treating ear infections offer clear instructions on which children need oral antibiotics for their ear infections, and which children (most children) will do better without them.
B
Just found out that someone has msra in ear since 2011
don’t remember being informed about it
I haven’t had any symptoms I don’t think
shock to me
What are my next steps
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Kristin
Also if your child gets MRSA from ear tubes… That is most likely from the procedure done by the doctors and nurses and you should 100% sue.. First you have to pay your medical bills, you may have lasting disability like hearing loss and also dont feel bad this is the only way some people will do their job right and be careful is if more people start suing. Lawyers will lots of time do these cases for free.
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Kristin
I am wondering if I have MRSA in my ear. I was at hairdresser and she always gets water in my ear. I noticed the smallest bumps on my neck when I left there would become sore and hurt. So I always suspected there was some bad bacteria there but didnt take it seriously enough. I have had some left over doxycline so started taking that two times a day and I am on day two. I also slightly squeezed my ear in a way to possibly open up the pimple or cyst. This could have then made the area more painful because either I have shot the infection into deeper skin layers or because I messed up the integrity of the skin. But it hurt down to my jaw. I worried about MRSA in bone even. Then I remembered what a doctor I worked for did. He poured peroxide mixed with a little water down a person with skin infection legs to open up the skin as the peroxide debrides the area then he poured on alcohol. I have begun demping one fourth peroxide mixed with water in that ear. I can hear it sizzling and Im doing this every eight hours at the very least. I have a little pain this morning. But not like yesterday. When you dump it in you can let it sit for 5 seconds and then turn your head to dump it out. Im also protecting my eye from the peroxide and wiping all drainage away in case it is infectious. Sounds like some of these doctors arent even up to speed on current treatements as some people are being sent home on pain killers while it sounds like they have current infection. Scary when you have nurses not being cuatious in MRSA patient rooms and you have the general population infected at greater than 30%. It is serious even if youve been exposed do good cleaning and get hibiclens to wash all skin of your body. A bleach solution will kill it as will antibacterial wipes. Always sanitize your hands when in public as 30% of people that use the pen you just signed with have it too. You wipe it in your nose or ear its not coming out easily. If youve had it get the oral antibiotic, bactrim for your nose and wash all your surfaces including car with clorox. Spray your car seats, couches etc. with lysol spray…. Always take a shower or give your kids a shower after community exposure like gyms, playgrounds etc. And your pet can get it so get them bathed well at groomer. They eradicate it I believe on their own after a while but a vet can probably treat their noses which is where it colonizes also…. Be careful… I am a nurse who obviously takes this very seriously but now I might be in for it. Going to try to fight this off with what Im doing until I get in with ENT maybe. God Bless….
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SOOZEE PALAMINOV
Hello Dr. Greene ….. I have had a Staph-MRSA infection for 9 years now …… am having a horrible flareup at the moment, especially in my ears and scalp ……. have tried almost every anti-biotic on the market …… I even had VANCOMYCIN I.V. at the emergency of a local hospital for 5 days ….. I have tried Alternate forms-treatments -THEY just do NOT work …. due to so many anti-biotics, I have had to have ALL of my super awesome teeth pulled out …. I have gained 40 pounds ….. I’ve seen so many specialists that have basically given me oral anti-biotics over and over again ….. The ears and scalp are so itchy, it drives me even more insane than I already am … I cannot leave the itching-scratching LOL ….. it did start on my scap and then went to the outer ear, and is now in both ear canals …. would appreciate ANY info YOU can send me and/or give me some advice, then I could at least give my doctor the information …. HE is very open to anything I tell him regarding the STAPH or MRSA … Please and thank you kindly …. SP
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georgia frost
I’ve had mine for 4 years in both ears and have taken everything possible for it. Nothing has worked. I don’t even know how I got it but I would like to get rid of it. It’s very annoying and now I think it has affected my joints. Did you get an answer? if so, do you mind sharing?
Thanks GF
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Antoine Melot
You could definitely see your enthusiasm in the article you write. The sector hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. Always go after your heart.
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Rebecca dawkins
Mrsa ear infection, a severe bacterial infection usually caused by animals. But the query comprises that, how to make this mrsa ear infection curable? The best way to cure is to use best antibacterial soap, the best treatment ever for MRSA.
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Rebecca dawkins
Mrsa ear infection, a severe bacterial infection usually caused by animals. But the query comprises that, how to make this mrsa ear infection curable? The best way to cure is to use best antibacterial soap, the best treatment ever for MRSA.
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Marco
Have had MRSA in both ears since August 2011, has ruined countless pairs of hearing aids, it even spread and infected my shunt a few times. It has never really been under control, so many different ear drops/antibiotics. ENT reffered me to infectious diseases to see if that would help, but it didn’t do much. Hard to believe it’s been nearly 5 years of this.
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Kelly
I was just diagnosed with MRSA after 12 months of ENT saying it was Otitis Externa. Any advice. Dr gave me Doxycycline. Haven’t started yet. Will get today.
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Lori Rustin
Don’t mess around. Some MSRA is antibiotic resistant — especially if you’ve already been taking antibiotics for OE. Surprised an ENT missed that diagnosis. Could it have changed over time?
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Jamie
Hi…. Last year about this time I had drainage coming out of both ears… I went to my ENT and hge told me that both my ear drums are perforated. He took a culture and days later he told me I had MRSA. He put me on a high dose of clindamyacin. It cleared up within a week but finished all the medicine. Now it’s the same time of year and all this is happening all over again. What can I do? Am I going to spread it? Are my surroundings okay? I went back to my ENT and another culture was taken. This is severely affecting my school and my clinical labs as I need to be able to hear. Help me please
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Mike
I received MRSA under my armpit in late March 2016. I got it from an overnight stay in the hospital after I got severely dehydrated while prepping for a colonoscopy. Antibiotics and bacitracin plus GP cut sites open in her office. Then in July after I cut the inside of my nose with my trimmer, boom, MRSA on nose. Caught it early, antibiotic and bactracin. In September I got it in my left ear. Caught it early, same crap. 2016 has been an El Niño year and I work in a steel plant. I sweat profusely everyday. I have a hunch that MRSA really thrives in this type of environment. I’m thinking that’s why yours showed up both times at the onset of summer. Ironically for me though, all three episodes were associated with the same hospital too. First time I was the patient, second time I busted my mother in law. Third time I visited my mom. Getting on top of it is each time is key.
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Jolie Prophet
I have had MRSA in both ear for over 3 years it went away and then keeps coming back. This time its in the inner ear and i am really concerned. I was advised to go back on Bactrim and not drive until the vertigo has gone completely. If it gets any worse i am going straight to hospital.
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Cheryl Greene
MRSA can be very hard to control. It’s wise to get the help you need, before it becomes advanced.
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Pattie Hanner
I was diagnosed with MRSA in my ear and I am starting to freak out. My fear is that the infection continue growing and spreading throughout my body especially effecting my brain. Please let me know if there are any possible ideas to help my very increasing stress level. My ENT appt isnt until 9 days after i finish my second round of antibiotics.
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Ck
Anyone knows how to cure mrsa intge war.DD 7 months old.second busted ear drum. Both times tested positive gir mrsa. Got clyndomysin.plus lil of bactroban in ear canal
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Tonya Beard
I have battled MRSA since 2000 and I just was diagnosed with MRSA is in both of my ears. It is very painful and irritating. I do not have tubes in my ears and was told by my ear Dr. to use white vinager and alcohol in my ears and prescibed bactrum which my body is ammune too because i have taken it so long and everytime I have an outbreak they always put me on the same medicine everytime. I would like to know if there is anything else I could do to get some relief or possibly make this go away for good.
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Cheryl Greene
Hi Tonya,
I don’t know about how to get ride of MRSA, but consider trying EarDoc to relieve the pain. It’s a simple handheld device, shaped like the back of the ear that gently vibrates and helps fluid in the ear drain.
Hope that helps,
@MsGreene
Mom, Co-founder DrGreene.com, not a doctor :)
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krystn
I have had ear infections since I was a child. Just this last May I had a really bad one and took Percocet to relieve the pain. Well the ear infection and drainage is ongoing. My doctor recently said I have a mrsa infection in my ear. How can they treat this? They talked about a picc line. I just want this to end.
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Ck
Did you find s solution to the mrsa in the ear canal?
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Shamieka
My son had his adenoids tonsils and tubes placed in his ears took him to doctor due to drainage and was told he has MRSA in one of his ears. What should I do. He has drops for the ear and also taking antibiotics. Should I go back to his ENT doctor
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Vic
I’ve had ear problems for years I went to the dr about a week ago and they flushed my ears out with water and peroxide finding two ends of qtips and built up wax in there I thought I was cured they sent me on my way I went home for two days then my pain escalated tremendously I went back in and they gave me a zpak and ear drops I’ve been using that for 3 days now I woke up with my ear swollen my face swollen I can hardly swallow and I can only open my mouth a little then my jaw just locks my ear feels full I have little bumps behind my ear under the skin that are painful to the touch I have no fever I’ve tried laying my head on one side to see if it’ll drain I feel like there’s something in my ear but there’s not and it won’t give me any relief in tired of gng to the dr because I feel like they are just pushing me out and not really caring about the pain I’m in they gave me pain killers Percocet 3/525 but it doesn’t help my pain at all all that’s helped me is NyQuil bc it makes me go to sleep but I have to drink more then what the dosage calls for and when I wake up I’m still in pain what do i do I can’t take this pain anymore
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Cheryl Greene
Have you seen at ENT specialist? It sounds like it’s time!
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Connie
I have ear Mrsa I was wondering if it could go to blood stream and if so how can u tell
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Kristin
That would be sepsis you can look that up. What happened how did you end up eradicating the infection…
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