Antibiotics yet another catch 22. Many ear infections are treated with antibiotics. This is the standard treatment. However, the more antibiotics that are used, the more likelihood that 'resistant' bacteria can grow. These 'resistant' bacteria are organisms that have 'seen' certain antibiotics before, and select out 'stronger' strains that can survive despite antibiotics.
Ear tubes are small plastic or metal tubes that are inserted in the eardrum.
A tiny opening, the size of a dash on this page, is made in the eardrum to drain the fluid. The tube, which looks like a tiny spool, is placed in the eardrum opening and rests in the eardrum by itself. The central opening of the tube is approximately one millimeter. Tubes act as 'mature' eustachian tubes that allow fluid drainage from the middle ear to the outside in the event of ear infections. They do not prevent ear infections, but allow drainage when infections occur.