Ear pain has a habit of peaking overnight and on weekends. Walk in for ear infection treatment at UrgentMed Davie or Plantation: both clinics examine and treat an earache or an ear infection in adults and children, including swimmer’s ear — common year-round in South Florida — and wax blockage affecting hearing.
Ear infection and the other ear problems we treat
Is it an ear infection? The types we treat
- Middle-ear infections (otitis media)
- Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa)
- Ear pain with a cold or sinus infection
- Blocked or impacted ear wax
- Ear pressure and muffled hearing
- Drainage from the ear
Ear infection treatment: what happens at your visit
- Examination of the ear canal and eardrum
- Ear wax removal when it is blocking the view or your hearing
- Treatment appropriate to the cause — not automatic antibiotics
- Guidance on pain relief that actually helps
- Referral to ENT for recurring or persistent problems
What to expect at your visit
- An examination with an otoscope to see the canal and eardrum directly.
- Wax removed if it is in the way, which often relieves symptoms on its own.
- Treatment matched to what is found — drops, oral medication or supportive care. When an injectable antibiotic is the better choice, for example when oral medication is not tolerated, ceftriaxone (Rocephin) is given at the visit.
- Work or school notes and clear guidance on when to return.
Ear infection treatment: antibiotics, ear drops or neither?
The right treatment depends on where the infection is, which is why the ear is examined rather than guessed at:
- Middle-ear infection (otitis media) — behind the eardrum, where ear drops cannot reach. The body often clears a mild one on its own, so pain relief comes first. An antibiotic by mouth is prescribed when the infection is severe or has lasted more than two to three days; sometimes the plan is a prescription to fill only if it is not better in two or three days.
- Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) — an infection of the ear canal itself, treated with prescription antibiotic ear drops that work where the infection is. When the canal is too swollen for drops to get in, a small wick may be placed to carry them.
- Ear pain with a cold or a sinus infection — sometimes pressure or fluid rather than an infection; the examination tells which, and the treatment follows from it.
Pain relievers and a warm compress ease the earache while the treatment works, and the provider tells you what should bring you back.
Swimmer’s ear treatment in South Florida
Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear canal, and South Florida sees it all year because people swim all year. The tell-tale sign is pain when the outer ear is pulled or pressed, often with itching, fullness or drainage. At the visit the canal is examined, prescription ear drops are started, and you are told how to keep the ear dry while it heals. An antibiotic by mouth is added only when the infection has spread beyond the ear canal.
When to go to the emergency room instead
- Severe headache, stiff neck or confusion with ear pain
- Swelling, redness or pain over the bone behind the ear
- Facial weakness on the side of the painful ear
- Sudden complete hearing loss
Walk in at either Broward clinic
Both clinics are open seven days a week with on-site X-ray and laboratory — Davie on S University Drive and Plantation on Cleary Boulevard. Both serve Davie, Plantation, Cooper City, Weston, Sunrise, Southwest Ranches and the surrounding Broward County communities.
Insurance and self-pay
We accept most major insurance plans, workers’ compensation and auto (PIP) claims, and offer self-pay pricing. Bring a photo ID and your insurance card. Ask the front desk what a visit costs before you are seen — we will tell you.
Sources: MedlinePlus — Ear infections · MedlinePlus — Swimmer's ear · CDC — Ear infection basics