Yes, most mild-to-moderate ear infections can be diagnosed and treated during a telehealth visit without requiring a trip to the doctor’s office! Telehealth ear appointment visits are a great option if you’re experiencing ear pain after a cold or flu and need initial advice or pain control.

However, your provider may recommend an in-person visit if you or your child is experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Pus, thick discharge, or blood coming from the ear

Symptoms that don’t improve (or worsen) after 48–72 hours of treatment

A fever around 102°F (39°C) or higher

Sesame offers convenient and affordable online doctor visits for ear infections with licensed health providers in all 50 states. If you or your child are experiencing the signs and symptoms of an ear infection, book a visit today for diagnosis and treatment.

To relieve pain or discomfort for an ear infection, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil & Motrin IB). These medications usually start to relieve pain within 30 minutes to an hour.

If your symptoms are severe or persistent, antibiotics may be prescribed to help clear up the infection. While you may not feel pain relief immediately after taking antibiotics, you should start to feel improvement after 1-2 days of treatment.

The best antibiotic for an ear infection will depend on your type of ear infection and your medical history.

For middle ear infections, the first-line treatment is typically amoxicillin, amoxicillin–clavulanate, cefdinir, cefuroxime or cefpodoxime. If you are allergic to penicillin, your provider might prescribe azithromycin, clindamycin, levofloxacin or moxifloxacin instead.

For outer ear infections (swimmer’s ear), antibiotic ear drops are the most common treatment option. These include ciprofloxacin ear drops or ofloxacin ear drops.

Yes! While many ear infections will go away on their own, persistent or severe infections may require medication. To get a prescription on Sesame, simply book a telehealth ear infection visit and discuss your symptoms with your provider.

If your Sesame provider determines that ear infection antibiotics are appropriate, they can prescribe medication and send your Rx to your preferred pharmacy for same-day pickup.