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Cleocin Ear Infections

The antibiotic Cleocin, also called clindamycin, is a semi-synthetic variant of the antibiotic lincomycin. It is approved for use on a wide variety of bacterial infections including, but not limited to, several varieties of strep and staph.

  1. Ear Infections

    • Otitis media, a middle ear infection, is the most common type of ear infection and may be caused by bacterial or viral infection. Around 75% of children will experience this type of ear infection by age 3.

    Symptoms

    • Otitis media causes the eustachian tube -- a tube in the ear that regulates pressure -- to become swollen, inflamed and blocked up by fluid or mucus. It can inhibit hearing and cause pain.

    Antibiotics

    • Antibiotics, such as Cleocin, are only approved for bacterial infections. Due to the risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, many physicians have taken to using a waiting period before prescribing antibiotics for ear infections, as these infections frequently self-resolve.

    Cleocin and Ear Infections

    • While Cleocin is approved for middle ear infections, Drugs.com notes that Cleocin should be used specifically for patients with penicillin allergies and those with serious infections.

    Cleocin Risks

    • Cleocin users are at risk for developing c. difficile, a severe type of colitis that can cause toxicity and death.

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