Illustration of a checklist with a tick and a speech bubble, representing an NHS Pharmacy First consultation

Child’s earache or ear infection? What a pharmacist can do

ByZain Rajabali

Earache often arrives at the worst time: a child who was fine at teatime is crying and pulling at their ear by bedtime. Ear infections are very common in children, and most get better on their own. But if you want your child checked, you don’t necessarily need a GP appointment. A pharmacist can now assess and treat earache in children and teenagers on the NHS.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. If you’re worried about your child, get them checked.

The short answer

  • Most ear infections clear up within 3 days, according to the NHS, although symptoms sometimes last up to a week.
  • A pharmacist can give children aged 1 to 17 the same treatments as a GP for an ear infection, through NHS Pharmacy First.
  • Babies under 12 months with a suspected ear infection should see a GP.
  • Adults with earache aren’t covered by Pharmacy First. At our Summertown and Botley branches, we offer a £35 earache and ear infection assessment.

Signs of an ear infection

The NHS lists symptoms that usually start quickly, including:

  • pain inside the ear (earache)
  • a high temperature
  • difficulty hearing
  • discharge running out of the ear
  • a feeling of pressure or fullness inside the ear

Young children and babies may also rub or pull at their ear, not react to some sounds, be irritable or restless, be off their food, or keep losing their balance.

What you can do at home

The NHS suggests:

  • give paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain (children under 16 shouldn’t take aspirin)
  • wipe away any discharge with cotton wool
  • don’t put anything in the ear, like cotton buds or fingers
  • keep water and shampoo out of the ear, and avoid swimming while it’s infected

The NHS also says not to use decongestants or antihistamines, because there’s no evidence they help with ear infections.

What a pharmacist can do

Earache is one of the seven conditions covered by NHS Pharmacy First, for children and young people aged 1 to 17. At MediPill, you can walk in or book. The pharmacist will ask about the symptoms and how long they’ve had them, may look in the ear with an otoscope (a small light with a magnifier), and check their medical history and any medicines they take. Then they’ll:

  1. Give advice on easing the pain, which is often all that’s needed because most ear infections get better on their own.
  2. Supply treatment if it’s needed. The NHS says this can include antibiotic tablets or eardrops, antifungal or steroid eardrops, or painkilling eardrops.
  3. Refer you to a GP or NHS 111 if your child needs a doctor.

Cost: the consultation is free on the NHS. If your child is given a medicine, the standard NHS prescription charge applies unless they get free prescriptions. Children under 16 always do, and so do 16 to 18 year olds in full-time education, so for most children any medicine is free too.

Adults with earache

Pharmacy First doesn’t cover earache in adults. The NHS says to see a GP if you have earache that doesn’t get better after 3 days. If you’d like it looked at sooner, our Summertown and Botley branches offer a £35 earache and suspected ear infection assessment, where we can assess it and, where appropriate, treat it, with no GP appointment.

If your ear feels blocked rather than painful, it could be ear wax. Our guide to ear wax removal and blocked ears explains what to do.

When to see a GP or call 111

The NHS says to see a GP if:

  • your child is under 12 months old and you think they have an ear infection
  • you have earache that doesn’t get better after 3 days
  • you or your child keep getting ear infections

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if you or your child have ear infection symptoms and:

  • feel generally unwell, or have a very high temperature, or feel hot, cold or shivery
  • have swelling around the ear, or fluid coming out of it
  • have a change in hearing or new hearing loss
  • feel sick or are being sick, feel dizzy, or have a severe sore throat
  • your child is under 12 months old and has earache in both ears
  • have diabetes, or a heart, lung, kidney or neurological condition, or a weakened immune system

Call 111 if you need advice for a child under 5.

Common questions

Can a pharmacist treat an ear infection? Yes, for children and young people aged 1 to 17, through NHS Pharmacy First. The NHS says a pharmacist can give children the same treatments as a GP.

Does an ear infection need antibiotics? Often not. The NHS says most ear infections clear up within 3 days. A pharmacist will only supply antibiotics if your child needs them.

How can I help prevent ear infections? The NHS suggests making sure your child has had all their childhood vaccinations, keeping them away from smoky places, not giving a dummy after 6 months, and not putting cotton buds or fingers in their ears.

Can I be seen at the weekend? Yes. Botley is open Saturdays 9 to 2, and Summertown and Deddington 9 to 12. Headington is closed at weekends.

Pharmacy First at MediPill

All four of our branches offer NHS Pharmacy First. Walk in, or book a slot so you’re seen without waiting:

More on the service is on our NHS Pharmacy First page. Questions first? Get in touch and a pharmacist will come back to you.

More Pharmacy First guides

Sources

  1. Ear infections – NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ear-infections/ (accessed 23 September 2026)
  2. How pharmacies can help – NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/pharmacies/how-pharmacies-can-help/ (accessed 23 September 2026)
  3. Free NHS prescriptions – NHS Business Services Authority. https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/free-nhs-prescriptions (accessed 23 September 2026)

Written by Zain Rajabali, Superintendent Pharmacist – GPhC #2219769
Medically reviewed by Zain Rajabali, Superintendent Pharmacist, Independent Prescriber – GPhC #2219769
Last reviewed: 23 September 2026 · Next review due: September 2027

This article is general health information and is not a substitute for a consultation. It does not diagnose your symptoms. Whether treatment is appropriate, and which, is decided at an individual assessment with a pharmacist, in line with NHS Pharmacy First criteria.

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