The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery guidelines recommend topical medications as the first line of treatment for ear pain in the absence of systemic infection or serious underlying disease.

This study found greater resolution of ear pain for those using Naturopathic Herbal Extract Ear Drops 5 drops 3 times daily than the group using antibiotics.

^{(NHED contents: allium sativum, verbascum thapsus, calendula flores, hypericum perfoliatum, lavender, and vitamin E in olive oil)}

The most common food found to be associated was milk, egg, beans, citrus, and tomato. The elimination of the food diet led to a significant amelioration of the otitis. Therefore, all patients with recurrent otitis media with effusion should be investigated for food allergy.