There are different kinds of ear infections. Swimmers ear is in the external ear canal and is typically treated with ear drops and keeping the ear dry.
A middle ear infection is a build-up of fluid behind the eardrum and often accompanies a head cold, or in young children can occur during teething, or in infancy can even happen if the baby is bottle fed while laying flat. To relieve the discomfort, OTC pain relievers are usually recommended, and it often helps to apply heat, such as a hot water bottle, against the ear. If accompanied by fever, antibiotics are often prescribed and it is VERY important to administer them properly for the full dosage to ensure that ALL the bacteria have been killed. Otherwise, the bacteria can regrow and may become resistant to the milder antibiotics.
If the infections keep coming back, or if the fluid doesn't drain even after the antibiotics have killed the bacteria, surgical options may be considered. This is especially true in the case of young children, if the decrease in hearing is not resolving because it can effect the child's speech development. The surgeon makes an incision in the eardrum, draws out the fluid, cleans the middle ear space, and usually places a tube through the incision. The tube simply maintains an opening through the ear drum to maintain equal air pressure in the middle ear. Most tubes are designed to fall out of the eardrum as the healing process occurs - usually about six months after surgery. The surgery is very common and is done as a same-day procedure in most cases, only because the space is so small that the patient must be very still. With adults, many specialists will perform the surgery in their office using only a local anesthetic. If the child snores a lot or has other trouble breathing or frequent sore throats then inflamed or enlarged adenoids or tonsils may be blocking the Eustacian tube and preventing the fluid from draining.
My son had chronic ear infections as an infant, even though he was breastfed and I was diligent about administering his medications properly. His father had ear infections his whole life, so I guess he just inherited the tendency for ear infections from his dad. His first set of tubes was around his first birthday. The hardest part was not feeding him before and after - he was so mad and he didn't understand. Another set of tubes and an adenoidectomy were done when he was five. Then he started getting frequent throat infections so we had to remove the tonsils a couple years later. He's now 14 and only gets earaches occasionally.
An inner ear infection often causes dizziness and sometimes ringing in the ear and/or sudden hearing loss. If there is a sudden onset of such symptoms it is important to see a specialist ASAP, because the sooner one starts treatment, the better the chance of recovery.