What should you do after delivering the drops to ensure they reach the canal?

What should you do after delivering the drops to ensure they reach the canal?

• A. Gently massage ear to move meds
• B. Tuck cotton ball into ear
• C. Lie on side for 5-10 minutes
• D. Remove and dry ear after 15 minutes

Answer: (A)

After instilling otic drops, gently massaging the external ear (the tragus) helps push the medication down into the ear canal so it coats the canal walls and reaches the target tissues. This manual distribution ensures the drops don’t just pool at the opening but actually contact the canal where absorption occurs. Other steps, like tucking a cotton ball or simply lying on the side, don’t reliably move the drops deeper, and removing the drops after 15 minutes would prevent effective absorption.

After instilling otic drops, gently massaging the external ear (the tragus) helps push the medication down into the ear canal so it coats the canal walls and reaches the target tissues. This manual distribution ensures the drops don’t just pool at the opening but actually contact the canal where absorption occurs. Other steps, like tucking a cotton ball or simply lying on the side, don’t reliably move the drops deeper, and removing the drops after 15 minutes would prevent effective absorption.