&gt; I&#x27;m not sure what tools you&#x27;re referring to in the ENT office.<p>I don&#x27;t know the exact terminology, but it&#x27;s essentially a vacuum with a thick needle point. They use it to suck out and clean the debris from inside the ear. All the pus and other liquid in there. You regain your hearing and the pain subsides. They can then put the medicine in after.<p>I&#x27;ve only had fungal infections, so I can&#x27;t speak to viral or bacterial. For fungal, they essentially treat it with vinegar and steroids. The vinegar kills the fungus and the steroid is for inflammation. I had to pay $100 bucks at the pharmacy for the otic solution for what is essentially vinegar. Not a doctor, just what I was told.