Dexamethasone Ear Spray (Formerly Otomize)

Dexamethasone/ Neomycin sulfate/ Acetic acid Ear Spray — formerly known as Otomize — is a prescription-only treatment for otitis externa (outer ear infection).

  • The renamed Otomize: identical formulation, same manufacturer, new generic name
  • Combines dexamethasone 0.1% (anti-inflammatory steroid), neomycin sulfate 0.5% (antibiotic) and acetic acid 2%
  • Metered-dose pump spray — simpler to apply than ear drops
  • Start a short online consultation — a UK prescriber reviews every request before it is approved and dispatched
  • GPhC-registered UK pharmacy (1126145) — discreet, tracked delivery

£13.49

Otomize ear spray 5ml bottle — dexamethasone, neomycin and acetic acid spray for otitis externa (outer ear infection)
Otomize

Otomize Ear Spray has a new name: the brand was discontinued by the manufacturer in 2025 and the identical spray is now supplied as Dexamethasone/ Neomycin sulfate/ Acetic acid 0.1% / 0.5% / 2% Ear Spray — the same medicine, made by the same company (Ennogen), with the same formulation and the same 5ml metered-dose pump. It is a prescription-only ear spray used to treat otitis externa — infection and inflammation of the outer ear canal, sometimes called “swimmer’s ear”. It combines dexamethasone (an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid), neomycin sulfate (an antibiotic) and glacial acetic acid. Because it is a prescription-only medicine (POM) in the UK, every order through Bury Healthcare Online starts with a short online consultation that is reviewed by a UK-registered prescriber before your treatment is approved and dispatched.

What is Otomize ear spray?

Otomize ear spray is a milky, oil-in-water emulsion supplied in a 5ml amber glass bottle with a metered-dose pump. Each spray delivers a measured 60mg dose into the ear canal, which many people find quicker and less fiddly than tilting the head for ear drops. Each dose contains dexamethasone 0.1%, neomycin sulfate 0.5% (3250 IU/ml) and glacial acetic acid 2%. It is licensed for adults and for children aged 2 years and over. In 2025 Ennogen retired the Otomize brand name and relaunched the identical product under its generic name — so the pack you receive is labelled Dexamethasone/ Neomycin sulfate/ Acetic acid Ear Spray (you may also see it called simply “dexamethasone ear spray”), but it is the same spray your prescriber may still refer to as Otomize.

What is Otomize ear spray used for?

Otomize is licensed for one purpose: the treatment of otitis externa. This is an infection or inflammation of the skin lining the outer ear canal, which typically causes itching, pain (especially when the ear is pulled or pressed), discharge, a feeling of fullness or blockage, and temporarily dulled hearing. It is common after swimming, in eczema-prone skin, or after scratching the canal with cotton buds. Otomize is not a wax-removal product and it does not treat middle-ear infections (otitis media) — the prescriber will check your answers to make sure it is the right treatment for your symptoms.

How does Otomize work?

The three active ingredients work together on the infected ear canal:

  • Dexamethasone 0.1% — a corticosteroid that calms inflammation, easing the itching, swelling and discomfort.
  • Neomycin sulfate 0.5% — a broad-spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic that treats the bacterial infection.
  • Glacial acetic acid 2% — lowers the pH of the ear canal, creating an environment that helps stop bacteria multiplying.

How to use Otomize ear spray

Always follow your prescriber’s directions and the patient information leaflet. The standard licensed dose for adults (including the elderly) and children aged 2 years and over is:

  • Shake the bottle well before each use.
  • Before the very first use, pump the actuator a few times until a fine mist appears. Do the same if the spray has not been used for more than a week.
  • Gently place the nozzle tip into the ear opening and press the pump once — one metered spray into each affected ear, three times a day.
  • Carry on until two days after symptoms have gone, so the infection clears fully.
  • If your ear is no better after 7 days, stop and speak to your prescriber or GP — steroid-antibiotic treatment should not be continued beyond a week without improvement.
  • Do not inhale the spray, and discard the bottle one month after first opening it.

Otomize ear spray side effects

Most people use this dexamethasone ear spray without problems. A transient stinging or burning in the ear is the most commonly reported effect and usually settles over the first few days of treatment. Some people develop skin sensitisation or an allergic-type reaction — irritation, burning, itching or dermatitis — in which case you should stop using the spray and seek advice. Blurred vision has been reported with corticosteroid medicines; tell a clinician if you notice any visual changes. The spray acts locally inside the ear canal and has no known interactions with other medicines, and it is fine to drink alcohol during treatment. Report suspected side effects via the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

Who should not use Otomize?

  • Anyone with a perforated eardrum (or a suspected perforation) or a grommet (tympanostomy tube) in place — the antibiotic can reach the middle ear and risk hearing damage.
  • Children under 2 years of age.
  • Anyone allergic to neomycin (or other aminoglycoside antibiotics), dexamethasone, acetic acid or the excipients — the spray contains methyl and propyl hydroxybenzoates (E218/E216) and stearyl alcohol, which can cause allergic or local skin reactions.
  • It is not recommended in pregnancy; if you are breastfeeding, the prescriber will weigh up the benefits and risks with you.

The online consultation asks about all of these, so the prescriber can confirm the treatment is safe and appropriate for you.

How to get Otomize ear spray online

  1. Start your consultation — click Start Consultation and answer a short set of questions about your ear symptoms and medical history. It takes around 2–3 minutes.
  2. Prescriber review — a UK-registered independent prescriber personally reviews your answers to confirm the treatment is suitable and safe for you.
  3. Fast, tracked delivery — approved orders are dispensed by our GPhC-registered pharmacy and dispatched discreetly. The pack you receive is labelled with the generic name, Dexamethasone/ Neomycin sulfate/ Acetic acid Ear Spray — the renamed Otomize. If the prescriber decides it is not right for you, you receive a full refund and advice on what to do next.

How to store this ear spray

Store the bottle upright in its carton, below 25°C, and do not freeze it. Use within one month of first opening, then dispose of any remainder — your local pharmacy can take back unused medicines.

Important safety information

This page is a summary and does not replace the patient information leaflet supplied with your medicine — please read it in full before use. Seek prompt medical advice (your GP or NHS 111) if you develop severe pain, hearing loss, dizziness, fever, or symptoms that worsen or fail to improve within 7 days.

Page reviewed by Hassan Khan, MPharm (IP) — Superintendent Pharmacist & Independent Prescriber, GPhC registration 1126145. Last reviewed: 14 July 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Has Otomize ear spray been discontinued?
The Otomize brand name was discontinued in 2025, but the medicine itself has not gone. The same manufacturer (Ennogen) now supplies the identical spray under its generic name, Dexamethasone/ Neomycin sulfate/ Acetic acid 0.1% / 0.5% / 2% Ear Spray — same ingredients, same strengths, same 5ml metered pump.
What is Otomize ear spray?
Otomize is a prescription-only metered-dose ear spray for otitis externa (outer ear canal infection), now sold under its generic name. Each spray delivers dexamethasone 0.1% (a steroid), neomycin sulfate 0.5% (an antibiotic) and acetic acid 2% directly into the ear canal.
What is Otomize ear spray used for?
It is licensed to treat otitis externa — infection and inflammation of the outer ear canal that causes itch, pain, discharge and a blocked feeling. It is not a treatment for middle-ear infections or a wax remover.
Is Otomize an antibiotic?
Otomize contains an antibiotic — neomycin sulfate, an aminoglycoside — alongside the steroid dexamethasone and acetic acid. The combination treats the bacterial infection while calming inflammation and itch.
How do you use Otomize ear spray?
Shake the bottle, prime the pump before first use, then spray one metered dose into each affected ear three times a day. Continue until two days after symptoms disappear, and do not use it for more than 7 days without improvement.
How long does Otomize take to work?
Many people feel the stinging, itch and pain start to settle within the first 2–3 days. Finish the course (until two days after symptoms have gone). If there is no improvement after 7 days, stop and seek medical advice.
Does Otomize ear spray unblock ears?
Only when the blocked feeling is caused by otitis externa — as the swelling and discharge settle, the ear usually feels clearer. It will not unblock ears caused by wax, congestion after a cold, or middle-ear fluid.
Does Otomize get rid of ear wax?
No. Otomize has no wax-softening action. For wax build-up, olive oil or sodium bicarbonate drops are the usual first step — ask our pharmacy team if you are not sure whether your symptoms are wax or infection.
Can you buy Otomize ear spray over the counter?
No — Otomize (now Dexamethasone/ Neomycin sulfate/ Acetic acid Ear Spray) is a prescription-only medicine (POM) in the UK, so it cannot be sold over the counter. Through Bury Healthcare Online you complete a short online consultation and a UK prescriber reviews it before the spray can be supplied.
What are the side effects of Otomize ear spray?
A brief stinging or burning in the ear is the most common effect and usually eases within a few days. Less often, irritation, itching or an allergic skin reaction can develop — stop and seek advice if this happens, or if you notice blurred vision.
Why does my ear feel worse after using Otomize?
A short-lived sting after spraying is common at first. But if pain, discharge or hearing get worse, or you feel no better after 7 days, stop using the spray and contact your prescriber or GP — the diagnosis may need reviewing, and a perforated eardrum must be ruled out.

Looking for other prescription skin treatments? See Trimovate Cream and Fucibet Cream — both supplied with the same online prescriber consultation.