my dad taught us to warm castor oil and soak sterile cotton swabs in it then make an ear plug...so you are plugging the outer ear rather than inserting anything into the canal. seems to work

tho we havent ever had to treat anything seeming severe, so good that you are on the antibiotics
if you like garlic you sure can eat more of it ...it is a great natural antibiotic!
hope it gets better quickly Twink