Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone is an antibiotic-plus-steroid ear drop combination used to treat acute otitis externa (swimmer's ear) in adults and children one year and older.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 7 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
How we combine label and product data →
Patient information guide — a plain-language walkthrough of Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone, written from its FDA label.
What Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone is used for
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Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone ear drops are approved to treat one condition across all supported products:
- Acute otitis externa (swimmer's ear) — Cipro HC Otic, Cipro (otic suspension), and ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and hydrocortisone otic suspension are each indicated for this infection in adults and children one year of age and older, specifically when caused by susceptible strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, or Proteus mirabilis.
How Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone works
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Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that kills bacteria by blocking DNA gyrase, an enzyme bacteria need to replicate their DNA. Block that enzyme, and the bacteria can no longer reproduce — they die. Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid (a mild steroid) included specifically to calm the inflammation — swelling, redness, and pain — that goes hand in hand with a bacterial ear infection.
Because the drops are applied directly in the ear canal, the amount absorbed into the bloodstream is extremely small — too small to measure reliably. Ciprofloxacin works against a broad range of bacteria, and there is generally no cross-resistance between ciprofloxacin and other antibiotic classes such as beta-lactams (like penicillins) or aminoglycosides. However, cross-resistance can occur between ciprofloxacin and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone dosage
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These ear drops are used twice daily for seven days, placed directly into the affected ear canal. Before each use, shake the bottle well and hold it in your hand for one to two minutes to warm it — cold drops can cause dizziness. Lie on your side with the infected ear up, instill the drops, and stay in that position for 30 to 60 seconds.
- If both ears are affected, repeat the process for the other ear.
- Discard any leftover suspension once the treatment course is finished.
- Always follow your prescriber's specific instructions — do not stop early just because you feel better.
Dosing details from the FDA-approved label
From the Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.
- Children (age 1 year and older) and adults
- 3 drops of the suspension instilled into the affected ear twice daily for seven days
- Shake well immediately before using
- Warm the bottle in the hand for 1-2 minutes to avoid dizziness; lie with affected ear upward and stay in position for 30-60 seconds; repeat for the opposite ear if necessary
Read the label’s full dosing text
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION SHAKE WELL IMMEDIATELY BEFORE USING. For children (age 1 year and older) and adults, 3 drops of the suspension should be instilled into the affected ear twice daily for seven days. The suspension should be warmed by holding the bottle in the hand for 1-2 minutes to avoid the dizziness, which may result from the instillation of a cold solution into the ear canal. The patient should lie with the affected ear upward and then the drops should be instilled. This position should be maintained for 30-60 seconds to facilitate penetration of the drops into the ear. Repeat, if necessary, for the opposite ear. Discard unused portion after therapy is completed.
Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone side effects
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Common side effects
- Headache
- Itching (pruritus) in or around the ear
- Dizziness
- Redness inside the ear canal
- Ear congestion or feeling of fullness
- Mild skin rash
- Medication residue in the ear
When to get medical help
- Stop using and get emergency help right away if you develop signs of a severe allergic reaction — hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, or collapse. Serious allergic reactions can happen after just one dose.
- Call your doctor if you notice any skin rash or new allergic symptoms after starting the drops.
- Seek care immediately if you have a known or suspected hole (perforation) in your eardrum — these drops should not be used in that situation.
- If you have a latex allergy, be aware the dropper cap contains natural rubber latex, which can cause a severe reaction.
Most people tolerate these drops well. Side effects reported in clinical trials include:
- Headache
- Itching (pruritus) in or around the ear
- Dizziness (most often from cold drops — warming the bottle helps)
- Redness inside the ear canal
- Ear congestion or fullness
- Skin rash or hives
- Medication residue remaining in the ear
Stop using the drops and seek emergency care immediately if you develop signs of a serious allergic reaction — such as swelling, difficulty breathing, or hives — as severe reactions, though rare, have been reported with this type of antibiotic.
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone warnings and precautions
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- Serious allergic reactions: Severe and occasionally life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) have been reported with quinolone antibiotics. This can happen after just one dose. Stop the drops and get emergency help if you notice a rash, swelling, or breathing trouble.
- For the ear canal only: Do not use in the eyes. Do not inject.
- Perforated eardrum: Do not use these drops if your eardrum has a hole (perforation) or is suspected to be perforated, as this product is non-sterile.
- Viral infections: These drops do not work against viral infections. Do not use if the ear infection is caused by herpes simplex or chickenpox (varicella).
- Latex allergy: The dropper cap contains natural rubber latex. People with a latex allergy can have a severe reaction — tell your doctor before using.
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone interactions
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The FDA label for ciprofloxacin / hydrocortisone ear drops does not identify specific drug, food, or substance interactions for this otic (ear) formulation.
Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.
Before taking Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone
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- Do not use if you are allergic to ciprofloxacin, hydrocortisone, or any quinolone antibiotic.
- Do not use if your eardrum has a hole (perforation) or is thought to be perforated.
- Do not use for ear infections caused by viruses, including herpes simplex or chickenpox (varicella).
- Not approved for infants younger than one year of age.
- Tell your doctor if you have a latex allergy before using — the dropper cap contains natural rubber latex.
What Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone does in the body
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Ciprofloxacin has demonstrated activity in the lab and in clinical infections against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Proteus mirabilis — the bacteria most responsible for acute otitis externa. Hydrocortisone acts locally in the ear canal to reduce the inflammatory response (swelling, redness, pain) that accompanies the bacterial infection. Preclinical studies showed the combination was not toxic to the inner ear structures of guinea pigs and caused only mild, temporary skin irritation in animal studies.
How your body processes Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone
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When used as directed, the amount of ciprofloxacin absorbed into the bloodstream is expected to be below the detectable limit of standard tests. Similarly, any hydrocortisone absorbed is within the range of the body's own natural cortisol levels, making it impossible to distinguish from what the body makes on its own. In practical terms, this means systemic (whole-body) exposure from these ear drops is negligible.
How to store Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone
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Store at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F), excursions permitted between 15°C and 30°C (59°F and 86°F) . Avoid freezing. Protect from light.
Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone: pharmacist answers to common questions
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What exactly is this ear drop treating — is it just swimmer's ear?
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How do I use the drops correctly so they actually work?
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Why do the drops need to be warmed up first?
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What side effects should I watch out for?
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Are there any situations where I absolutely should not use these drops?
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Can my child use these drops?
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Is Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone available over the counter?
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When was Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone first available?
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Who makes Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone?
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Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
More about Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone on HelloPharmacist
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone forms and strengths (how it comes)
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Ear drops
How this form is used
- Cipro HC Otic is used to treat acute otitis externa (swimmer's ear) in adults and children one year and older caused by susceptible bacteria.
- Cipro (otic suspension) is used to treat acute otitis externa in adults and children one year and older caused by susceptible bacteria.
- Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and hydrocortisone otic suspension treats acute otitis externa in adults and children one year and older due to susceptible strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Proteus mirabilis.
- Shake the bottle well immediately before each use.
- Warm the bottle in your hand for 1–2 minutes before instilling drops to help prevent dizziness from cold solution.
- Lie with the affected ear facing upward, instill the drops, and hold that position for 30–60 seconds.
- Discard any unused portion once the full course of treatment is complete.
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands
How Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
6 companies list 11 Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone product records with the FDA, mostly as ear drops; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1999. Brand names on the directory include Cipro, Cipro Hc; the rest are generics.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
How widely Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone is used (Medicaid data)
A general measure of how commonly Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone prescribed? Of the 1,600 medications we measure, Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone ranks #815 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 49% of them.
Utilization by Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
ciprofloxacin 2 MG/ML / hydrocortisone 10 MG/ML Otic Suspension
Summed across the 2 of 10 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 309305
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 2 of 10 listed Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone NDCs with Medicaid activity.
Compare Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Ear drops | ||||
| CIPROFLOXACIN HYDROCHLORIDE 2 mg/mL; HYDROCORTISONE 10 mg/mL | Auricular (otic) | A-S Medication Solutions × 2 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| 2; 10 mg/mL; mg/mL | Auricular (otic) | A-S Medication Solutions × 2 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| 2; 10 mg/mL; mg/mL | Auricular (otic) | Alcon Laboratories, Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
| CIPROFLOXACIN HYDROCHLORIDE 2 mg/mL; HYDROCORTISONE 10 mg/mL | Auricular (otic) | Asclemed USA, Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
| CIPROFLOXACIN HYDROCHLORIDE 2 mg/mL; HYDROCORTISONE 10 mg/mL | Auricular (otic) | Cosette Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 2; 10 mg/mL; mg/mL | Auricular (otic) | Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation × 2 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| CIPROFLOXACIN HYDROCHLORIDE 2 mg/mL; HYDROCORTISONE 10 mg/mL | Auricular (otic) | Sandoz Inc | NDA | View NDC → |
| CIPROFLOXACIN HYDROCHLORIDE 2 mg/mL; HYDROCORTISONE 10 mg/mL | Auricular (otic) | Sandoz Inc | NDA AUTHORIZED GENERIC | View NDC → |
Showing 11 of 11 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 11 Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone NDCs →
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone side effects reported to the FDA (FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone FDA approval history
How Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement (recall) reports.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one exact multiple-ingredient concept (MIN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). A product with a different ingredient combination belongs on a different page.
RxCUI 465711 1 dose form · 1 strength
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Dose form (SCDF) Otic Suspension RxCUI 374589In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) ciprofloxacin 2 MG/ML / hydrocortisone 10 MG/MLRxCUI 309305
Look up RxCUI 465711 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone supply and shortage status
Whether Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone brand names
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone is sold under 2 brand names in the FDA directory — Cipro, Cipro Hc. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.
Who makes Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone: manufacturers and labelers
6 companies list Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are A-S Medication Solutions, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Sandoz Inc. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone drug class (RxNorm)
Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone belongs to the Fluoroquinolone Antibacterial class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
Sources for this Ciprofloxacin / Hydrocortisone page
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How this page is built
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Sandoz Inc is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →