Typically we are talking about ear infection in kids, but an ear infection in adults respond similarly, or even better to natural remedies for ear infection because their Eustachian tubes are steeper due to a mature skull shape. If you have been to the doctor for your child recently, you will note several things, its hard to make decisions with ear infection in kids or achieve lasting ear pain relief.
The ordinary pediatrician sees these cases daily, and they know how their treatment is likely to end up. Typically they prescribe antibiotics, which will work temporarily, but very often the ear infection returns or goes to the other side, or both.
After several rounds of antibiotics (I once had a patient who had been on over 20 rounds of antibiotics before the age of 2, not prescribed by me) they will recommend adenoid or tonsil removal and/or tubes to externally drain the ear (this has a whole host of other problems that are often failed to be disclosed until after the surgeries).