Guide
Which Telehealth GP Consultation Phone vs. Video best suits?
6 Nov 2026
Guide
Can an Ear Infection Be Assessed by Phone, or Does It Need an In-Person Exam?
Can an ear infection be assessed by phone, or does it need an in-person exam to be sure? That depends on whether you need a diagnosis, a certificate or both.
5 min readMedically reviewedAustralia-wide
Diagnosing an ear infection usually involves a doctor looking in your ear with an otoscope, so an in-person visit is the more reliable first step. A phone consult can still cover how your symptoms affect work and whether a certificate is appropriate. Swelling behind the ear, sudden hearing loss, or facial muscle symptoms need emergency care.
What a Phone Consult Can Still Cover
A certificate is a different question from a diagnosis. It's about whether you can do your job right now. A GP can explore that by phone, asking about pain, hearing, balance, fever and the tasks your role involves. If the GP decides the assessment supports it, they can provide a sick leave certificate covering the dates you can't work. For the condition itself, see the medical certificate for ear infection and earache page.
Consults begin by phone. The GP judges whether video adds anything, such as a view of swelling around the ear. For a patient under 18, a parent or guardian joins, by phone or video as the GP decides.
Balance matters here. Healthdirect lists balance problems and nausea among the possible symptoms. If your ear is affecting your balance, tell the GP what your job requires, such as driving, ladders, or machinery. That detail helps the GP judge what's safe for you to do.
Why the Ear Exam Matters for Diagnosis
Healthdirect's ear infection page says diagnosis includes examining your ears with an otoscope. That's a special magnifying glass with a torch, gently placed in the ear canal. Further tests are not usually needed.
No phone or video call can replace that look inside the ear. If you've never been diagnosed and your symptoms are new, an in-person visit is the better place to start.
The same page names two common types. Otitis media is a middle ear infection. Otitis externa is an outer ear infection. Which one you have depends on where the infection sits, and the otoscope helps the doctor tell them apart.
Say a worker gets an earache after a cold, with a muffled feeling on one side. They've never had this before. The first step is usually an in-person exam. A talk about time off can follow if it's still needed.
A Guide to Choosing: Phone or In-Person
Telehealth isn't a substitute for care that needs a physical examination, and looking inside the ear is one example. The GP at the consult decides what suits your situation. The table sorts common situations, using Healthdirect's advice where it gives one.
| Your situation | Where it usually fits |
|---|---|
| New earache, never diagnosed | In-person exam first |
| Known diagnosis, already treated, needs time off | A real-time consult can address work capacity |
| Earache lasting more than 3 days | See your doctor, per Healthdirect's earache page |
| Fever, swelling around the ear, discharge or worsening hearing | Urgent doctor appointment, in person |
| Redness, pain or swelling of the bone behind the ear | Emergency department |
How to Get Started
We operate as a platform that connects you with trusted Australian medical practices.
1
Book Your Certificate
Select the sick leave medical certificate type on the OMC Health booking page, and tell us a bit about your situation.
2
Consult with an AHPRA-Registered GP
We connect you with an available AHPRA-registered GP from one of our partner practices for a real-time phone consultation.
3
Receive Your Certificate If Approved
If clinically appropriate, the GP issues your certificate under their own AHPRA registration and their practice details. It's emailed to you securely.
Treat the table with that in mind.
How Quickly Ear Infections Usually Settle
Healthdirect's ear infection page says middle ear infections usually resolve without treatment after 1 to 2 days. It adds that most ear infections resolve without any complications. Its separate earache page gives a longer window, saying middle ear infections usually get better on their own within 7 days. The two pages differ, so use them as a guide only.
The ear infection page says to go back to your doctor if symptoms haven't improved after 2 days. The earache page says to see your doctor for an earache lasting more than 3 days. An in-person visit suits either review.
Healthdirect lists a burst eardrum and glue ear as possible complications. It calls mastoiditis, facial nerve paralysis and sepsis rare. Healthdirect's glue ear page says fluid builds up in the middle ear and can cause hearing loss, mostly in children. It says the fluid usually clears up by itself within a few months, so a blocked, muffled ear can outlast the infection.
Before the Call
A few minutes of prep makes a short consult more useful. Note when the pain began, whether your hearing has changed, and any fever you've measured. Think about which job tasks the ear makes difficult. If you can, write the dates you've already missed.
For comfort while you wait, Healthdirect's earache page suggests applying a warm cloth or heat pack to the ear. It also suggests sleeping with your head raised on two or more pillows. It says to avoid cotton buds and not to try to remove ear wax yourself.
Signs That Mean In-Person or Emergency Care
Healthdirect lists signs that need an emergency department, including redness, pain or swelling of the bone behind the ear. An ear infection with vomiting, sudden hearing loss, fever or problems with the face muscles also needs emergency care. The earache page sets a lower tier for an urgent appointment. It lists fever, swelling around the ear, discharge, worsening hearing, something stuck in the ear, and a child under 2 with sore ears.
None of these should wait for a certificate consult. Get seen first. If you need a certificate afterwards, the doctor who examines you can talk it through with you.
Call 000 in an emergency. OMC Health does not provide emergency care.
Get Your Certificate Today
OMC Health provides real-time consultations with AHPRA-registered GPs, 7 days a week. If the GP determines a certificate is clinically appropriate, it's emailed soon after the consult, from $9.99.
General information only, not a substitute for personalised advice; speak with a qualified practitioner.
Frequently asked questions
The GP will tell you during the consult and explain why. Telehealth isn't a substitute for care that requires a physical examination, and looking inside the ear is a common case. You'd then see a doctor in person, who can examine your ear and talk about time off work if you need it.
It can be. An online certificate from a registered GP, issued after a genuine real-time consult, carries the same standing as one issued in a clinic. Phone or video doesn't change that. Your employer's own evidence rules still apply, so check your award or workplace policy.
Possibly, if the GP decides it's clinically appropriate. If a blocked feeling or reduced hearing affects your work, tell the GP how long it has lasted. Mention the tasks it makes hard, such as phone work or hearing alarms. Healthdirect advises an urgent doctor's visit if your hearing is getting worse.
Yes, mention them. Past infections, when they happened and how they were treated, all help the GP understand the current episode. Mention any ear surgery, grommets or perforations too. That history matters more on the phone, because the GP can't look inside your ear to check.
Healthdirect lists pus or fluid leaking from the ear as a symptom of an ear infection. Discharge is also one of the reasons its earache advice gives for an urgent doctor's appointment. Arrange an in-person appointment so the ear can be examined. Until then, Healthdirect's self-care advice is to avoid letting water get inside your ear.
